Dave Mumme
Spring Valley 1965
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Dave Mumme spent only two years in Rockland County but made his brief stay a record-setting one in the pole vault. He, along with Suffern’s Tim St. Lawrence, pioneered the use of the fiberglass pole in Rockland. Mumme bridged the era from the stiff aluminum pole to the flexible fiberglass implement, improving by more than three feet in two seasons.
Prior to his arrival on the scene, Rockland County championships were typically won at 11 feet. Mumme shattered the previous records. He was the first schoolboy in New York State history to crack the 14-foot barrier, clearing 14 feet 1 inch at the 1965 Rockland County championships. He broke 14 feet again for good measure at the Section 9 State Qualifier, scaling 14 feet, one-quarter inch.
All told, Mumme broke or equaled the Rockland best eight times, including twice in the County meet. According to rules of the day, County records could be set only in the County meet, thus only two of his eight clearances counted as official records. He also set a New York State best four times, broke or tied the top Section 9 mark four times, and set four meet records.
Mumme was a two-time Rockland County champion, earned one title each at the Section 9 Class A, Section 9 State Qualifier, Red Raider Relays and Englewood Relays meets, and finished fourth in the 1965 New York State championships. He also was a first-rate high jumper, clearing 5 feet 10 inches for second place at both the Rockland County and Section 9 meets.
“He was a great athlete and a great sportsman,” says St. Lawrence, who went on to break Mumme’s state record in 1966 with a leap of 14-5 ¼. “He had spirit, courage, sportsmanship and was very humble. He had it all.”
Highlights of Dave Mumme’s career
POLE VAULT
April 9, 1964 (1) 11-0 Dual with Newburgh
April 13, 1964 (1) 11-0 Dual with MW
April 18, 1964 (1) 11-6 Dual with Ramsey
April 24, 1964 (1) 11-9 Dual with Nyack
April 28, 1964 (1) 12-5¾ Dual with Haverstraw, (County best)
May 2, 1964 (1) 12-6 Dual with Clarkstown, (County best)
May 9, 1964 (1) 11-6 Red Raider Relays
May 12, 1964 (1) 12-0 Dual with Nanuet
May 1964 (1) 12-0 Rockland County Meet, Meet record
April 7, 1965 (1) 12-6 Dual with Ramsey, (= County best)
April 9, 1965 (1) 12-6 Dual with Newburgh, (= County best)
April 14, 1965 (1) 10-0 Dual with Tappan Zee
April 20, 1965 (1) 10-0 Dual with Westwood
April 28, 1965 (1) 13-6½ Dual with Nyack, New York State best
April 30, 1965 (1) 13-0 Dual with Haverstraw
May 3, 1965 (1) 10-6 Dual with Clarkstown
May 7, 1965 no height Rockland Relays
May 13 1965 (1) 13-7½ Dual with Nanuet, New York State best
May 15, 1965 (1) 13-8½ Englewood Relays, Meet record, NYS best
May 17, 1965 (1) 13-0 Dual with Pearl River
May 1965 (1) 14-1 Rockland County Meet
Meet, County and New York State record
June 1, 1965 (3) Section 9 Class A Meet
June 8, 1965 (1) 14-¼ State Qualifier, Meet record
June 15, 1965 (4) 13-0 New York State Meet
June 20, 1965 (1) 12-2½ Nyack Jaycee Meet
HIGH JUMP
April 9, 1964 (2) Dual with Newburgh
April 13, 1964 (1) 5-8 Dual with Monroe-Woodbury
April 18, 1964 (1) 5-8 Dual with Ramsey
April 24, 1964 (2) Dual with Nyack
April 28, 1964 (1) 5-10 Dual with Haverstraw
May 2, 1964 (2) Dual with Clarkstown
May 9, 1964 (5) Red Raider Relays
May 12, 1964 (1) 5-10 Dual with Nanuet
May 16, 1964 (2) 5-10 Rockland County Meet
April 7, 1965 (1) 5-6 Dual with Ramsey
April 9, 1965 (2) 5-6 Dual with Newburgh
April 14, 1965 (1) 5-2 Dual with Tappan Zee
April 20, 1965 (1) 5-4 Dual with Westwood
April 28, 1965 (2) Dual with Nyack
April 30, 1965 (1) 5-8 Dual with Haverstraw
May 3, 1965 (1) 5-10 Dual with Clarkstown
May 13, 1965 (1) 6-0 Dual with Nanuet
May 17, 1965 (1) 5-6 Dual with Tappan Zee
June 1, 1965 (2) 5-10 Section 9 Class A Meet
Dave Mumme spent only two years in Rockland County but made his brief stay a record-setting one in the pole vault. He, along with Suffern’s Tim St. Lawrence, pioneered the use of the fiberglass pole in Rockland. Mumme bridged the era from the stiff aluminum pole to the flexible fiberglass implement, improving by more than three feet in two seasons.
Prior to his arrival on the scene, Rockland County championships were typically won at 11 feet. Mumme shattered the previous records. He was the first schoolboy in New York State history to crack the 14-foot barrier, clearing 14 feet 1 inch at the 1965 Rockland County championships. He broke 14 feet again for good measure at the Section 9 State Qualifier, scaling 14 feet, one-quarter inch.
All told, Mumme broke or equaled the Rockland best eight times, including twice in the County meet. According to rules of the day, County records could be set only in the County meet, thus only two of his eight clearances counted as official records. He also set a New York State best four times, broke or tied the top Section 9 mark four times, and set four meet records.
Mumme was a two-time Rockland County champion, earned one title each at the Section 9 Class A, Section 9 State Qualifier, Red Raider Relays and Englewood Relays meets, and finished fourth in the 1965 New York State championships. He also was a first-rate high jumper, clearing 5 feet 10 inches for second place at both the Rockland County and Section 9 meets.
“He was a great athlete and a great sportsman,” says St. Lawrence, who went on to break Mumme’s state record in 1966 with a leap of 14-5 ¼. “He had spirit, courage, sportsmanship and was very humble. He had it all.”
Highlights of Dave Mumme’s career
POLE VAULT
April 9, 1964 (1) 11-0 Dual with Newburgh
April 13, 1964 (1) 11-0 Dual with MW
April 18, 1964 (1) 11-6 Dual with Ramsey
April 24, 1964 (1) 11-9 Dual with Nyack
April 28, 1964 (1) 12-5¾ Dual with Haverstraw, (County best)
May 2, 1964 (1) 12-6 Dual with Clarkstown, (County best)
May 9, 1964 (1) 11-6 Red Raider Relays
May 12, 1964 (1) 12-0 Dual with Nanuet
May 1964 (1) 12-0 Rockland County Meet, Meet record
April 7, 1965 (1) 12-6 Dual with Ramsey, (= County best)
April 9, 1965 (1) 12-6 Dual with Newburgh, (= County best)
April 14, 1965 (1) 10-0 Dual with Tappan Zee
April 20, 1965 (1) 10-0 Dual with Westwood
April 28, 1965 (1) 13-6½ Dual with Nyack, New York State best
April 30, 1965 (1) 13-0 Dual with Haverstraw
May 3, 1965 (1) 10-6 Dual with Clarkstown
May 7, 1965 no height Rockland Relays
May 13 1965 (1) 13-7½ Dual with Nanuet, New York State best
May 15, 1965 (1) 13-8½ Englewood Relays, Meet record, NYS best
May 17, 1965 (1) 13-0 Dual with Pearl River
May 1965 (1) 14-1 Rockland County Meet
Meet, County and New York State record
June 1, 1965 (3) Section 9 Class A Meet
June 8, 1965 (1) 14-¼ State Qualifier, Meet record
June 15, 1965 (4) 13-0 New York State Meet
June 20, 1965 (1) 12-2½ Nyack Jaycee Meet
HIGH JUMP
April 9, 1964 (2) Dual with Newburgh
April 13, 1964 (1) 5-8 Dual with Monroe-Woodbury
April 18, 1964 (1) 5-8 Dual with Ramsey
April 24, 1964 (2) Dual with Nyack
April 28, 1964 (1) 5-10 Dual with Haverstraw
May 2, 1964 (2) Dual with Clarkstown
May 9, 1964 (5) Red Raider Relays
May 12, 1964 (1) 5-10 Dual with Nanuet
May 16, 1964 (2) 5-10 Rockland County Meet
April 7, 1965 (1) 5-6 Dual with Ramsey
April 9, 1965 (2) 5-6 Dual with Newburgh
April 14, 1965 (1) 5-2 Dual with Tappan Zee
April 20, 1965 (1) 5-4 Dual with Westwood
April 28, 1965 (2) Dual with Nyack
April 30, 1965 (1) 5-8 Dual with Haverstraw
May 3, 1965 (1) 5-10 Dual with Clarkstown
May 13, 1965 (1) 6-0 Dual with Nanuet
May 17, 1965 (1) 5-6 Dual with Tappan Zee
June 1, 1965 (2) 5-10 Section 9 Class A Meet