The morning call., 1893-10-22
ATHLETIC.
Comments on the Championship
Games Last Week.


The great event of the year athletically
has passed ana although the day selected
happened, unfortunately. to be most un-
favorable to athletes and spectators, the
performances of the contestants were ex-
cellent, comments on which by our
valua bic correspondent will point out
many matters of interest In connection
with the game which will prove interest
ing and instructive to the devotees OF track
and field athletics.
The Pacific Association of the Amateur
Athletic Union held their ninth annual
championship games on the Olympic
Club grounds on Saturday, 14th inst. The
attendance was remarkably good, when
is taken into consideration the dense fog
that drifted over the grounds the entire
afternoon accompanied by q piercing
wind that was not, TO say the least, COM
Portable for the spectators or athletes.
1t was apparent to those versed in
athletics that the day was not conducive
to record breaking
Nevertheless. three new marks were
established. In the final of the 100-yard
event Scoggins, Foster. Wand and Wood-
ward competed, finishing in the above
order. Time, 10 2-5 sec. Bernhard O.. S.
Jr. u was the greatest disappointment. of
manner that he defeated the Berkeley
cracks at the intercollegiate field day on
April %, making a record of 10 3-5 Sec,
that he was considered good enough to
take first place in this event; but he suf-
fered defeat in his trial heat in the slo "
time of 10 % sec. On the other nand, j.
w. ScogginS CO. c. showed that he was a
sprinter of remarkable ability. He can
not be considered anything but novice.
as | understand this was his second ap-
pearance in competition. If this be so,
great things must be expected from him
next season, and, with the usual improve
ment that must follow when he gains ex-
perience, it is only reasonable TO expecI
that he will make the distance in very
close to even time.
Foster and Wand also showed good form
in this event. the former being one foot
behind ScOggins at the finish.
Foster Is remarkable all-round athlete,
as IN fifteen minutes afterward he won
the 120-yard hurdle in a walk, the time
being II 1-5 seconds. Rad there been any
one in the event that would have COM
PEELED him 10 exert himself there is no
doubt but the distance would have been
covered in at least one second faster time.
Next he competed in the broad imp, and
carried off the event, covering % feet 6
inches. which is the best record ever
made at a championship meeting on the
coast, supplanting V. E. Schifferstein's s
% feet 8 inches made in 1885, He also
won the 220-yard hurdle, and would, no
doubt, have done likewise in the high
jump had he been entered, as he bad
cleared in practice feet 71s inches few
weeks ago.
The SS0-yard event brought out three
contestants, namely, Fred Koch, B. H.
Coffin and Howard Coffin. the former win
ming in the remarkably good time of
2 2:0212, which established new coast rec
ord, the former being 2:O3 3-5 held by Rob-
ert Macarthur. l consider this time ex-
ceptionally good, when the weather is
taken IN consideration. and, in aid prob-
ability, had the day been favorable the
time would have been very close to 2min-
utes.
But Coffin showed very poor Judgment,
as he acted the part of q pacemaker more
than a contestant throughout the entire
race. He would have decidedly better
chance If he had trailed Koch as Brown
did Skillman in the one mile, and when
he entered the stretch for home then made
his effort. However. do not think that
the result would have been any different,
but the finish would have been closer.
The twO-mile walk was contest be.
tween Horace Coffin and C.. M. Yates. A
good gait was maintained throughout the
race, the contestants keeping close to-
getber, with Coffin in the lead.
In the tenth lap Yates was disqualified.
1t would be very interesting to know on
what grounds the judge CT walking based
his disqualification. As / have heard MANY
competent judges express surprise at the de-
cision | must certainly admit that there is
no more thankless position on the athletic