Robert Simpson (athlete)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Simpson

Robert Ingalls " Bob " Simpson (born May 25, 1892 in Bosworth , Carroll County , † November 10, 1974 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American hurdles world record holder and athletics coach.

Life

Simpson grew up on the family's farm in rural Bosworth. He was the eldest of three brothers in an athletic family, and his brothers John Simpson and Chauncey Simpson, as well as his cousin William Sylvester, were outstanding athletes. During high school, Robert was considered a full athletics team, as he regularly won the long jump, high jump and sprint and was also part of the school team in baseball and basketball. After graduating from high school in 1913, he first learned hurdles at the University of Missouri from coach Henry F. Schulte , who had given him a competitive sports scholarship, even though he continued to collect points for the university team as a sprinter and long jumper. He quickly learned a new and efficient hurdle technique (arms parallel to the track and not sideways) and didn't just rely on his sprinting speed. He also tried to run over the hurdles as flat as possible instead of jumping over them. According to the rules of the time, however, you were disqualified if you knocked over more than 3 hurdles. After a year of only minor races, he was sent against real competition in 1915. He lost his first race against Olympic champion Fred Kelly in 15.0 seconds while tied for the same time by only centimeters. With that he had set the world record. At the same sports festival he won the long jump and the 220 yard hurdles. A little later he confirmed the 15.0 s again. At the American Championships he was third over 120 yards (behind Kelly and Feg Murray ) and fourth over 220 yard hurdles. But because Kelly had knocked over more than the allowed three hurdles, Simpson was second by the disqualification. 1916 was Simpsons best year. Due to the World War, however, the Olympic Games planned for Berlin were canceled. He ran again for 15.0 s (this time on grass) in the early season. On May 6, he improved the world record to 14.8 s in the comparison match against Iowa State . A week later he ran the same time again and also improved his long jump best to 7.18 m. A week later, Earl Thomson set the new world record. Two weeks later, Simpson improved the world record again, this time to 14.6 s. He also set the world record of Alvin Kraenzlein 23.6 s over 220 yard hurdles. In 1917, Simpson started only in the college season, won all races and volunteered for the United States Army immediately after graduating with a bachelor's degree . He received an honorary award for the best diploma from a competitive athlete at the university. He went through the officers' course and became a lieutenant and the sports officer of the 91st division . After the end of the war he won both hurdles at the Allied Games in Paris in 1919 ; He had lost the elimination race for Paris to his cousin William Sylvester over 220 yards. In 1919 he also won his 2nd American title over 120 yard hurdles and also his only championship over 220 yard hurdles. In his playing days he was 1.90 m tall and weighed 82 kg. He started outside of university for the Illinois Athletic Club

Career as a coach

After the 1919 season, Simpson became the head coach for athletics for the University of Missouri. He stayed here until 1926 and brought u. a. the Olympic champion Jackson Scholz and Olympic second (and later start coach) Brutus Hamilton out. He now also coached his younger brother Chauncey , who later became a coach for athletics , football and golf at the same university . After the 1926 season, Simpson moved to Iowa State University , where he remained as a coach until 1937. His most successful athletes included Ray Conger and Ray Putnam. In 1939 Simpson became national coach and sports director of Hungary , where he stayed in Europe despite the war. He did not return until the USA entered the war, and was reassigned to the army as captain, promoted to major in 1944. After the war, he stayed as a trainer in the Army and Air Force and prepared the army for the Olympic Games. In 1950 he left the army and moved to California, where he remained involved in athletics as a referee. He died in Los Angeles . For his services, he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame as a founding member .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Simpson's Grit Wins Honors (pdf). In: Sporting Life , February 17, 1917. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  2. ^ Valley Title Very Uncertain At Ames . In: Lawrence Journal-World , May 31, 1919. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  3. ↑ Simpson's Fame Due To Unknown Man . In: The Daily Missourian , August 6, 1916. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  4. ↑ Two Records Fall In Aggie Dual Meet . May 2, 1915. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  5. ↑ Tigers Honored For Great Year . In: The Daily Missourian , December 14, 1916. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  6. ^ Edgren, Robert: Simpson Still a Wonder . In: The Pittsburg Press , October 27, 1918. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  7. ^ Simpson Wonderful Athlete; His Elevation to Fame Rapid . In: The Washington Post , February 4, 1917. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  8. ^ Third Among Universities . August 9, 1915. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  9. ^ Arnd Krüger : Germany and the Olympic Movement (1918-1945). Horst Ueberhorst (Ed.): History of physical exercises , Vol. 3/2, Berlin: Bartels & Wernitz, 1982, 1026-1047.
  10. ^ New World's Record Is Set By Simpson . In: University Missourian , May 7, 1916. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  11. ^ Valley Meet Easy For MU; Simpson Sets Record Again . May 28, 1916. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  12. ^ Cochrane, EW: Good Feds Are Now Playing in Minors . In: El Paso Herald , June 8, 1916. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  13. ↑ Checks Out as a Tiger . In: Kansas City Star , June 17, 1917, p. 17. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  14. ^ Simpson For Fort Sheridan . In: The Daily Free Press , August 14, 1917. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  15. ^ Inter-Allied Games . Athletics Weekly. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  16. ^ Two World's Records Are Equalled At The Inter-Allied Tryouts . In: The Lewiston Daily Sun , June 20, 1919. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  17. ↑ Men's 200 meter hurdles . USA Track & Field. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  18. ^ Joie Ray Tears Off New AAU Record . In: The New York Times , September 14, 1919. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  19. ↑ Simpson Formally Quits AAU ranks . In: The New York Times , December 16, 1919. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  20. ^ Robert Simpson . USA Track & Field. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  21. ^ Iowa State Track Team Meets UM . In: Carroll Daily Herald , April 30, 1937. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  22. ^ Yeager To Take Veenker's Post . In: Mason City Globe-Gazette , December 1, 1936. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  23. ^ Bob Simpson Is Now Coaching For Hungary . In: The Hammond Times , July 25, 1939. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  24. ^ Robert Simpson dies at 82 . In: The Stars and Stripes , November 13, 1974. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  25. ↑ Coaches Olympic Candidate . In: The Bakersfield Californian , March 20, 1948. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
  26. ^ Robert Simpson, Former Track Star, Coach, Dies . In: Pasadena Star-News , November 12, 1974. Retrieved March 31, 2017. 
personal data
SURNAME Simpson, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Simpson, Robert Ingalls; Simpson, Bob
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American hurdles world record holder and athletics coach
DATE OF BIRTH May 25, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH Bosworth , Carroll County
DATE OF DEATH November 10, 1974
Place of death Los Angeles , California