Larry Stuart (born October 19, 1937 – June 6, 2015) was an American

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

athlete, known primarily for the

javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the ...

Biography

He has held numerous records in the event, including four times setting and improving the National Junior College Record while at

Santa Ana College Santa Ana College is a public community college in Santa Ana, California. History In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange ...

and after a stint throwing in the

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

, the school record at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

, at on March 30, 1963 which held until 1986 when the design of the javelin was changed for competition worldwide. Stuart competed twice in the

United States Olympic Trials The United States Olympic Trials are competitions held in certain sports to select the United States' participants in those sports at the Olympic Games. These events include: * United States Olympic Trials (curling) * United States Olympic Trials (d ...

, finishing 8th in 1960 while competing for Santa Ana College and 11th in 1964 with poor throwing while competing for the

Southern California Striders The Southern California Striders (also SoCal Striders or SC Striders) is a track and field athletics club based in Los Angeles, California. From its foundation in 1955 through the 1980s it was an elite club producing numerous national and Olympi ...

. Had he thrown anywhere close to his mark from USC a year earlier, he would have beaten the field by up to 25 feet. He was ranked #2 in the US in 1963 and 1965. but was hampered by injuries in 1964, dropping to #7. In all he was ranked in the US. top 10 nine times between 1963 and 1973, only missing the 1968 and 1972 Olympic years. Stuart did not quit throwing, instead he found his way into the new division of

masters athletics Masters athletics is a class of the sport of athletics for athletes of over 35 years of age. The events include track and field, road running and cross country running. Competitors are bracketed into five-year age groups (which promotes fair comp ...

setting the M45

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

at age 48 as soon as the new javelin came out. Stuart improved the previous record by over 6 meters (20 feet). His mark remained until 2007, when it was surpassed by British/American Olympian

Roald Bradstock Arne Roald Bradstock (aka The "Olympic Picasso") is an Olympic athlete and an Olympic artist from England who competed in the men's javelin throw event during his career. He twice represented Great Britain at the Summer Olympics: 1984 and 1988. ...

. He remained consistent setting almost identical records in the M50 and M55 divisions 7 years apart. At the 1995 WAVA World Championships he faced 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist Janis Lusis and defeated him soundly. His winning throw that day . Then came a series of frustrating events where paperwork technicalities prevented his marks from being recognized. He still has the farthest throw recorded in the M60 division, but that mark is forever pending, never to be recognized. Again in the M65 division he made multiple record throws that would have lasted for 9 years, but were not recognized. In frustration, Stuart quit competing but still threw for fun and held classes as "Larry Stuart's School of Javelin" at Marina High School. Sportsmen on Film sells a DVD ''Larry Stuart on Javelin Throwing.'' Stuart was elected into the

USATF Masters Hall of Fame The USATF Masters Hall of Fame is the Masters section of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. It is intended to select worthy athletes from the various divisions of Masters athletics involved in the sports of track and field, road running an ...

in 1999. He was elected into the Santa Ana College Hall of Fame in 2003. He was elected into the USC Trojans Track and Field Hall of fame and given the Heritage Award in 1996.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stuart, Larry 1937 births 2015 deaths World record holders in masters athletics American male javelin throwers Deaths from cancer in California USC Trojans men's track and field athletes Santa Ana College alumni