The San Francisco call., 1896-05-02
Performances at Central Park
To-Day Will Be Ques.
toned.
A DOWN GRADE THAT FAv0Rs
Pertinent Comments ON. This Years
Peculiar Coast Championship
Meet.

This afternoon is to mark a radical inno-
vation in track and field contests. At
Central Park grounds will be inaugurated
some ideas never before associated with
the conditions of a championship field
day.
Many of the foolish traditions that are
stiia hampering aspiring record-makers in
other parts of the world are broken away
from IN one unprecedented burst, equaled
only by the possibilities in hattering re-
suits to- be obtained through the new
system.
The Pacific Coast may go ON record as
sanctioning records made on down grade.
The ardor of the supporters of one
athletic team has resulted in the cham
pionship games being hastily held nearly
a month earlier than generally expected,
and with an easy disregard of the hard
ship worked to individuals outside of the
college teams that might have been in
tending to compete, but who could not
with justice to themselves after being sud-
denly deprived of the best part of their
expected weeks of training.
The new running track of mushroo m
growth has no cinders, the back stretch is
undulating and the whole course is on an
incline. The lO0-yard straightaway, also
OF plain earth, has a fall of three feet
The run to the take-off for the Jumps is
slightly downhill, as is also the landing
beyond. The hammer-throws will be
made in slightly downhili field
The shot-put may, from the lesser dist
ance covered, be made under conditions
that will permit of an authentic record.
these things are what go to make the field
day remarkable. But there is yet another
departure from the foolish old customs
that have been long observed at cham pion-
ship meets. This according to the medals
on exhibition, is to be a coast champion
ship in which there are other than scratch
events.
Notwithstanding all these innovations
the several events may be just as well con-
! tested and as Interesting to watch as they
would be under standard conditions. and
besides, the spectators may have the
rather questionable satisfaction of think
ing that many records are being shattered.
Peter Mcintyre, one of the pioneers of
track athletic sports on this coast, laughed
yesterday afternoon when asked if records
could stand on such track. He was
| experimenting the superficial prepara-
tions, for he is recognized authority,
having built the Olympic track ana di-
rected work on the Stanford University
| oval.
"No," he said; "there are only three
tracks in this State at present where the
championships might properly be held
those of the universities and the one at the
| Olympic grounds.
| II had been asked some time ago to
superintend the building of a proper track
at Sacramento for the championships on
i May 30, but just few days ago l heard
that the meet was changed to Central
Park. track can't be made in one day,
and without cinders. This place could be
made all right, but they were in toe much
of hurry"
| The following communica ton from the
captain of the Stanford team speaks for
! itself:
Editor Ccu: Stanford will not enter q team
for the feld-day on May 2. This should be un-
| derstood in order to avoid the unfair inference
| that may be made after the games that the re-
| CEN intercollegiate tie has been settled.
| Four individuals have entered on their own
account just to show that there is no Ill feeling,
| for we wish TO. aid the main purpose of the
iield-day, the possibility of Berkeley sending a
| team East.
We have never thought of the field-day on
May 2 as anything but benefit to raise funds
/ for that trip.
All our energies as team were centered in
| the intercollegiate field-day that was to decide
the college championship, and when that was
over the. men did not feel that they could
longer spare the time from their studies, par
ticularly as the end of the term was close at
| hand.
This feld-day at Central Park cannot
amount TO- much as championship
meet rs the grounds are not what
they should be, and because the large
| athletic clubs have not entered teams They
| were taken by surprise; they expected the
coast championships would be held on MAY 30.
AS 1t Is, the day will amount simply TO a con-
| test between Berkeley's whole representation
and lot of under-trained men.
1t seems that undue prominence has been
given the event; 1T is also wrong TO claim
that the team winning this field-day should bv
| reason OF that fact be hailed as the one best
| entitled to represent California in the East
| This might be true If the athletic clubs had
ND
| the race. GEORGE TooMBs,
| % Captain Stanford Track Team.
Captain Gill of the Olympic team saw.
that, with the expected time for training.
his men could have taken third of the
first places in the championship meet. but
he acknowledges that in second and third
places the colleges would have complete
advantage over the small Olympic entry.
To substantiate his assertion he mentions
the events and the athletes that might
| fairly have been counted on to win them.
The mile walk would go easily to Y ates
when in condition. as he is able to do the
mile easily in z min. 80 sec. and less, a
performance that Merwln of Berkeley
cannot approach. The half m lie and the
quarter might go to the Coffin brothers,
Bert having in one field-day won both
events in min. 3-5 sec. and 81 ,1-5 sec. re-
| spectively- much better time than made
by any other likely entries.
Patterson, Berkeley's ohigh-jumper of
last year, but now an Olympic. holds the
coast record for last year, made feet liz
inches in competition with the Olympic
crowds. Lewis, a pole-vaulter, is said to
be good for 10 feet 6 inches and would
stand an even chance with the best, Dole
not excepted. Then there is Frank Fos-
ter, who has jumped % feet in trial and
in competition has a record of % feet 6
| inches, something that has not been ap-
preached by the collegians this year.
Some OF these men will enter to-day, but
not as properly trained competitors.
| CONGER SLInJNG RITcKIE