The Legacy of Al Hadar and the Indoor Shot Put

Al Hadar History

Al Hadar had his athletic career at Upper Iowa University in 1938 from Sullivan, Indiana. His Head Football Coach “Doc” Dorman, his high school coach and fellow Hall of Famer, Spike Kelly recommended Al to Upper Iowa.

As a member of Upper Iowa’s football team, Al lead the Peacocks to a Conference Championship in 1939. He was team captain in 1941. After graduation, he completed two tours with the U.S. Marine Corps before beginning a successful coaching career.

In 1961, Al transitioned from coaching to inventing. Drawing from his lifelong dedication to athletics, he invented the indoor shot put. He wanted to give throwers a product to train year-round, especially in cold-weather climates.

The Hadar Indoor Shot Put became the first training device of its kind. It allows athletes to practice technique indoors against a solid gym wall and onto a protective mat.

Indoor Shot Put Invention

Al tested his invention by airplanes. Dropping early models from more than a thousand feet above onto a concrete slab. The ones that hit square bounced and the ones that didn’t carved five-foot-deep craters into the ground. None broke. Which led to the findings that not only was this shot put perfect for indoor training and today’s indoor competitions, but also strong enough for outdoor use.

That uncompromising approach became the foundation for Hadar Athletic Manufacturing Company. From that moment on, Hadar became known for products that could take a beating and keep their precision.

Al was inducted to Upper Iowa Hall of Fame in 1987 and passed away next to his beloved family in 1992. To those who knew him, Al was more than an inventor. He was a coach and educator who believed athletes deserved equipment as tough as their spirit. That same belief still drives Hadar Athletic today.

Hadar Athletic remains family-owned and operated by 2nd and 3rd generations. Every Indoor Shot Put is still weighted to competition standards, made for both indoor and outdoor use, and built by hand in the Midwest.

From Track & Field Coaches to Indoor Shot Put Athletes, Hadar continues to supply durable, American-made equipment that helps throwers train, compete, and push their limits in every season.

At Hadar, our standard has never changed: Tougher than the thrower.