Donald Dinnie's challenge event

[James_grahame]

Single hand hold out, palm of hand, arm and hand horizontal with a 56lb weight.
This was Donald Dinnie's challenge event and his best effort was 45 seconds in Wagga Wagga, NSW in 1884.

Can anyone replicate this...even with a lighter weight?

[Weak Pom]

James, palm up or down?

[James_grahame]

Palms up.

From the book there seems to be an Aussie who did it for 13 seconds with a disputed technique

From Donald Dinnie, the first sporting superstar , p56-7

At Wagga in NSW, some admirers there offered to present him with a gold medal if he would make a record for Australia for holding a 56-lb weight on palm of hand, arm horizontal. When showing that evening, Dinnie made a successful effort by registering 45sec - equal to his previous best done in his native country. He got the gold medal and his enormous feat was also recorded for posterity in one of ten moulded plaques of the magnificent Silver Belt awarded as tribute and testimonial on his return to Britain. Knowledgeable enthusiasts of today are bound to question the ability of anybody to do a hold-out like this, but Dinnie did incredible times and weights many times, under strict conditions to win his place in the history books

From Donald Dinnie, the first sporting superstar , p51

The group now toured north by Maryborough, where Dinnie organised games which were well patronised. He allowed long starts to all comers with hammer and the put, and an Irishman there named McMahon came well up at putting, being within 3.5ft of the champion. The company showed in the hall that same evening to a crowded house, and were enthusiastically received, Dinnie's wonderful feats of strength attracting very much attention. Every evening throughout his tour he offered £500 to anyone who could equal them. He generally found a few strong men to attempt them. The most amusing feat was the 56-lb weight, which he held out with his hand level with the shoulder, asking any of the competitors to put it on the palm of his hand. He would keep it steady there for from 25 to 45 seconds, and then offered £1` for every second any other man could support it. But he didn't find one man ion the colonies who could support it fairly for one second.

In his contest with Prof Miller, however, the latter was awarded 13seconds, but Miller had his wrist bent upwards, shortening the leverage by 3 to 4inches.

[Weak Pom]

Cheers for that James. Last question, what type of weight? Bbl, Dbl, KB, Stone etc?

Thanks

Scotty

[James_grahame]

I haven't read anywhere what the implement was. I had been assuming it was the 56lb weight from the Highland Games throwing event.