Franklin Field, Philadelphia, PA, May 31–June 1, 1929
The Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) held its championship meet at Franklin Field in Philadelphia at the turn of May and June.
The fiercest contest of the meet occurred in the pole vault, though the victory ended in a tie. Ward Edmonds, who tragically died young; Frederic Sturdy, who competed in Europe later that year in August; and Jack Williams of the University of Southern California all cleared 4.19 (13-9), the second-best performance of the season.
Jess Hill achieved the leap of his life in the long jump, landing in the sand 7.64 (25-⅞) from the takeoff board. This was the world’s best jump in 1929. It also marked the end of his long jump career, as Hill shifted his focus to professional baseball. Later, he served for three decades as a coach and athletic director at his alma mater, the University of Southern California.
Another world-leading performance unfolded on the track. Not even the oppressive heat could dampen the pace. Phil Edwards of Canada blazed through 880 yards in 1:52.2, equivalent to a time of 1:51.6 for the 800 meters. This fell short of the 800 world record of 1:50.6, held by Séra Martin.
Edwards went out hard, hitting the halfway point in an aggressive 52.2 seconds. His pace faltered in the second lap, but the New York University athlete fought with determination and managed to break the tape.
Edwards competed in three Olympic Games (1928, 1932, 1936) and collected five bronze medals in the 800 and 1500 meters, as well as the 4x400-meter relay. In 1936, he earned a doctorate in medicine and briefly practiced on the island of Barbados, leaving competitive running behind.
In the javelin, four competitors surpassed 60 meters (196-11). Leo Kibby threw 62.36 (204-7) to take the victory. Finnish coach Jaakko Mikkola, observing from the stands, analyzed the Americans' technique:
"All the throwers were strong, but their skill was lacking. Perhaps the most promising was Myers, an extraordinarily powerful and flexible athlete. However, his throwing motion included awkward, circular movements with his left hand, and he nearly came to a stop at the foul line. It’s astonishing he managed to reach the 60-meter mark. If he learned proper technique and abandoned his primitive, war-dance-like style, he could become a record-holder in no time."
The 440-yard race featured a tight finish, with the six finalists separated by only six feet (2m) at the line. Reginald "Pete" Bowen, who also excelled in rugby and swimming, emerged victorious in 48.4, the fifth-fastest time of the season and equivalent to 48.1 for the metric 400 meters.
Later that summer, Finnish athletes observed Bowen’s form up close when the U.S. team competed in Europe, including at Helsinki’s Eläintarha Grounds.
Stanford University, coached by Dink Templeton, claimed the team championship for the third consecutive year. Templeton, who competed in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics in both rugby and track and field, remains one of the few athletes to have represented his country in both sports.
Jaakko Mikkola’s reports in Helsingin Sanomat, Part 1, June 19, 1929 (in Finnish)
Jaakko Mikkola’s reports in Helsingin Sanomat, Part 2, June 20, 1929 (in Finnish)