JAVMAN83
Well-known member
A few notes on the records listed in the file above.
* Jesse Owens' 20.8 sec. 220 yard record was set in the semi-finals of the 1933 State Class A meet, not the finals as OHSAA lists on their site. I have proof to back-up this information. It was also set on the straightaway 220 yard dash as was customary for that day except in a few meets.
* Dave Mills' 46.6 sec. 440 yard record was set on a 1-turn configuration at the state meet. I've gone into this on another thread. The NE Ohio district officials successfully petitioned OHSAA to change the race from the normal 2-turn 440yd as we see today to the 1-turn configuration. This was done just prior to the state meet as officials determined to give Mills the best chance to beat the existing national scholastic record of 46.7 sec. which he did manage to do. OHSAA changed from the 1-turn to the 2-turn configuration with the 1953 state meet.
* For the 180yd LH, 220yd, OHSAA did NOT distinguish records set on the straightaways for these events vs. those set over a turn-start. Statisticians now do of course completely distinguish between the two, but at that time, this was not unheard of, unfortunately. Mike Leinhan's (Solon-1956) 180yd LH record was set on the straightaway and had a measured wind-reading of +6.8 mph (+3.1 mps), wind-aided, but was listed as the meet record by OHSAA over subsequent years for whatever reason. 1956 was the first state meet whereby wind measurements were made at the behest of the NFHS in order to submit any marks for potential national record consideration. Some of these wind readings were noted in various newspaper accounts over the years, but OHSAA never published them
* Jesse Owens' 20.8 sec. 220 yard record was set in the semi-finals of the 1933 State Class A meet, not the finals as OHSAA lists on their site. I have proof to back-up this information. It was also set on the straightaway 220 yard dash as was customary for that day except in a few meets.
* Dave Mills' 46.6 sec. 440 yard record was set on a 1-turn configuration at the state meet. I've gone into this on another thread. The NE Ohio district officials successfully petitioned OHSAA to change the race from the normal 2-turn 440yd as we see today to the 1-turn configuration. This was done just prior to the state meet as officials determined to give Mills the best chance to beat the existing national scholastic record of 46.7 sec. which he did manage to do. OHSAA changed from the 1-turn to the 2-turn configuration with the 1953 state meet.
* For the 180yd LH, 220yd, OHSAA did NOT distinguish records set on the straightaways for these events vs. those set over a turn-start. Statisticians now do of course completely distinguish between the two, but at that time, this was not unheard of, unfortunately. Mike Leinhan's (Solon-1956) 180yd LH record was set on the straightaway and had a measured wind-reading of +6.8 mph (+3.1 mps), wind-aided, but was listed as the meet record by OHSAA over subsequent years for whatever reason. 1956 was the first state meet whereby wind measurements were made at the behest of the NFHS in order to submit any marks for potential national record consideration. Some of these wind readings were noted in various newspaper accounts over the years, but OHSAA never published them
