Hummel was selected as captain of the Multnomah A. C.'s track and field team in 1916.[2] That year he emerged as a serious challenger to world record holder Bill Meanix, who until then had been America's top 440 yd hurdler.[3]
At the 1916 national championships Hummel first won the junior 440 yd hurdles, running a junior meeting record of 56.4 (the junior championships were not yet limited to athletes aged under 20).[1][4][5] The following day he also won the senior title, defeating Meanix; Meanix went out hard and led for much of the way, but Hummel caught him and won by two yards.[6] Hummel's winning time of 54.8 was a meeting record, and only 0.2 seconds off Meanix's world record.[6][7] Meanix beat him in 55.0 in a rematch the following week; Hummel had been ready to finish his season and asked for the rematch to be canceled, but was eventually persuaded to run.[8][9] Despite losing the rematch Hummel was named by the AAU as the year's top 440 yd hurdler, ahead of Meanix.[10]
United States joined World War I in 1917, and Hummel enlisted in the United States Army.[11] Like a number of other top athletes, he obtained a leave of absence to compete in the 1917 national championships;[12] he was one of three favorites for the 440 yd hurdles title, the others being Meanix and newcomer Floyd Smart.[13] However, he was sick before the meet and his training had been very limited,[14][15] and he placed third as Smart equaled his meeting record.[7][16] During the war he was a sergeant with the 364th Field Hospital Company[17][18] and assisted Simpson as a military track and field coach at Camp Lewis.[19]
