The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-09
THE FOOT RACE FIASCO
An Exasperat8d and Wearied
Crowd.
DISAPPOINTMENT TILL TODAY.
The Shades of Night Overtake the
Runners In their Futile At
tempts to Make Start.

One of those scenes which are occa-
sionally heard OF in the sporting world,
and which do as much to cast discredit
upon the fraternity as absolute crooked
ness could do, occurred yesterday at
Washington Square, where the much
advertised, long talked-of foot race be-
tween Tibbitts and Wright was to have
come off. a large number of Ogden
sporting men accompanied their favor
tie to the city, and an equal or heavier
number went to The track to back lib
bits. As soon as the base ball contest
was finished, two lines were formed
along the track in front of the grand
stand, and the betting at once com
menced. That Tibbits was the favorite
was easily seen. Several S., $40 and $50
wagers were taken by Ogden men, but a
good many of the same size, and one or
two still heavier went about begging.
The stakes put up by the runners-$50
a Si0e-had been deposited with the re-
porter of THE HERALD some time be-
fore. AS the time for the appearance
of the runners approached, the excite
ment waXed hotter and hotter. Several
policemen and three or four of the Salt
Lake base ball team worked like beav-
ers to keep the crowd back from each
side of the track, and the wrestling,
bowling, pushing and struggling would
have OutdOne a scene at DonnybrOOk
Fair.
In fifteen or twenty minutes, during
which time the sun was sinking lower
and those in the stand had much ado to
keep their blood in circulation, the ropes
had all been stretched and the runners
made their appearance. Both appeared
in excellent trim; both were as evenly
matched as the eye could Judge, and the
spectators settled themselves for an ex-
citing event. DR.. Benedict, Jake Nor
itz and Arthur Pratt had been appointed
Judges, tine two former standing at the
end OF the course and the latter filling
the position of starter. The officers and
ball players shouted, showed and threat
ened in attempts to keep the people
back, but so intense was the desire TO
til they should be known to have started
the crowd could not be controlled. The
agreement had been made that a
flying start should be the one
taken-that IS, that line would be
drawn at certain point, and as soon
as both overstepped it they must go.
But as one refrained from going over it
the other must await his action, and no
start could ever be made until both felt
satisfied with it. A little run was made, I
and a yell went up from 4 thousand
thrOats, Here they cOme," but it
proved false alarm-one or the other
had been dissatisfied with the start and
had not gone over the line. Another
little run, another yell, and another
false alarm. This was repeated; then
again, and again, and again, and again
till the spectators began to grow weary
and inclined to be sarcastic. Tibbitts
would run ovel the line and
make a dash, only to see that his
opponent had not crossed 1t; this he did
fifteen times; Wright went over it
three or four times, but then Tib-
bits had not arranged himself; owing
20 the improbability of getting a start
before am. at this rate, handker-
chief was provided, and the old means
of each runner taking an end and trot-
ting till separated by some person on
the track, and then making Ego, ~ was
resorted to, but without any better sue
cess. One or the other felt uncertain
though by far the greatest number of
times it was the Ogden man who showed |
the fear Of starting-and dropped his
end before coming to the separating |
point By the time this had been re-
peated few billion times without sue
cess, it had grown so dark that the
judges could hardly see the hands of
their watches. The cry of 'Fraudr' |
" Fizzle" money back!" began to be
heard. The policemen sweat, the base
balliStS swore, the babies cried, and the
crowd jeered. Soon the demand be-
came general along the line for Pistol
shot start" and the crowd cleaned the
track with cheers when it was thought
this suggestion might be adopted. 1t
was vain hope, however, for while
the spectators were getting themselves
once more into order, the runners were
putting on their coats and leaving the
grounds Wright, as far as we could
learn last night, taking the lead in this
move; it was now nearly dark, and
when the news was circulated that the
runners had retired, the crowd broke
I'D, too fatigued to do more than utter 2
few Kisses and groans. All sorts of
rumors were afoat as the multitude
dispersed; one was, that the runners
bad been paid to keep the race over till
to-day's game; another was that Wright
was afraid of TiDbitts and wanted to
wear him out with false starts.
THE HERALD Office was visited last
night by several of those having the
affair in hand, all deeply deploriBg the
turn the matter had taken, and all claim
ing that no blame was 70 be attached
to any one or anything except the sys-
TEN of starting agreed upon. The Reds
Indignantly deny having anythi g to do
with the postponement, and the mana
gers as Indignantly assert that no. ar
rangement whatever was made. That
both speak the truth is Of course eyi-
dent from the announcement now maze
that the race will come of this morning
at IL o'clock and that no admission viii
be charged for entrance 10 the grouIrluSS.
! MessTs. Homer ]. Stone and u. ". CaI-
der. Tibbittsi hackers. were deeply CON
| cer1ed ar the rnD1ors aloat, and both