Torrance broke the shot put world record several times in 1934, his eventual best mark of 17.40 m remaining unbeaten until 1948.

Torrance studied at Louisiana State University, competing for the LSU Tigers in a variety of sports and events.

[2] In 1933, his junior year, he won his first NCAA championship in the shot, throwing a meet record 16.10 m (52 ft 10 in) to beat his challengers by more than two feet.

[4] LSU won the NCAA team title that year, narrowly beating favored University of Southern California.

[5][6] Torrance also won the national championship in the shot that year, throwing 15.68 m (51 ft 4+7⁄8 in) to beat Stanford's Gordon Dunn and John Lyman.

[9] He was national champion both in the indoors and outdoors event[1] and topped the world list at 16.60 m (54 ft 5+1⁄2 in), ahead of Germany's Hans Woellke and Lyman.

[28] In the aftermath of an aborted February 1937 fight, however, his manager Herbert Brodie was suspended and fined for attempting to fix his matches.

[36] Torrance's shot put world record outlasted his sports career, remaining in the books until Charlie Fonville threw 17.68 m (58 ft 1⁄4 in) on April 17, 1948.