Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-19
PedektrianisIll.

l have received an answer to my
question as to the identity of Hart, the
man who ran such close race with
Henry Bethune at Washington Gar
dens recently. and as my informant is
a gentleman for whose opinions l
have the greatest respect, | publish
his record as given by him.
Frank Hart is native Of Kingsley,
Iowa, and ran on several occasions
previously to appearing in this city.
In 100-yards' match againet an I'M
known, he won by about 3 feet, in the
marvelously fast time Of 9A seconds.
This time ties the record, but as the
start was by mutual consent Of course
it was not allowed. Before meeting
Bethune at Washington Gardens, he
ran 80 yards, in this city, against a
runner whose name | am not at liber.
ty to mention, and the time as taken
by three competent time-keepers, of
whom my informant was one, was a
42-1O0 seconds. With all due respect
to the gentlemen who held the
watches, this is a little more than l
can stand, and l give it as worthy Of
80 much faith as my readers choose
to put in it. His race against Bethune
excited considerable controversy at
the time, and as l have already ex-
pressed my opinion on it, leave him
with the reflection that il all The ac-
counts l hear of him are true he must
indeed be q wonderful runner.
The challenge issued by. Mr.. 1.
Millard, which appeared in the San
Francisco Examiner OF Monday last,
to match an "Unknown" against
Henry Bethune at 100, 200 and 300
yards, for 81, 500 aside, will continue
the revival of pedes strianism on this
coast. As Mr.. Millard must know Be-
thune's capabilities, it is TO be pre-
sumed that the man whom he is
willing to back is flyer. The sport
ing editor of the Examiner suggests
that as Mr.. M. appears to he an
Englishman, he has probably in hand
one OF the famous Sheffield sprinters.
/ know most of them, and, barring
Hutchens and Gent, there are none
amongst them whom l should person
ally care to back against Bethune. l
think it far more likely that the Gun
known" will prove to be Frank Hart,
whose performances l have already
given. It was common talk, after
their late race in this city, that Hart
was confident OF his ability to beat
Bethune at anything over $50 yards /;
30, under the conditions of the pres
ent challenge, he would have the
best Of it. r.
Freund, who lately issued a chal-
lenge offering to take four yards start
in a hundred from Bethune, has been
in Los Angeles for the past week.
1t is more than probable that an
amateur sprinter, who ran last season
at the Los Angeles meetings, will take
part in the next meeting promoted by
the Olympic Club of San Francisco.
Should he do 80, the Bay City runners
will have to look to their laurels, as
this gentleman is uncommonly fast.
Mr.. Henry Bethune has fallen into
some little difficulty in the Bay City,
but as his private affairs are no in
terest OF mine, I refrain from moraliz-
ing on them. The following letter,
however, written by him is public
property, and may throw some little
light on his doings in this city, espe-
cially in connection with Frank Hart.
The following is taken from a letter
dated San Francisco, sent to Kansas
City:
s'Hart (the sprinter) arrived to-day
from Los Angeles, and he and I ex-
pect to have big race, and in a few
days we will do the business down in
Arizona, I think about the Needles.
am waiting ON the weather up in
Oregon to do the big race. l have
quite made up my mind not to go to
Australia. shall come East just as
soon as l can do the business out
here. Hart and Jimmy Ryan did up
a sucker for 5000 land had a hot time
getting away with the Doodle. I
think l can make big money this
summer. The race in Oregon will be
about as big as the Montreal race"
From Winslow, Ariz., under date of
February Sd, he writes:
ri have squared the California
business, and will 60 back there and
then go to Oregon. Hart and l turned
a big trick, but had to put up $210O
10 settle my trouble l mentioned in
my last letter." ANcLIcE.
The Prize-Rlng.
The engagement Of Jack Dempsey