Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-17
OXFORD WINS.
EngIishmen Take Five Out of
the Nine Events.
The Ellis Capture Three and Play
One to a Tie.
Immense Crowd Present-Sports Carried On
In a Pouring Rain.

LONDON, July l6.-The crack athletes
of Oxford triumphed over the champions
of Yale at Queens Club, West kensington,
today, after n sensational tournament in
which the Yale boys, although beaten, were
by no means disgraced. Rain poured down
almost increasingly from noon until the
programme was more than half decided,
and the sodden condition of the track and
in field played havoc with the form of the
Americans, the Yale men being but little
accustomed to heavy going, while the Ok
ford cracks were Injured to all kinds of
atmospheric freaks during the spring cam
paign.
Had Jupiter Pluvius held aloof the ndi-
cations are that the result would have been
victory, or at the worst, tie, for the
Americans. If Woodruff had run up to
his form in the half mile match it would
have resulted in a tie, with four and half
wins to the credit of each team.
The arrangements inside the grounds
were excellent. The first clang of the
clocks bell was the signal for a buzz of ex-
citement, and each sprinter who trotted
past to his mark received an ovation.
When the American pair appeared the band
played yankee Doodle" to an accompsni-
ment of war whoops, very suggestive of the
campus at New Haven.
Oxford drew first blood in the 10O-yards-
dash, which Ashley Pond, Jr., of Yale, was
thought to have at his mercy. The Detroit
boy was all at sea on the soft track and
could not live at the pace set by c. Jordan
and c. B. Fry of Oxford. The latter got
over the ground in fine style, and finished
too fast for Jordan, whom he led by about
half yard at the tape. A similar dis
tance separated Jordan and Sanford.
The jubilation of Oxford was short-lived,
as w. o. Hickok and A. j. Brown, Ya'e,
outclassed G. w. Robertson, the English
intercollegiate crack, in the hammer-,hrow-
ing, event. Hickok favored his weak knee
so much that he fouled the circle three
times. He gave the assembled Americans
big scare, but made ample amends soon
after by hurling the missile 10 feet 5
inches. Yales second string, A. J. Brown,
beat Robertson yard for second place
Hickok's winning performance was almost
] ) feet behind the best record at the game
and would not have earned place for him
in the last American intercollegiate cham
pionship.
Yale colors fluttered uneasily as the
hurdle racers crossed in the field to the
field to the starting point on the back
stretch. Taking the time as standard +. A.
Cady had the pace of his rivals and some
fancy odds were laid on the American inter-
collegiate champion. lie flsttered his ad-
mirers for time but could not shake off
Oakley of Oxford. The latter got away
slowly, and came with rush half way
through and won cleverly ty yard. Cady
struck the last obstacle and came to grief,
leaving ID. b. Hatch to finish second. This
event was the turning point Of the contest,
but the Yale men struggled on with un-
flinching courage, relying on the effect of
dogged perseverance, sometimes miscslled
"Yale Luck" Three track events W ere re-
manning and it was not unreasonable to
hope that the American flag would be
hoisted at least once.
Sanford went for all he was worth to cap
ture the quarter mile, but had not speed
enough to stall off Jordan's challenge in the
stretch and the English intercolle giate
chsmpion won by two yards.
Fresh courage fired the American contin-
gent when the Stars and Stripes were seen
futtering aloft in the iDfield, and the sooth-
ing news was waited to them that J.. p.
Sheldon, Yale, had beaten c. b. Fry, part
holder of the worlds record, for the broad
jump. The defeat of Fry was probably
the greatest upset of the day, particularly
as his sprinting in the dash bad shown him
to be in exceptional form Considering the
state of the ground, it was something un-
usual TO find three men clearing over 22
feet, but Sheldon's jump was little short of
marvellous, under the circumstances. He