Win Whipple and 'The Jump'

From the legendary Weeks sisters, Lexie and Tori, to standout athletes like Whitney Jones and Earl Bell, and influential coaches such as Richard Martin and Don Pierce, the lead-up to the 2025 Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been nothing short of memorable.

Each Friday, we've highlighted a new inductee as part of our Hall of Fame Friday series. But this week, we're doing things a little differently.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of connecting with Robert Franks, the newest contributor to MileSplit Arkansas. Robert has brought strong, in-depth coverage to the site throughout the outdoor season and he recently took a personal interest in telling the story of Win Whipple.

And through incredibly insightful interviews and an unrivaled passion, Robert has brought this story to life once again

I'll let his words do the heavy lifting- but trust me, this one's worth your time. Without further ado - a little glimpse into the story of Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Famer, Win Whipple and 'The Jump'.

Whipple was born in Crowley, Louisiana, but moved to Arkadelphia with his parents as a baby.  At thirteen, his friends measured his jumps at 20'- 9" and at age fourteen, 22'.2 At a meet in Conway leading up to "The Jump," Whipple jumped 23'-3 ¼" and set a new state record.  

"The Jump" gained a life of its own after the Clarksville meet.  In a telephone interview by Dr. Larry Frost, Wilson Falls of Russellville stated, "He was the greatest high school jumper I ever watched.  To the best of my recollection, he was lean, lanky, and speedy.  He went off the board like a balloon, about head high, maybe five feet six inches, and soared like a bird.  The key, of course, was distance caused by height, speed, and desire.  He had extreme confidence.  He knew he was good."

"He jumped over, or out of the pit, about two or three times," Falls said.  "His best jump was at least 24'6".  The jump officials ruled it (or them) illegal.  The top judge was called, and he said to give him the length of the pit, 24'0".  It was the top judge's decision to make. Earl Quigley, coach of Little Rock's team, agreed.  The Arkadelphia coach did not contest the measurement, and Long John Thompson, Fort Smith's coach, said it was none of his business."

Another young man who witnessed the jump was Rube Boyce, who became assistant athletic director at Auberndale High School in Memphis.   He was interviewed by Dr. Frost in 1988.  "He jumped out of the pit at least twice, so we dug the ground to make the pit larger.  It was a sand pit, but where he was landing was still hard clods.  He jumped past the pit about eighteen inches.  He jumped about 24'-6" I would say.  When he hit the ground, I was stunned.  I said 'Good jump, Winfield' and he said, 'Thanks'".

Over the years, some questioned the measurement, and others questioned the witness accounts. Even among the witnesses, there were disagreements.

Win "Skinny Whipple" jumping at the 1933 Arkansas State Championships - Arkansas Gazette

Another eyewitness account comes from H. L. Franks of Dumas, a former College of the Ozarks athlete who coached at Elaine, Atkins, and Piggott.  "There is no question he broke the record," Franks said.  "He did it in the preliminaries.  I was in college then and helping run the long jump event off.  I'm not disputing anybody's word, but that pit was over 24 feet long.  There were great track coaches back then, and they wouldn't dream of bringing their athletes, as good as they were, to compete in a pit just 24 feet long.  Most of them were consistent jumpers at 23 or 24 feet.  The college record was 25'-1 5/8".

I have a picture of one of his jumps that day, with him in the air and four of us standing there watching.  There was a 24-foot marker, and it can be seen, but that was to let the fans know what the distance was for the state record.  Whipple did not jump out of the pit.  At least, not by my remembrance.  If he did, that would have been one heck of a jump.  The pit was at least 26 feet long."(3)

What few people at the meet knew was that Whipple had surpassed that distance many times in practice and that he had leaped 24'-10" at a non-sanctioned quadrangular meet at Texarkana against Sparkman, Gurdon, and Prescott. 2,4

In the summer of 1933, Whipple, also nicknamed "Skinny," aspired to attend the National Interscholastic Meet in Chicago, Illinois.  A good showing in this meet would increase his chances of making the 1936 Olympic team.  Only one thing stood between him and his dream: money.  The Great Depression had stripped families of the means of basic survival and money for extras such as the Chicago trip.  

Through local donations, enough money was raised to finance the trip. Whipple and two friends caught a ride to Memphis, where they were met by Jimmy Haygood, a former Henderson coach, who drove them to Chicago, where they slept in the bleachers during their stay.  (2,7,8,9)

A short article in the June 29, 1933 issue of the Clark County Southern Standard reads:

"The arrival in town from Chicago at various times during the last week of Skinny Whipple, Eggs Iglehart, and Doc Johnson was welcomed here.  These three illustrious gentlemen seem to have managed their transportation without cost, and from the worn-out appearances, managed part of the trip without meals."

An unidentified newspaper clipping from the Whipple Family scrapbook tells the story of the Chicago meet. Whipple earned fifth place in the preliminaries but was unable to jump in the finals because of a painful bruise on his foot. The immortal Jessie Owens won the long jump.

After graduating from high school, Whipple enrolled at Louisiana State University on a track scholarship. He set a Southern Athletic Union record in 1935 of 24'-6 5/8".

Unknown to many was a bone bruise that started to interfere with his jumping after the Arkansas Championship in 1933.  The condition became progressively worse and started hurting when he was lying down.  Whipple had passed the qualification distance for the 1936 Olympic Games despite this.  By February 1936, he could walk without pain, but jumping was still painful.  Because of the lingering condition and the Olympic trials approaching, Whipple was sent to Campbell's Clinic in Memphis to be examined.  After x-rays were studied, Win's parents were called in and told that surgery was necessary, and if the condition proved as serious as the doctor expected, amputation was a possibility. (2)

On February 14, 1936, cancer was found in the twenty-five-year-old athlete's left calf, which was amputated below the left knee.  He remained in the hospital until March, when he returned home.  Unbeknownst to him and his doctors at the time, the cancer had spread past his lower leg.  

During the 1936 Olympics, Bill McMillan, Win's High School track coach, placed a call to Whipple at his home.  "What are you doing?"  McMillan remembered asking Whipple.  "I'm just sitting here listening to the Olympics on the radio.  You know, I'm still the best long jumper in the world." (10) 

Winfield Whipple passed away at his home on February 2, 1937. (2,5)  Because of his long jumping ability, he was inducted into the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2001.

Win Whipple's story is one of extreme athletic ability few possess, an enduring story which borders on legend, and sadly, one that does not have a happy ending.  Perhaps all of us who love track and field need to blow the dust off the record book to recognize and learn from those who have blazed a path for today's athletes to follow.  Win Whipple, an Arkansas track legend.

- Robert Franks, Milesplit AR Contributor

Citations:

1 New York Times, Section 5, Page 4 of the National Edition, May 15, 1983

2 Win Whipple of Arkadelphia, 1915-1937, Larry Frost, EdD

3 Arkansas Gazette, May 31, 1988

4 Hope Star, February 3, 1937

5 Encyclopedia of Arkansas

6 Faces in the Crowd - Sports Illustrated Vault, SI.com, June 13, 1987 

7 Whipple, Mae. Personal Interview by Larry Frost. June 6, 1988

8 Whipple, Ross. Personal Interview by Robert Franks. May 24, 2025

9 Whipple, Emily. Winfield "Skinny" Whipple

10 Nelson, Rex. "The Record Falls", Daily Siftings Herald, May 17, 1983