The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-27
ATHLETES OF THE DAY.
MODERN HEROES OF THE CIyDER
PATH AND FIELD.
Track Athletics and Their Origin-Ipterest
in the Field sports-sprinting
and Jumping Records.
For The Times.)

or no this saying be true, IL Is doubtful
II the ancient heroes OF the Olympiar
race-course excelled or surpassed the
sneed strength and endurance shown by
the modern heroes OF Americas cinder'
path and field. Although as yet track
athletics in America receive less atten'
,ion than some of the other sports Of the
dav their cultivation is none the less
trustworthy, and the presumption is
that the time will come when the sport
| will receive the position and attention
| that is its Just right and due. Track
athletics were, as in fact so we're most
OF our pastimes, imported from the
mother country, but, unfortunately, dio
not arrive here till several hundred years
after the Mayhower. Indeed, even If they
had been introduced by that remarkable
vessel IL is doubtful whether they would
| have been encouraged by that austere
and rigid gathering OF Pilgrim fathers,
/ who. as one famous after-dinner orator
said were given to such disregard TOT
the conventionalities that they suppressed
| bear batting, not because 1T gave pain TO
the bear, but because II gave pleasure 10
the spectators"
Interest In field sports In England was
for a long time confined to the lower
HlQule CAdSScb, anu liiC ~ AN'
| lY professionals, were regarded by the
better classes OF society as clowns or
| harleouins. But a better era for the
| snort came, Gentlemen adopted IT, and
| a strict amateur line was drawn. oxford
and Cambridge took il up, and to-day the
| annual games between the rival uniVer-
| stiles at Little Bridge, West London, are
attended with interest and enthusiasm
by the backbone of English aristocracy.
H.
| known In this country In ante-bellum
DAYS. and the pioneers OF the sport were
men of the later sixties. In '6S or go a
few athletic clubs OF minor importance
were started in the vicinity OF New York.
and a few years later the two great rival
athletic organizations OF the present day.
the New York and Manhattan Athletic
Clubs. came into existence. In rs the
"Association Of American Colleges" was
first formed and as college men have
always been prominent In the history
of American athletics. this was a giant
step in the development Of the pastime.
Although Harvard has borne off most OF
the honors of this Association. its best
known athletes have come from Prince
ton or Yale.
In the beginning OF the last decade
track athletics began TO assume some
importance. A team composed OF men,
DeIS Oh Tie MdHlldlAdH <ANhittlC NihDt
prominent among whom was Lon Myers,
visited England. and by the quality and
quantity Of their performances rather
opened the skeptical eyes Of our trans
Atlantic cousins, and from that time
athletics had a decided boom. The
press" more arbitrary and omnipotent
than all the despots OF historic ages,
smiled upon and patronized them, and
later the performances OF Wendell. Sher-
NJ
a host OF others helped to rouse a uni
versal interest i'm the sport.
During the last few years the knights
of the cinder path have made great
strides in the breaking and establishing
OF records. Twenty years ago the run
ming of q hundred yards in ten seconds
was deemed almost a physical impossl-
bllity. To-day We have at least half a
score of athletes who have accomplished
this impossibility, and three men who
can claim records OF still better than
even time. In the sprint races OF one
hundred and two hundred and twenty
yards the most prominent Americans are:
Cary, Owen. Jewett, Sweyne, Lee and
Stage. OF these men Luther Cary, the
Princeton Demon" is perhaps the most
universally known, and his famous hun
bred in nine and half seconds though
not accepted by the Amateur Athlete
Union, is credited by many unpre1udiced
critics as authentical. During his course
at Princeton he gave many proofs OF his
wonderful speed and endurance. and.
though an uncertain and inconsistent per-
former, he is thought by many TO be the
fastest sprinter that ever wore a spiked
shoe. In 81 he visited Europe. together
with several other members of the Man
haitian Athletic Club, and the easy man.
ss.l.t l., 80 h..
of Great Britain and France created pro-
found sensation in athletic circles abroad.
and stamped him as an athlete OF no
common ability. Besides his record FOR
the hundred he has record Of q 4-5
seconds for furlong. and in 81 was the
national and international champion.
This year. however, he was in poor con-
dition and was beaten out by Harry
Jewett of the Detroit Athletic Club,
who, together with his club mate, owen,
and the speedy Cary. form trio OF
flyers that America may pit against the
world. Lee, Sweyne, Allen and Vreden-
burg, of the New Yorks; Remington, OF
the Manhattans. and Stage. of Cleve-
land, are all in the first rank Of sprinters.
holding records of but little slower than
even time.
In the quarter mile Downes, Of the
New Yorks and Remington, OF the Man
hattans, are ancient rivals, standing
head and shoulders" above all other
competitors at this distance. 1t is meek
and neck" or rather "leg and Leg be-
tween the two, although many believe
that the Harvard man is the more con-
sstent performer of the pair. The record
for the distance, ~ "a seconds, is held
by Wendell Baker, another wearer OF
the crimson.
At the half Walter Dohne, OF Princeton
and the New Yorks. is the present king;
but his collegemate Turner, Of the Man
hattans is improving rapidly and threatens
to lower Dohne's figures OF 1:5i l-2 for
the distance. Dohne was formerly the
country's best quarter-mile, but has given
up that distance and now confines him
self TO the half. Connect, OF the Man
hattans, is Americas best mile runner,
holding the record Of 421 is seconds.
Carter, George and Day are also good
at the distance. At the high hurdles, VIII
liams Of Yale, Is the record holder at
10 As seconds; COPELAND, Puffer, AIapes
and Morrell being classed at two yards
slower. At the recent championships
Puffer ran the distance in the remarkable
time OF Is 2-5 seconds. but owing TO some
discrepancy in timing or measuring. his
record was refused by the Union over
the low sticks for the furlong Jim" Lee,
Puffer and Morrell are all good men,
Lee holding the record OF "A AS seconds.
AS the cinder path requires men OF
speed and endurance. so does the field
require men OF sinew and muscle At
throwing the hammer and putting the
shot, so often are the old records de-
molished and so short lived are the new,
that AZ ia imnOeCfhla IN kaar ol, Of