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| Event type

Hammer Throw, Men

Date16 July 1900
StatusOlympic
LocationCroix Catelan, Bois de Boulogne, Paris
Participants5 from 2 countries
FormatFinal only.

The hammer was thrown from a nine-foot circle. The three Americans, John Flanagan, Truxtun Hare, and Josiah McCracken, completely outclassed their two Swedish rivals. In fact, the unfamiliarity of the Swedes with the event caused some amusement among the spectators, and also a good deal of apprehension. Several times the uncontrolled crowd was seen to scatter as an errant throw headed their way.

For Flanagan, it was the first of three consecutive Olympic titles in the event, a mark only surpassed in athletics by Al Oerter in the discus and Carl Lewis in the long jump. Flanagan was a much titled athlete. He won championships in Britain, the United States, and Ireland in the hammer, and the weight throw, and also placed well in the shot put and the discus at several major competitions. Amazingly for a man of his size (5-10 [1.78 metres], 220 lbs. [100 kg.]), he finished second in both the high and long jump and the all-around at the 1895 Irish Championships.

Truxtun Hare (this is the correct spelling) was better known in America as a footballer, as he had been named several times to Walter Camp’s All-American teams. The third American, Josiah McCracken, later became a missionary doctor in China, and started one of the first medical schools there.

PosNrAthleteNOCDistance
1John FlanaganUSA51.01GoldOR
2Truxtun HareUSA46.26Silver
3Josiah McCrackenUSA43.58Bronze
4Eric LemmingSWE
5Karl Gustaf StaafSWE
DNSGustaf SöderströmSWE