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S W Conference In Tough Spot SpotTechnicalities Technicalities Cut Down Buddy Davis High Jump From 61 Vi to SlOli By ED FITE FITEUnited United Press Sports Writer WriterDALLAS DALLAS Texas May 12 The South ¬ west Conference found itself in a some ¬ what embarrassing spot today on the mat ¬ ter of track and field records recordsThe The situation grew out of the worlds best high jump in more than a decade in which Texas A Ms Walter Buddy Davis was first announced as having leaped six feet 11 12 inches then being credited with only six feet 10 12 inches under the fine technicalities in the rules book bookNinetynine Ninetynine times out of a hundred in conference meets nothing more than a tape measure is used to check the winning heights in high jump events eventsIn In Davis case last Saturday at Ownby Stadium the tape showed six feet 11 12 inches from the lowest sag in the cross ¬ bar to ground level under the bar barBut But that isnt enough proof for the men who approve national and world records So to live up to the regulations a plumb box and a level were brought in and an hour and a half spent in meeting other specifications specificationsThese These specifications stipulate that the measurement must be made from a point on a level with the highest point of ground anywhere on the takeoff apron apronHalf Half Inch Short of Steers Mark MarkWhen When that was done the officials found a spot three feet away from where Davis took off was the highest point From there the tape measured only six feet 10 12 inches a half inch short of Les Steers 1941 world mark markThe The same principle applied to Davis takeoff point showed he actually leaped six feet 11 inches to tie the worlds mark markUnder Under principles normally followed in conference meets Davis sixfoot 11 12 inch jump would not have had such an exacting check In fact officials here are not sure the old loop mark of six feet 8 58 inches was measured that precisely preciselyBut But since it was measured conference secretary Howard Grubbs said the techni ¬ cal 6foot 10 12inch figure would go into the conference record books booksThen Then came the howls In the same meet Charles Thomas and Ralph Person a couple of University of Texas speedsters broke existing 220yard dash and low hurdles marks with times of 204 and 225 respectively respectivelyThey They had the aid of winds ranging from 20 to 25 miles per hour The same rules which call for the exacting high jump measurements also state that no times in running races will be considered for na ¬ tional or world records if the wind velocity is more than two meters or 473 miles per hour hourThe The conference itself does not have set rules covering recognition of records in any of the events eventsThe The windpushed furlong sprint and hurdle times went into the books as rec ¬ ords Davis sixfoot 11 or II 12 inch leap did not notDavis Davis coach Col Andy Anderson of Texas A M isnt going to protest of ¬ ficially but hes put out a bit at acceptance by the conference of what he termed syn ¬ thetic running records and ignoring of the true accomplishedDavis jump his pupil accomplished Davis himself kept quiet about the whole thing
