Kent State Hammered Out 1970s Throwing Titles

Al Schoterman and Jacques Accambray of Kent State brought the hammer throw to a new level at the 1971 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The unlikely pairing of a New Yorker (Schoterman) and a Frenchman (Accambray – pronounced “ah-calm-bray”) saw record demolition earlier in the year when they took turns in the weight throw at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Schoterman found his way on top with a collegiate-record heave of 68-10¼ (20.98m).

As impressive as that indoor weight competition was, it took a back seat when the Golden Flash duo entered the hammer ring in Seattle, as both were set to attack the oldest NCAA meet record on the books, dating back to 1960 at 209-2 (63.76m).

Schoterman, a junior, was first up and took care of not only the meet record, but the collegiate record as well in the first round at 216-1 (65.86m) – but minutes later, freshman Accambray’s opener extended the records even farther to 218-1 (66.48m).

Record breaking took a pause until Round 3, when Accambray launched a massive 226-0 (68.88m).

Even then, Accambray knew not to overlook his teammate. “With Al throwing, you never know what you have to do to win,” he told Bob Hersh for Track & Field News.

Schoterman – battling a recent illness – could not improve, but Accrambay sailed his final effort out to 227-10 (69.44m), thus in one day raising the MR by over 18 feet – still the largest such improvement in any event.

Could it get any better? Amazingly, yes – and another hot hammer competition was preceded by a final head-to-head in the weight throw.

At the 1972 NCAA Indoor Championships, Accambray added 3 feet (0.91m) to the weight throw meet record at 71-3½ (21.91m) in turning back Schoterman (also over the old MR at 69-5¼/21.16m).

That made Accambray the logical favorite to repeat his hammer title, right?

Schoterman proved otherwise when the two went to war again, this time in Eugene at the 1972 NCAA meet. Schoterman opened up strong with a PR 226-9 (69.12m), then followed with a CR 231-3 (70.48m) in round 2.

The competition was intense, resulting in numerous long throws and fouls as Accambray finished with 227-1 (69.22m), his second-best ever. Together the duo amassed five heaves over 225-feet, giving them seven total all time – Accambray leading Schoterman 4-3.

Accambray won another NCAA hammer title in 1973, giving Kent State three in a row between the two.  Schoterman’s 231-3 lasted as the school record until 2014, when Matthias Tayala broke it en route to winning the NCAA title at 73.57m (241-4).

In the mid-1980s, Schoterman guided another Kent State alum, Jud Logan, to become a multiple American record setter in the hammer. Logan, a four-time Olympian, became a successful coach as well, leading Ashland to multiple NCAA Division II team titles since 2004. Among Logan’s pupils at Ashland was Kibwe Johnson, the first collegian to throw over 80-feet in the weight throw in 2007 (25.08m/82-3½).