1923 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
| 1923 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | |
|---|---|
| Host city |
Newark, New Jersey Essex County New Jersey United States |
| Date(s) | September 29 |
| Main stadium | Weequahic Park |
|
← first (women) 1924 → | |
The 1923 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships women's competition were the first national Track and Field championships for women in the USA.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The tournament was held on 29 September 1923 at Weequahic Park in Newark, New Jersey.[7][8]
Background
After the successful first 1922 Women's World Games in Paris and the three Women's Olympiads (1921 Women's Olympiad, 1922 Women's Olympiad and 1923 Women's World Games) in Monaco the interest for women's sports also grew internationally. In 1922 the Women's Amateur Athletic Association (WAAA) was founded in the UK: the WAAA organised the first official British women championships in track and field (WAAA Championships) on 18 August 1923 at the Oxo Sports Ground in Downham outside London.
In the US the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), founded in 1888, held its first national championship in swimming for women in 1916.[4] In 1922, try-outs for the 1922 Women's World Games were held on 13 May at Oaksmere School in Mamaroneck. Some historians consider this event to be the first national women’s track meet.[9]
In 1923 the AAU sponsored the first official American women's track and field championships.[5][6][1][7][2][3].
Events
The meet was held on 29 September 1923 at Weequahic Park in Newark, New Jersey.[1][2][8][5][4][6][10] The women athletes for the 1922 games also trained at Weequahic Park in 1922.[10]
The athletes competed in 11 events: running 50 yards, 100 yards, relay race 4x110 yards, hurdling 60 yards, high jump, long jump, discus throw, shot put, javelin, baseball throw (softball throw) and basketball throw.[8][3][7][4][1] The tournament was a huge promotion for women's sports.
Results
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 yds | Marion McCartie City Bank Club | 6,06sec | Frances Ruppert Meadowbrook Club | Mabel Steel Camp Alamo | ||
| 100 yds | Frances Ruppert Meadowbrook Club | 12,0 sec | Marion McCartie City Bank Club | Madeline Adams Meadowbrook Club | ||
| Relay 4x110 yds | Meadowbrook Club Philadelphia | 52,4 sec | City Bank Club New York | Board of Recreation Paterson, NJ | ||
| Hurdling 60 yds | Hazel Kirk Prudential Insurance | 9,6 sec | Esther Behring Prudential Insurance | Rose Garlock Newark Normal School | ||
| High jump | Catherine Wright Bridgeport A.C. | 4 ft 7½ in | Helen Dinnehey Shanahan CC | 4 ft 6 ¼ in | Ida Robinson Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 4 ft 5 ¼ in |
| Long jump | Helen Dinnehey Shanahan CC | 15 ft 4 in | Alice Adams Prudential Insurance | 15 ft ½ in | Florence Bitner Meadowbrook Club | 14 ft |
| Discus | Babe Wolbert UNAT | 71 ft 9½ in | Roberta Ranck Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 70 ft 10 in | Carrie Gerold Bridgeport A.C. | 65 ft 10½ in |
| Shot put 8 lb |
Bertha Christophel GATC | 30 ft 10½ in | Roberta Ranck Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 29 ft 10 5/8 in | Gladys Booth Prudential Insurance | 28 ft 3 in |
| Javelin | Roberta Ranck Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 59 ft 7¾ in | Jeanette Casper Bridgeport A.C. | 59 ft 1½ in | Gladys Booth Prudential Insurance | 58 ft 8 in |
| Softball throw | Elinor Churchill Robinson F.S. | 234 ft 5¾ in | Mildred Crotty Bridgeport A.C | 222 ft 9½ in | Grace Castor Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 204 ft 4 in |
| Basketball throw | Esther Behring Prudential Insurance | 87 ft 6 in | Elinor Churchill Robinson F.S. | 86 ft 8 in | Grace Castor Philadelphia Turngemeinde | 80 ft 7 in |
Elinor Churchill's baseball throw of 234 feet, 5 ¾ inches also was a new world record,[2] improving her record set the previous year by more than 10 feet.[6][5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Tricard, Louise: American Women's Track and Field: A History, 1895 Through 1980, Volym 1". McFarland, 1996, p 88-89 (ISBN 9780786402199). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Woman Sets Record For Baseball". Courier Journal, Louisville KY, September 30 1923, p 62. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 "USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions". USA Track & Field. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Woolum, Janet: Outstanding Women Athletes: Who They Are and How They Influenced Sports In America". Greenwood, 1998, p 26 (ISBN:9781573561204). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Elinor Churchill". Exeter Historical Society. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Elinor Churchill". Seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 "United States Championships (women)". GBR Athletics.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 3 "USA National Championship, Newark 1923". Brinkster.net. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ↑ "Camille Sabie". NJSports.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- 1 2 "Glimpse of History: Woman athletes make history". NJ.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.