Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-08

| THE POSSIBILITIES OF A MANTLE HIGHEST DE-
| vELoPMEST-REcoRD MAKING AND RECORD
| BREAKISa-TIMISo AND SCORING AN ART.
| There are but poorly defined limits to the
muscular development Of tho human body.
That is, it Is without doubt that beyond a GER
tain point human exertion cannot go, Just as
there is a probable limit to the speed of q
steamship. but it remains for the future to de-
termine just how far off that limit is, and it
will always be in the future. for at no time
can any one assert with perfect assurance Of
truth that the end to progress has come.
There is and always will be hope that the next
achievement will exceed the last or the best,
and thus all civilization is but q magnifcation
Of the attitude Of the athlete as he waits in ex-
pectancy for some one to break the record
There is constant endeavor On the part of
the human machine to so perfect itself as to
reduce the distance that lies between the best
| performance and those unattainable goals.
| Record becomes a constantly shifting quality,
| liable to change, and the performances Of last
| year are worthless as standards except where
| they reach exceed the highest notches. In
| certain events the demolition of former standard
| achievements goes on with rapid succession
| while in others the records still stand that were
made years ago by athletes long retired from
the field or track.
| SOME OF THE RECORDS.
1t might be interesting to know these stand
ards as they are at present, taking only the
events to be participated in at this meet of the
"A. U. on Saturday. In all cases the amateur
| American record is given, as it is on the basis
Of amateur performances that these games are
| to be judged. Running-lOO yards, ten seconds.
/ X. L. La Montague New York, June 20, 1878;
| 20 yards, % seconds, Wendell Baker Boston,
| June IA, 1886; 44O yards, AZ 2-5 seconds, W. c..
Downs, Boston, July 0. 1890; $50 yards, 1.5511ll,
| W. C. Dohm. New York, juno &c. 1889; mile,
II. 1882; 5 miles, Is. 2319 E. G. Carter New York.
September II, 1887. WalkIng-1 mile, g. 20 So, F.
p. Murray, New York, October n. 1888 miles.
2l.O9 is, F. p. Murray, New York, November
Rowe, Springfield, Mass, October 20, 1885;
ordinary machine. JumpIng-Pole vault, IL
feet inches, H. III. Baxter, New York, October
| Is, 1887. Running high jumps feet inches,
| W. b. Page, Philadelphia, October Z, 1857;
running broad jump. 70 feet inches, N.
| W. Ford. Brooklyn. August IA, 1886.
| Heavyweight observation-disclosures To-
pound hammer, 1873 feet inches,J. S. Mitchell,
| Ekton, Nd, October TO- 1889; throwing
| 56-pound weight for distance from 7-foot cir
Gle, 80 feet 81 inches. j. S. Mitchell. Montreal,
| September ~, 1890; putting 16-pound shot, 46
| feet 21z inches G.. X. Gray, Travers Island
NY. September 20, 1890.
Hurdle racing.l2O yards, ten flights, 16
| II. o.,
| 1890; 22O yards, ten flights, 2514 seconds j.
| p. Lee, New York, May 81. 1890 There can
| be no positive record In the case of tug Of
war.
| PROFESSIONAL RECORDS.
The records given above do not represent
the highest human achievements in these lines
| by any means, as they are confined to America n
amateurs for purposes Of comparison with the
| records made at this meet. 4 list of the very
Gista rod in no oh ti,,,na
| made will also be valuable.
Running-I0O yards, 81 seconds. George
| Seward. an American professional. Hammer
smith turnpike road, England. September 80,
! 1874; 220 yards, 81 3-5 seconds, &. G.. Wood,
London, March ~, 1887, amateur; 440 yards as
quoted i'll other list; $50 yards, 1885, I.
ftowett. New Zealand. September Il, 1871, pro-
fessional; one mile, 4.12$4, W. 6. George, Lon
| don. August %, 1886, being classed as pro-
fessonal IL that race only; five miles. "a 10, j.
White, London. May IL, 1863, professional.
Walking-One mile. 6.23, W. Perkins, Lon
don, June 1, 1874, professional; three miles,
90 2l19 J. W. Raby, London, August 20, 1888,
pr OCCASIONAL
Bicycling Two miles, 5r, ". A. Rowe,
Springfield. Mass, October IA. 1886, being
classed in that race as professional.
Jumplng-Pole vault, IL feet S1S inches. 7.
Ray. Barrow England, September ~, 1888,
amateur; running high. jump and running
broad jump the same as in other list.
Heavy weights-l6-pound hammer same as
above. Both of these records are taken on the
basis of the standing throw. With seven-foot
run both the American amateur and the general
record belong to j. s. Mitchell, whose best
performance was at Limerick, Ireland Septem-
Der IL, 1887, being 121 feet inches; 56-pound
weight. same as in other list; 16-pound shot, Al
feet 1917 inches, j. O'Brien, Dublin, July IL,
1885, amateur.
Hurdle racing-12O yards. 16 seconds, c. N.
Jackson, Oxford, England, November IA, 1865,
amateur; go yards same as in other list.
RECORD MEN TO CONTEST.
OF these record men Mitchell, George and
Jordan will be present at this meet. 1t Is
hoped, with reasonable grounds. that the track
on Analostan Island will be sufficiently "fast"
to enable some Of the sprinters to lower tho
time III some of the shorter dashes, but as this
performance depends in so large measure
upon the mOmcntary condition of the man, as
well as upon the state OF the track upon which
he is to run, there is never any certainty about
the time that Is going to be made. The demo-
litlon OF record comes without warning at the
! most unexpected times and frequently from
the most unusual source. 1t often happens
that local athlete, with a sudden burst of
vlgor, inspired, perhaps, by the cheering pres
| ence of a sweetheart, will make wonderful
jump or u remarkable run that will be his only
performance worthy the name and that will go
down to history as q standard. The man then
| sinks back into obscurity through a foolish
attempt to beat his own work. which almost
| always results in failure, or else he
wisely rests upon his laurels and retires from
| the track. Such cases OF phenomenal comet
like athletic work are few and far between, as
the rule is FOR the best records to be made by
men who gradually work themselves up to the
highest pitch OF excellence by scientific train.
ing and the exercise OF good judgment
Record men are not to be envied. They are in
the position Of the president of o South Amer
lean republic, raised to the honor by the latest
| revolution and liable to be dethroned at the
next one, which is always imminent. They
are marked as the prey Of ambitious young
| sters who aim to excel. and lightning in the
| shape OF fifth-second quicker time or an inch
! more space Is apt to strike at any instant.
| DISTINCT ART
has arisen through the necessities of noting
the performances of athletes in their attempts
| for either records or medals, that OF scorin q
| and timing. There are comparatively few men
| competent to time a or to watch tape,
| owing to the prevalent tendency of nerves to
| make their existence known Just as the time
| comes for their steadiest work. A good timer
| is a jewel He is one man in u million. 1t has
| been said that there are not over half a dozen
| men in the country who can DO depended on
| for the right time of race, and the services of
| these individuals arc always in demand.
| Watches are made with the most delicate works
| and tho most reliable of stops. and everything
| is done to make it easy for the man Who do
| what he will, cannot repress n cheer as he sees
his favorite coming down the lanes a winner
| and then. after he has given full vent to his
enthusiasm, finds that he has forgotten to stop