1968
1969
SOUTHWORDS
April 1969Inside story on track team events and lingo
by Jane
All year 'round you may notice boys running outside in red suits. This is the track team getting in shape. I would like to explain some of the finer points of track.
There are two kinds of track: indoor and outdoor. The indoor is inside a gym while the outdoor takes place outside.
Indoor track consists of such fantastic feats as pole vault. This ... is the act of getting over a bar using a pole for height.
Another indoor event is the high jump. This isn't a person jumping after he's had many drinks. It is, however, a person jumping over a high bar.
Outdoor track consists of many running events. One such event is a medley relay. This consists of four men running a certain distance. The athletes hold a baton when they run which isn't what a majorette would twirl but more like a fat stick. He hands this off to the man who will run after him.
If the baton is dropped, it must be picked up and then the runner can keep running.
Some races have hurls in them to make the track look like an obstacle course. Hurdles are little bars which the runner has to jump over.
There is another running event called a dash. This isn't like the soap that makes your clothes clean and bright. It is a short race.
There are two hurling events in outdoor track. They are the discus and the shot put. The discus is a piece of equipment like a small flying saucer.
The shot is a round ball which is deceiving because it looks light but is really rather heavy. Both objects are thrown and the person who throws the greatest distance wins.
These are just some of the finer points of track. To see everything, go to a track meet and cheer on the team.
