Donald Emerson Favor (February 16, 1913 – November 13, 1984) was an American hammer thrower. He was national champion in 1934 and placed sixth at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Career

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Representing the University of Maine, Favor won the hammer throw at the 1934 IC4A championships, throwing 170 ft 9 in (52.04 m) and narrowly defeating Rhode Island State's Henry Dreyer.[1][2] At the NCAA championships later that summer Favor placed third, losing to Dreyer and 1932 Olympic bronze medalist Peter Zaremba (who had been third in the IC4A meet),[3] but at the national (AAU) championships Favor again defeated both Zaremba and Dreyer, throwing 163 ft 5+34 in (49.82 m) for his first and only national title.[4]

After completing his studies Favor became a teacher at his former high school, Deering High in Portland, Maine, but he continued throwing.[5][6] He did not enter the 1936 Olympic season as a favorite to qualify for the American team,[7] but at the Eastern Tryouts, a semi-final qualifying meet, he threw 177 ft 4 in (54.05 m),[8] which was his personal best.[9] At the final Olympic Trials Favor threw 167 ft 6 in (51.05 m) and placed third behind Dreyer and another Rhode Islander, Bill Rowe; he qualified for the Olympics by less than eight inches, his margin over Chester Cruikshank, who placed fourth.[10]

At the Olympics in Berlin Favor qualified for the final, where he threw 51.01 m (167 ft 4+1116 in) and placed sixth. He was the second-best American, behind Rowe but ahead of Dreyer.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ "Stanford Garners Sweeping Victory In College Games". Waco Tribune-Herald. May 27, 1934. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  2. ^ "Kiesel, Clark Win Firsts In I.C.4-A. Events". Berkeley Daily Gazette. May 26, 1934. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  3. ^ Hill, E. Garry. "A History of the NCAA Championships" (PDF). Track & Field News. Retrieved December 22, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian; Track & Field News. "History Of The Results Of The National Track & Field Championships Of The USA From 1876 Through 2014". Track & Field News. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  5. ^ "Maine Forester" (PDF). May 1936. p. 23. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  6. ^ "Series Title At Stake For Maine Against Bowdoin". The Lewiston Daily Sun. November 5, 1932. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  7. ^ Gould, Alan (Associated Press) (March 25, 1936). "Coast Leads in Olympic Stars". Prescott Evening Courier. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  8. ^ Gould, Alan (Associated Press) (June 28, 1936). "Bill Bonthron Beats Venzke". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  9. ^ All-Time List As At 31 December 1945, Association of Track and Field Statisticians
  10. ^ Hymans, Richard. "The History of the United States Olympic Trials - Track & Field". USA Track & Field; Track & Field News. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  11. ^ "Owens Wins". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. August 3, 1936. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  12. ^ "Donald Favor Bio, Stats and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2014.