Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-04
SPORTING MATTERS.

The Fake at the Rink Saturday Night
 -Dodds, Time for the Five Miies Was
 20 Minutes and 3 , SecOnds-Po1o ana
 Base Ball.
 The skating contest at the rink Saturday night between Johnnie Dodds and Jack Phil lips was one of the biggest fakes ot the sea- son, and the spectators left the rink after the race in disgust. The race was for the cham pionship of the world @, and besides, Dodds was to skate the five miles in less than Is minutes to win a bet of S25. The track was measured by one of City Engineer Hills men, and a chalk mark made and the posts set While Mir. Hurlburt, who rents the rink went to supper, some one sprlnkleo chalk all around the corners so that the en- gineer's mark could not be seen. Then the posts were set five feet further in, which re- duced the distance to be skated ten feet to the lap or ITO to each mile.
 The rink was crowded. The two contest being made in 4 minutes. On the second mile the fake showed itself by Phillips falling on the floor, throwing up one leg and saying that his skate was clogged. The referee then decided the race off, but Doods kept on in order to win his bet of S25. When he had finished his timekeeper said he had made the time in IF minutes and 45 seconds, but 8 person who has been timekeeper at polo games, and who had no interest in the race whatever, said the time was just 20 minutes and 35 seconds.
 If Dodds and Phillips think they can fool the New Haven public the way they did Saturday night without being shown up they are greatly mistaken. It is well known to anybody who knows anything about sports around New York and Brooklyn that Phil lips can defeat Dodds in five-mile race at any time. No skater in the country can make five miles in the polo rink here in eigh- teen minutes although they can do it in the Palace rink in Brooklyn, which is 8 very large structure Another man is willing to put up $25 that Dodds can not skate five miles in IS minutes in the rink here on 8 track to be looked after by responsible parties and O. F. Hicks as timekeeper.
 This race was for $100 and the gate re- ceipts, besides the championship of the world @. Of course, neither got the $1O0,
 but they divided up between $400 and $500. They expect to skate the race off at future time, but not in New Haven.
 Somebody had better offer each member of the New Haven polo team gold medal if they will only win one out of town game be- IoEo tney plu Sooo oye Io NC" haveA loA Ine summer. For three months and three weeks they have been playing, and three games have they won out of New Haven-once in Bridgeport, after the thorough shaking up the directors gave them; one in Springfield and the other in Meriden. Saturday night they went to Hartford and were defeated s to 6. The game was theirs until the last ten minutes, the time in which most of their out of town games are lost. It cannot be de- nied that they are playing better polo since Hill was made captain, for before that only one game a week was won out of four played and now two out of four are always won. And once, 10, three out of four were won! They have played B games at home and lost 9-2 to Bridgeport, 3 to Springfield, 3 to Meriden and 3 to Hartford. Out of town they have played 31 games and lost 28. To- night the Meridens will play here and in or- der to pass them New Haven must win.