Shot Put, Men

The shot put had probably the weakest field of any of the track & field events as the world’s two dominant shot putters were missing, Ralph Rose of the United States, and Denis Horgan of Ireland. Horgan had been AAA champion in 1893-99 and 1904-05, and would win again in 1908-1910. Rose was the Olympic champion in 1904. He would win again in 1908 in this event, and also the 1912 Olympic variant with both hands. He would also win the AAU championship in 1907-1910.

The rules in force were those of the United States, rather than Britain. The jury had a difficult time deciding who was putting the shot and who was throwing it, the primary offender apparently being the Finn Verner Järvinen, who was favored in Rose/Horgan’s absence, but had no fair efforts. In the absence of the world’s top putters, Martin Sheridan won the event, but his mark was mediocre. Either Rose or Horgan would have surpassed it easily.