HAMMER THROWING, a feat consisting of hurling to the greatest possible distance an implement of specified weight and design, styled a "hammer," so that it shall fall within a 9o° sector marked upon the ground, while the thrower remainF within a 7ft. circle from which the throwing takes place. The sport is probably of Celtic origin. Mention is made in the Book of Leinster of the Toth clews, or wheel feat, at the Tailteann games at Tara in Ireland. It is believed that the earliest missile employed was a chariot wheel attached to a fixed axle and that a large stone was substituted instead of the wheel at the beginning of the Christian era. Later still, a blacksmith's sledge-hammer was preferred, and the first real hammer throwing became known throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. The sport was encouraged by Edward II. and practised proficiently by Henry VIII.
Quite early in the days of the i 9th century hammer throwing competitions became very popular, and men began to cast round for a means of throwing further. The oblong hammer head then gave place to a lead or iron ball, weighing 16 lb. or 21 lb., and next, the stiff wooden shaft was replaced with flexible cane or whalebone about din. in diameter. In those days the thrower stood at a mark, whirled the hammer several times round his head and let it fly away backwards over his shoulder. In this style 'loft. was beaten, but 1 2of t. never fairly reached.
A very big improvement came about when the Irish school of athletes evolved the notion that much more force must be gen erated if the hammer head, in describing the circumference of a circle, was attached not to a fixed, but to a revolving central point, i.e., the thrower's body, which would generate its own momentum. This led to the modern method of delivering the throw at the end of one, two or even three turns within the narrow confines of the 7ft. circle. Another improvement which has made the tremendous modern records possible is the evolution of the present-day implement, which is a "hammer" by title of courtesy alone. The head comprises a lead or brass shell attached by a ball bearing swivel to a straight length of steel spring wire not less than tin. in diameter, terminating in either a single or double loop. The total weight of the hammer as thrown is 16 lb. and the length over all not more than 4 feet. Thus the greatest mechanical advantage, that of having the entire weight of the missile at the end, as well as the least friction, has been obtained.
The second turning movement was introduced into hammer throwing by J. J. Flanagan, an Irish-American. Flanagan set the world's record mark at 17 2f t. 11in. in 1904 ; but, meantime, he had been beaten by A. D. Plaw, University of California, who was using three turns. Flanagan realized that he had reached his limit with the two turn method and for three years he worked patiently until he was able to control the throw fully with three turns. With this style he still further increased his record to 181 feet. Since Flanagan's time there have been two even greater throwers: F. D. Tootell, Bowdoin college, who holds the All American collegiate record of i 81 f t. 61in., and the Irish-American, P. Ryan, who in 1913 set up the wonderful record of i8oft. 6 z inches. Ryan was 6ft. tin. tall and weighed 17 stone (238 lb.). Olympic record, W. Hein, Germany, 1936, 185ft. 4.9 in.
One of the most marvellous throwers of all time was the late A. E. Flaxman, who fell in the first battle of the Somme, July 1, 1916. This Yorkshireman stood 5ft. 9in. in height, weighed less than 1 1 stone (154 lb.), and yet, employing four turns, threw over 'soft., or rather more than one foot of distance for every pound of his own weight.
In Scotland there is still held a championship for throwing the stiff-shafted hammer from the standing position, but this form of throwing is not used elsewhere. The orthodox style of throw ing the 16 lb. hammer is a championship event in almost every country nowadays; it is also an Olympic event. The sport is es sentially one which should be practised by big men of excep tional strength and quickness ; and whose senses of rhythm and timing are fully developed. Some idea may be had of the strength which is necessary for the practice of this sport when it is stated that in the case of a 16 lb. hammer being thrown to a distance of even 15oft., the centrifugal force exerted or, in other words, the pull upon the thrower's arms and body is equal to 366 pounds. It is also interesting to note that the velocity of the hammer at the instant of release from the hands is 69ft. per second ; if the throw is made at the correct angle of 45° the greatest vertical height at tained during its flight is 3 7f t. 6in., and the time of its flight is just over 3 seconds.
See F. A. M. Webster, Athletes in Action (1931) ; Why—The Science of Athletics (1932) ; Webster and Heys, Exercises for Athletes (1932) ; Athletic Training for Men and Boys (F. A. M. W.)