1969(!) HS False start rules

[no one]

purely self interest here.

Was talking to a brother (family brother) about an incident @ Mt Sac Relays in 1969 in the Invitational 4x440 race. He was soph, never used blocks (have mercy here) and was the lead-off for the team - they had a pretty decent team; 3:16ish andf all had pretty high hopes of being in the hunt. Anyway our recollection was; as lead-off he false started, not once, not twice but three times ... disqualified on the third.

Both of us remember the same thing - but 3 false starts? (there was another guy who false started after my brothers 2nd one ... seems generous - especially when looking at the evolution of false start rules and compared to today's rules. I'm assuming HS rules were the same as open - back then.

For the old timers - three false starts? Or are we memory challenged.

[lonewolf]

I probably qualify as an old-timer.. competed HS track circa 1945-49..my only exposure to a modern design starting block was at the state meet at OKSt circa 1948.. locally we had homemade blocks of various designs or dug a hole.. our "starters pistol" was a pair of hinged 1x4's clapped together sharply.
As I recall, the false start rule was one allowed per individual..second you were out.. no one-on-the-field.. maybe they had Mt. Sac or CA rules

[no one]

never used blocks until that race. (good timing to start then.) Could have easily done with crouching-start hand on one knee but ... The 4x440 was always a marquee even bring the crowd to their collective feet. Kind of a first truly big meet for him. This just adds to the family lore and foibles that occurred during a fairly fixed period of time.

Any help on actual rules for that period whoud help us solve this mystery - would be much appreciated and we could then lay another possible memory inhibited saga for our collective memoirs

[dj]

Second false start by an individual disqualified him. I suspect the first or second false start was charged to someone else and you didn't realize it.