Wilt Chamberlain: 24 Inch Vertical

[Psileas]

Wow, this is an old bump. And I'm not reading it all, but this jumped out at me (I changed formatting as the original post, on page 4, was a quote itself)...
LOL at someone "broad jumping" 22 feet. I call bull.
Aside from that, man I wish I could have seen Wilt in action. Seems like he was an impressive dude.

Why? That's the same as long jumping. The world record had been almost 25 feet even as early on as in 1901.

[kshutts1]

Why? That's the same as long jumping. The world record had been almost 25 feet even as early on as in 1901.

Broad jumping is done from a standstill. At least the broad jumping with which I'm familiar. Long jumping is done with a running start.

[kshutts1]

That's just a technicality, though. I'm one of Wilt's biggest non-"stan" fans. Not trying to detract from him, or what he was capable of doing. Just pointing out the error.

[-23-]

Why? That's the same as long jumping. The world record had been almost 25 feet even as early on as in 1901.

No it's not. Broad Jump is from a stand-still.

[CavaliersFTW]

Broad jumping is done from a standstill. At least the broad jumping with which I'm familiar. Long jumping is done with a running start.

The terms are inter-changeable.

[La Frescobaldi]

No it's not. Broad Jump is from a stand-still.

no. that's a standing broad jump. not the same thing.

[La Frescobaldi]

Wow, this is an old bump. And I'm not reading it all, but this jumped out at me (I changed formatting as the original post, on page 4, was a quote itself)...
LOL at someone "broad jumping" 22 feet. I call bull.
Aside from that, man I wish I could have seen Wilt in action. Seems like he was an impressive dude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_jump

The long jump (historically called the broad jump) is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point. This event has a history in the Ancient Olympic Games and has been a modern Olympic event for men since the first Olympics in 1896 and for women since 1948.

Rank Mark Wind (m/s) Athlete Venue Date
1 8.95 m (29 ft 41⁄4 in) 0.3 Mike Powell (USA) Tokyo August 30, 1991
2 8.90 m (29 ft 21⁄4 in) A 2.0 Bob Beamon (USA) Mexico City October 18, 1968
3 8.87 m (29 ft 1 in) −0.2 Carl Lewis (USA) Tokyo August 30, 1991
4 8.86 m (29 ft 03⁄4 in) A 1.9 Robert Emmiyan (URS) Tsakhkadzor May 22, 1987
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) 1.4 Larry Myricks (USA) Indianapolis July 18, 1988
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) A 2.0 Erick Walder (USA) El Paso April 2, 1994
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) −1.2 Dwight Phillips (USA) Eugene June 7, 2009

22 feet is awesome......... but not compared to Mike Powell's 24 year old record

edit ~ you should hit that Bob Beamon link because he broke the old record by some astounding figure....... crazy amount

[kshutts1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_jump

The long jump (historically called the broad jump) is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point. This event has a history in the Ancient Olympic Games and has been a modern Olympic event for men since the first Olympics in 1896 and for women since 1948.

Rank Mark Wind (m/s) Athlete Venue Date
1 8.95 m (29 ft 41⁄4 in) 0.3 Mike Powell (USA) Tokyo August 30, 1991
2 8.90 m (29 ft 21⁄4 in) A 2.0 Bob Beamon (USA) Mexico City October 18, 1968
3 8.87 m (29 ft 1 in) −0.2 Carl Lewis (USA) Tokyo August 30, 1991
4 8.86 m (29 ft 03⁄4 in) A 1.9 Robert Emmiyan (URS) Tsakhkadzor May 22, 1987
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) 1.4 Larry Myricks (USA) Indianapolis July 18, 1988
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) A 2.0 Erick Walder (USA) El Paso April 2, 1994
5= 8.74 m (28 ft 8 in) −1.2 Dwight Phillips (USA) Eugene June 7, 2009

22 feet is awesome......... but not compared to Mike Powell's 24 year old record

Then just a difference in terms. I understood broad jumping to be a standstill, while long jump is running start.

I have been corrected.

As for the Mike Powell record, I knew about that... walked under his trajectory at some museum.. pretty ridiculous.

[kshutts1]

As for the "24 inch vertical" claim, if there's a single professional male athlete that can't do that, in any sport (except for MAYBE sumo), then they should be highly ashamed of themselves.

[La Frescobaldi]

Then just a difference in terms. I understood broad jumping to be a standstill, while long jump is running start.

I have been corrected.

As for the Mike Powell record, I knew about that... walked under his trajectory at some museum.. pretty ridiculous.

yeah.... hit that Beamon link too i just edited my post... dude's record stood for 25 years or something

not a difference in terms though... you're prolly just too young to remember those old names
standing broad jump was always called that, and broad jump was different. Which is why they abandoned the name it was always confusing

[3ball]

1. Yes, quite easily. Though why would he want his head to hit the ring? He's not going to be trying to get his head near it, so given that only 2% of his career field goals exists on film, and even less of his overall career, opportunities to see his head at maximum height near the rim are going to be slim to none. Only a few pics and clips exist of him jumping high in close vicinity of the ring, but nevertheless they definitely exist and don't really leave room for reasonable doubt.



2. Not that this has to do with your overall point you are trying to make, but Converse All Star shoes are not 1 inch thick, those type of basketball shoes back then were wafer thin compared to modern shoes. They were probably more like a half inch thick.

this is awesome... he's well past his athletic prime in this photo and the picture is obviously a legit angle...

and it squares with other youtube vids of wilt appearing to get his head by the rim... confirmed 35+ vert... confirmed goat nba talent.

[CavaliersFTW]

this is awesome... he's well past his athletic prime in this photo and the picture is obviously a legit angle...

and it squares with other youtube vids of wilt appearing to get his head by the rim... confirmed 35+ vert... confirmed goat nba talent.

He's 36 years old in that pic. What was Shaq's vertical at 36 years old? Is there any player that could get their head rim level at that age? I don't care if you're 7 foot or 6 foot... 7 footers tend to lose their vertical quickly especially as they put on weight. Wilt's ideal playing weight was about 290lbs. The Lopez twins are both 6-11.5 and 275-290, they will be lucky to jump over a loaf of bread when they are 36, let alone if they ballooned to 310lbs by that age.

[kshutts1]

this is awesome... he's well past his athletic prime in this photo and the picture is obviously a legit angle...

and it squares with other youtube vids of wilt appearing to get his head by the rim... confirmed 35+ vert... confirmed goat nba talent.

Legit angle? Looking at the rim, it's "confirmed" that the picture was taken from below the height of the rim. Therefore, if Chamberlain is even one inch closer to the camera than the rim is, then the angle is misleading.
The best angle for any vertical confirmation is straight on at the height of the rim. So it just looks like a single piece of metal. Otherwise, it can be distorted.

Considering the "logic leaps" you made, though, from confirmed vert to confirmed goat, I'd say you were being sarcastic. But in the event you were not, just thought I'd point out the obvious.

[CavaliersFTW]

Legit angle? Looking at the rim, it's "confirmed" that the picture was taken from below the height of the rim. Therefore, if Chamberlain is even one inch closer to the camera than the rim is, then the angle is misleading.
The best angle for any vertical confirmation is straight on at the height of the rim. So it just looks like a single piece of metal. Otherwise, it can be distorted.

Considering the "logic leaps" you made, though, from confirmed vert to confirmed goat, I'd say you were being sarcastic. But in the event you were not, just thought I'd point out the obvious.

Chamberlain is behind the rim, not in front of it.

[kshutts1]

Chamberlain is behind the rim, not in front of it.

Maybe someone that knows more about pictures can see that, but I can't. When I look at it, all I see is that Chamberlain could, might be, may be, in front, behind, or level with the rim.

Just arguing technicalities here. Again, I'd be absolutely shocked if he didn't have a 24" vert at age 50, much less 36, much less 22. Just saying the picture doesn't really prove anything.