Steve Seymour

American track and field athlete

For other people named Stephen Seymour, see Stephen Seymour (disambiguation).

Steve Seymour

Seymour, circa 1948

Personal information
Born| (1920-10-04)October 4, 1920
New York, New York
Died| June 18, 1973(1973-06-18) (aged 52)
Los Angeles, California
Height| 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) [1]

Medal record

Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
|  1948 London | Javelin throw
Pan American Games
|  Buenos Aires 1951 | Javelin throw

Stephen Andrew Seymour (October 4, 1920, in New York City – June 18, 1973, in Los Angeles) was an American physician and track and field coach and athlete, who in the 1948 London Olympics won America's first silver medal in the javelin throw, a feat that to-date would be repeated only in the 1952 Olympics. Setting the American javelin record in 1945 and 1947, Seymour is regarded by track and field historians as America's original javelin technician.[2][3][1]

Seymour, who was of Jewish heritage, was actually born Seymour Cohen in New York, but in his mid-20's changed his name to Stephen Seymour to avoid anti-Semitism.[1][3]

## Early education

[edit]

He threw javelin for his Middletown, Pennsylvania, High School track team, and then for his college team, Franklin and Marshall in Lancaster, setting a school record of 208 feet or 63.4 meters after several years of competition. Around this time he abandoned his side arm delivery and began to use a technique known as the "front cross", which he would maintain and continue to refine. At Franklin and Marshall, he also competed in the pole vault, long jump and ran cross country.[3]

Following the Second World War, performance levels of elite U.S. javelin throwers lagged well behind the Europeans. Since around 1930, Finnish javeliners had primarily dominated the sport, and with over 20 medals they continue to hold the most of any country by a considerable margin.[4][5]

## 1947 American record

[edit]

Fin Yrjö Nikkanen, with overhead throw

Seeking to refine his skills, Seymour spent 1946 in Finland, training with that nation's world-class throwers. It did not take long for his meticulous research to pay dividends. Besting his first American record of 235'3" he set in Istanbul while serving overseas as an Army medic in 1945, in 1947 he established a new American record with an exceptional throw of 75.80 meters (248' 8") at the U.S. AAU Championships representing the Los Angeles Athletic Club; his mark was within ten feet of the global standard of 78.7 meters (258.2 feet) set by Finland's Yrjö Nikkanen in 1938.

## Technique

[edit]

Seymour helped improve and popularize a throwing position with more of a straight arm release with the arm over the head and close to vertical at one point. At the beginning of the throw, the head and upper body tilted backward and moved closer to vertical. At release, the arm would be extended overhead and slightly in front of the body, near the top of the arc, with the athlete often looking in the direction of the throw. The javelin may be initially held at an angle exceeding 45 degrees, but released at only around 30 degrees allowing a snap of the wrist and an elbow pivot, but getting most of the force from the shoulders. It was distinct from one earlier Finnish method that used a side arm release. Seymour's method seemed to more effectively use the muscle strength in the arms, shoulders, back and chest to power the throw than a side arm technique. The overhead or over the shoulder throw technique is required today in most competitions. Seymour also was an innovator in the development of strength training techniques specific to the javelin throw. For a period in his prime, Seymour was coached by Dean Cromwell, who had served as the 1936 American Olympic Track Team Coach.[3][1][6]

## Medical studies and Army

[edit]

In the 1940's Seymour completed his medical studies at the Los Angeles College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons and in later life practiced as an osteopath in addition to operating a clinic for alcoholics.[1] He won the AAU Junior in 1941, still under the name Seymour Cohen, but changed it not long after.[3] He coached track and attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy after college, then transferred to the Los Angeles College of Osteopathy in 1944, and married in June of that year, eventually having three children. In 1945, he served overseas as a medic in WWII, then after completing his internship, served in the army and was stationed for a time in Fort McArthur in Texas. In 1947, he completed his degree in osteopathy.[3]

## 1948 Olympic silver medal

[edit]

1948 was a memorable year in Seymour's career; he won a second consecutive national AAU title, and in his most notable achievement, a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in London. He became the first American to take a silver in the sport, though his winning throw of 67.56 meters (221.6 feet) was shorter than his American record as it was hampered by poor weather and a somewhat overworked and sore elbow.[3][1] Nonetheless, his medal was one of the first clear indications that American athletes in javelin, if briefly, could break the near monopoly that Finnish and Scandinavian athletes had once held competing at the highest level.[4] Seymour's primary American competitor at the 1948 Olympics was Californian Martin Biles, a former 1940-41 NCAA javelin champion, who had beaten Seymour at least seven times previously, but failed to medal in 1948.[3]

## National championship, Pan Am Games

[edit]

In 1950, Seymour added a third national championship to his collection; and in 1951 he was the silver medalist at the Pan American Games.[7][1]

### America briefly excels

[edit]

With a brief show of dominance, and perhaps learning from Seymour's methods and techniques, in 1952 American Javelin athletes would in a very rare occurrence dominate with Cy Young taking the Gold, and Bill Miller the Silver. Swedish and Finnish athletes would continue to hold most world records until 1953, when American Bud Held beat a World Record of 78.7 meters (258.2 feet) set by Fin Yrjö Nikkanen in 1938. Unable to compete, Seymour took sixth place in the 1952 Olympic finals, and did not qualify for the 1956 Olympic finals. [1][8]

## Later life

[edit]

Seymour wrote a number of articles on the javelin, effectively used strength training, and continued to train in the sport as late as 1957-8. He researched written material on the sport including translations.[3] Continuing to improve his technique a full ten years after his Olympic silver medal, he came up with a throw of 251' 1" (76.53 meters) in 1958 to register the longest throw of his career. Seymour advocated the use of somewhat heavier javelins for stronger competitors to provide more thrust. In an article he wrote in "Amateur Athlete", he described the javelin he threw in 1959, as a “double weight”, 3.5 pounds as opposed to the 800 gram (1.7 pound) javelin, which is still the minimum weight requirement.[3] In 1961 Seymour was the co-ordinating Project Director for a report to President Kennedy, called “The Soft American: Problems and Solutions.” There were 105 people interviewed for the article, including several well-known athletes.[3]

He died of a suspected heart attack at 52 in Los Angeles on June 18, 1973.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Steve Seymour at Sports Reference
2. ^ Olympic Javelin medal count by country in ""Statista website, (Olympic) Medal count by country in the Men's Javelin Throw"".
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Changed his name in "Track and Field, McGill, Kevin, Steve Seymour".
4. ^ a b "Kirshenbaum, Jerry, They're All Out to Launch".
5. ^ Olympic Javelin medal count by country in "Statista website, (Olympic) Medal count by country in the Men's Javelin Throw".
6. ^ a b "Dr. Seymour, 52, Javelin Star, Dies of Heart Attack", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 55, 1 July 1973
7. ^ Olderr, Steven (2015-07-11). The Pan American Games / Los Juegos Panamericanos: A Statistical History, 1951-1999, bilingual edition / Una Historia Estadistica, 1951-1999, edicion bilingue. McFarland. ISBN 9781476604688.
8. ^ "Encyclopedia Britannica, "Javelin Throw"".

## External links

[edit]

* United States Track and Field
* United States Olympic Committee Archived 2004-08-20 at archive.today

* v
* t
* e

US National Championship winners in men's javelin throw

1909–1979
Amateur Athletic Union|

* 1909: Ralph Rose
* 1910: Bruno Brodd
* 1911: Ollie Snedigar
* 1912: Harry Lott
* 1913: Bruno Brodd
* 1914–19: George Bronder
* 1920–21: Milton Angier
* 1922: Flint Hanner
* 1923: Harry Hoffman
* 1924: John Leyden
* 1925: Zeke Bonura
* 1926: John Kuck
* 1927: Charles Harlow
* 1928: Creth Hines
* 1929: Jess Mortensen
* 1930–31: James DeMers
* 1932: Malcolm MetcalfNote
* 1933: Lee Bartlett
* 1934: Ralston LeGore
* 1935: Horace Odell
* 1936: John Mottram
* 1937: William Reitz
* 1938: Nick Vukmanic
* 1939–42: Boyd Brown
* 1943–44: Martin Biles
* 1945: Earl Marshall
* 1946: Garland Adair
* 1947–48: Steve Seymour
* 1949: Bud Held
* 1950: Steve Seymour
* 1951: Bud Held
* 1952: Bill Miller
* 1953–55: Bud Held
* 1956: Cy Young
* 1957: Bob Voiles
* 1958: Bud Held
* 1959–60: Al Cantello
* 1961: John Fromm
* 1962: Dan Studney
* 1963: Larry Stuart
* 1964: Frank Covelli
* 1965: Bill Floerke
* 1966: John Tushaus
* 1967: Delmon McNabb
* 1968: Frank Covelli
* 1969: Mark Murro
* 1970–71: Bill Skinner
* 1972: Fred Luke
* 1973: Cary Feldmann
* 1974: Sam Colson
* 1975: Richard George
* 1976: Fred Luke
* 1977: Bruce Kennedy
* 1978: Bill Schmidt
* 1979: Duncan Atwood

1980–1992
The Athletics Congress|

* 1980: Duncan Atwood
* 1981: Bruce Kennedy
* 1982: Bob Roggy
* 1983: Rod Ewaliko
* 1984: Curt Ransford
* 1985–86: Tom Petranoff
* 1987: Duncan Atwood
* 1988: Dave Stephens
* 1989: Mike Barnett
* 1990: Vince Labosky
* 1991: Mike Barnett
* 1992: Tom Pukstys

1993–onwards
USA Track & Field|

* 1993: Tom Pukstys
* 1994: Todd Riech
* 1995: Tom Pukstys
* 1996: Todd Riech
* 1997–99: Tom Pukstys
* 2000–07: Breaux Greer
* 2008: Bobby Smith
* 2009: Chris Hill
* 2010: Sean Furey
* 2011: Mike Hazle
* 2012: Sam Humphreys
* 2013: Riley Dolezal
* 2014–15: Sean Furey
* 2016: Cyrus Hostetler
* 2017: Riley Dolezal
* 2018: Curtis Thompson
* 2019: Michael Shuey
* 20212020 OT: Curtis Thompson

Olympic Trials|

* The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.

* 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notes|

* Kenneth Churchill had the longest throw in the 1932 competition (which doubled as the Olympic Trials), ahead of Malcolm Metcalf. However, Churchill qualified for the final only due to a late rule change by the U.S. Olympic Committee, allowing eight rather than five finalists. As this rule change applied only to the Olympic Trials, Churchill is considered to have won at the Trials and Metcalf at the national championships, even though they were the same meet.

* v
* t
* e

1948 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

* 1948 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's track
and road athletes|

* Dick Ault
* Herb Barten
* Dave Bolen
* Cliff Bourland
* Bob Chambers
* Roy Cochran
* Ernest Crosbie
* John Deni
* Harrison Dillard
* Craig Dixon
* Clem Eischen
* Barney Ewell
* Don Gehrmann
* Herman Goffberg
* George Guida
* Art Harnden
* Johnny Kelley
* Jeff Kirk
* Henry Laskau
* Ollie Manninen
* Bob McMillen
* Eddie O'Toole
* Whitey Overton
* Mel Patton
* Bill Porter
* Clarence Robison
* Browning Ross
* Clyde Scott
* Fred Sharaga
* Roland Sink
* Curt Stone
* Jerry Thompson
* Ted Vogel
* Ernest Weber
* Adolf Weinacker
* Mal Whitfield
* Fred Wilt
* Lorenzo Wright (r)

Men's field athletes|

* Bill Albans
* Bob Beckus
* Bob Bennett
* Martin Biles
* Bill Burton
* Jim Delaney
* Herb Douglas
* Henry Dreyer
* Dwight Eddleman
* Samuel Felton
* Vic Frank
* Jim Fuchs
* Fortune Gordien
* Erkki Koutonen
* Bob Likins
* Bob Mathias
* Vern McGrew
* Irving Mondschein
* Boo Morcom
* Bob Richards
* Steve Seymour
* Floyd Simmons
* Guinn Smith
* George Stanich
* Willie Steele
* Wilbur Thompson
* Lorenzo Wright

Women's track athletes|

* Mae Faggs
* Nell Jackson
* Theresa Manuel
* Audrey Patterson
* Bernice Robinson
* Mabel Walker
* Jean Walraven
* Lillian Young

Women's field athletes|

* Alice Coachman
* Dorothy Dodson
* Frances Kaszubski
* Theresa Manuel
* Bernice Robinson
* Emma Reed
* Jean Walraven
* Lillian Young

Coaches|

* Dean Cromwell (men's head coach)
* Emmett Brunson (men's assistant coach)
* Ward Haylett (men's assistant coach)
* Tom Jones (men's assistant coach)
* Emil Von Elling (men's assistant coach)
* Fred Travalena (road event coach)
* Catherine Meyer (women's coach)

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