The Resting Place.

[MossRoad]

'Fosbury Flop' high jumper Dick Fosbury dies at 76

Dick Fosbury, the lanky leaper who revamped the technical discipline of high jump and won an Olympic gold medal with his “Fosbury Flop,” has died. He was 76. Fosbury died Sunday after a recurrence with lymphoma, according to his publicist, Ray Schulte.

apnews.com

 

[PJSprog]

My only serious athletic talent was as a high jumper. It got me a full-ride college scholarship ... thanks in no small part to Dick Fosbury.

 

[MossRoad]

My only serious athletic talent was as a high jumper. It got me a full-ride college scholarship ... thanks in no small part to Dick Fosbury.

Cool! I was a tiny little kid. I managed to clear 5' once. World recorded is now 8' 1/4". I look up at my ceiling and shake my head!

 

[71bronco]

Cool! I was a tiny little kid. I managed to clear 5' once. World recorded is now 8' 1/4". I look up at my ceiling and shake my head!

The ceiling analogy does put it in perspective. Amazing!

Jeff

 

[MossRoad]

On the high jump note, my kid in Oklahoma said one of their dogs took off after a squirrel in the back yard and cleared the 6' privacy fence into the neighbor's back yard. So she immediately jumped the fence after the dog, grabbed it, threw it back over the fence, and jumped back into her own yard. This is a 120# kid and a 60# dog. I was impressed.

 

[goeduck]

I spent a lot of time in Medford Oregon and never knew until now that Dick Fosbury went to High School there when he invented the flop. His Mexico City Gold record was "only" 7 ft 4-1⁄4 in (by today's standards).

 

[PJSprog]

My high school record was 6' 6-3/4" I broke it my senior year (1984) at 6' 8". I held that record for all of about 10 minutes. My teammate was gracious enough to allow me to enjoy the moment for a little bit while he stretched a bit more, then moved the bar up to 6' 10" and cleared it. I believe his record still stands today.

Highest I ever successfully jumped was 7' 0" as a freshman in college, which qualified me for the Nationals meet. I didn't go, though ... because, like a dummy, I dropped out that year.

I didn't always make the wisest choices back then.

 

[MossRoad]

My high school record was 6' 6-3/4" I broke it my senior year (1984) at 6' 8". I held that record for all of about 10 minutes. My teammate was gracious enough to allow me to enjoy the moment for a little bit while he stretched a bit more, then moved the bar up to 6' 10" and cleared it. I believe his record still stands today.

Highest I ever successfully jumped was 7' 0" as a freshman in college, which qualified me for the Nationals meet. I didn't go, though ... because, like a dummy, I dropped out that year.

I didn't always make the wisest choices back then.

Wow! That's impressive. I sit here looking at my living room door. It's a standard door, 6' 8". To imagine not just jumping up, grabbing the top of something 7' high and pulling yourself over it, but running up and throwing your entire body up and over something like that without touching it... just amazing. I congratulate you.

I'm not sure I could clear the doorknob today!

 

[MossRoad]

I didn't always make the wisest choices back then.

Yeah, me neither.

About my only regrets are not pushing myself harder in math, and not playing organized baseball. Everything else worked out pretty well, all things considered.

 

[PJSprog]

I'm not sure I could clear the doorknob today!

You and me both, David. My jumping days are long behind me.