What does a 75-foot put look like on a basketball court?

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

When Ryan Crouser fired his world-leading mark of 74 feet, 3.75 inches (22.65 meters) on Sunday at the USATF Outdoor Championships, it was a majestic thing that fell to the Earth on the infield at Sacramento State. 

At the highest levels, with Crouser and Joe Kovacs and New Zealand's Tom Walsh, men's shot putting is a little bit like human-powered artillery. Crouser has a special camera that tells him about the velocity of the shot at the moment it leaves his hand and the angle of the flight. 

But what is a 74-75 foot shot put distance relatable to?

Consider for a moment a couple of facts. 

The Mayflower ship that the Pilgrims rode across the Atlantic to Plymouth Rock? That boat was 80 feet long.

It's longer than a lane at the bowling alley.

It's longer than two telephone poles stacked end to end.

And on a basketball court, have a look. It's the distance between the free throw line at one end to the opposite baseline.