The New Student's Reference Work/Pole-Vaulting

Pole-Vault′ing is one of the sports called field-events.  It consists in leapirig over a bar by means of a pole.  Usually this is 16 feet long.  The contestant grasps the pole above his head, measures the height of the bar with his eye, and runs forward.  At a certain distance from the bar he thrusts the pole into the ground, leaps up, and throws himself forward and up over the bar, at the same time flinging the pole behind him.  Generally three trials at different heights are made.  The highest record is 12 feet nine inches.