New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-25
CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING.
CONTESTS OF THE AMATEUR ATHLETIC
UNION AT MORRIS PARK.

A. J.. WRIGHT AND j. BRAY, OF THE NETWORK
ATHLETIC CLUB. COME IN RESPECTIVELY
FIRST AND SECOND. GIVING THEIR OR
GANrzATIoN TIE INDIVIDUAL LAND
THE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
The athletes who took part In the cross-country
championships Of the Amateur Athletic Union at
Morris Park yesterday were hardy men. indeed.
Just imagine forty and odd young fellows Drawing
the which prevailed clad I'm sleeveless shirts
knee breaches and self-assurance. running through
the sleet and snow for six miles TO which was
the best man, But this s what they did. and
strange to say at the finish the majority OF them
did not appear to be much the FOR the ordeal
through which they had gone. The men
the regular sieeplcchase course Of the Westchester
Racing Association. taking the jumps and other
Instructions cleverly the horses did few
weeks ago. Had horses been racing yesterday In
stead Of men, the public would have been the
lookout for what is termed In racing parlance
mud larks to be in first a, the finish. But in the
case Of the men the wseacres who natter them
selves that they pretty well up In athletics
had picked out three men, one OF whom they were
sure would win the great race. But the best that
any of the three was able to do to finish
third. The winner was dark horse. and a COM
parative stranger in this city although he ran in
the colors of the NewYork Athletic club
WHAT IT DECIDED.
The race was not only 20 decide the cross-country
individual championship. but the cross-country
team championship also. and there IS no doubt that
both objects accomplished % the satisfa ction
Of all unbiased persons who take interest ir ath
letics. Among the stars who took part in the con-
test G. W. Orton. OF the Toronto Lacrosse
club, who the champion last year. Many
thought that he would repeat his victory OF last
season, although it was said that he would find
some hard competitors in Alexander Grant. OF the
NeN-York Athletic Club, and A. j. Sweet. OF Cornell
University. This did not prove be the case.
however. as, while he defeated these Two men
rather handily the best he could do TO finish
third in the race The N.nner a. l.. Wright,
Of the New-York Athletic club and the second
man was J. Bray. OF the same organiza ion. This
sweeping victory Of the New-Yor; Athletic CLUB
not only FOR the Mercury winged organization
the individual championship. but the team cham
ponship well. There much rejoicing among
the club members at the end OF the race. and the
celebration continued az the clubhouse las:
night
The original entries for the championships num-
bercd sixty-One. and they Included teams from the
Yale University Athletic Association the New-York
Athletic club. the Cornell University Athletic AS
ISOLATION the Xavier Athletic Club. the Pastme
Athletic Club the West Side Athlete club ana
q. W. orion. who represented the Toronto League
club. The officials were Referee. William b. Guy
It's, y. Y A. G.: judges at the finish. James f..
Sullivan. X A. c.; James !. Frawley. X 4. c..
y. w =. 4. T.. j.
p. \. e.: timekeepers. Robert stoll y. Y. A. c.;
Charles j. Dieges. =. \. g.. and cyril Robinson.
Is \. g.: clerks OF the course. Edwin j. keane. y.
Y. \ c. and Ernes, Thorpe y Y. A. G.; starter.
Mortimer Bishop. y. Y. A. c.; distance judges,
j. II. Bell y. Y. \. c.. NJ Hapin. y. Y. A. c.;
9. H. Herchr, *. \. g.; e. r.. Smith, y. Y \. c.;
W. l.. Freudenstein. f. \. g., H. $. Lyons. y. Y.
y g.. q Du Bot. NJ. II A. C.; J. j. Dixon.
y A. C.. and +. Brown +. A. C.
SCHEDULED FOR 3 O'CLOCK.
The race was scheduled for o'clock bu, it
nearly hour later before the athletes. who had
journeyed i'm the blizzard the track. we've ready
Tor business. OF the sixty -one original entries
FORTY lone starr ed in the race. and OF these thirty
finished, the others falling out by the wayside
after finding he pace, coupled with the weather
100 much for them It was surprising that SO
many finished. The preiimnares were all ar
ranged within The welcome shelter Of the club
house. ana ilnaly when the Scantily clad athetes
ushorcd out In the cold and bleak storm. little
time was wasted IN getting them off. In fact. they
enough 10 quicken the blood In the veins Of the
most sluggish performers
Iiut foi all that IL picnic the storm
made the teeth OF the spectators and officials. who
men got off well together' and soon only n very IN
distinct view OF their bare legs could be had IN the
distance The course was five laps OF the steepe-
chase course, ana the whole distance OF the race
was about six and a quarter miles. There were
nine jumps to be taken in each lap. including the
TWO Ilverpoos and the water jump.
Th9 wat, water jump was at the finish Q: each lap
club were the hrst TO reach it on the first lap;
GR oG so Of 6e am c hS" Th o bay t @T
testants We're strung out. the 'ast man being
the New West Side Athletic Club. gave up at the
end Of The hrst lap as c ala also D. j. Brsnnan Of
the Xavier Athletic club. 1t was feared that
Brennan had SNAPPED tendon in MS leg. Early IN
he set a merry pace around the course. In fact.
the pace was so hot that he quickly had the ma
iorty Of the men In difficulties. and they were
strung out ali the At the end Of the
and he cleared the water Jump in skfu style. fully
five yards ahead OF his nearest opponent Then
came T. OConnor; Of the Pastime Athletic cup,
club: Cregan. Grant and orton. with A j. Walsh.
Was running easily and taking the jumps in master
fui fashion j &. Lynch. Of the Pastce Athletic
ing He wore a DERBY hat: and he prcsente.d!
funny sight in his otherwise extremely limited
costume.
IN THE THIRD LAP.
Wright continued to make the pace throughout
The third lap, and at the end he was some seventy
yard. to the good. with OConnor still running
second. ". f. Ryan. OF the Xavier Athletic Cluo'
Who had been running great guns. managed 10
improve his position materially. ana ne took me
water jump third. with orion ana Grant close pc
hind him. Mos, Of the men made no ofort to Gear
the water but contented themselves WIN einmoiins
up the hcdee In 'front.' ~ Il ana th.n JuMpihs
into the lce-cod bath. II they were suffering rom
heat caused by their vigorous exercise the water
must have had most sudden and COOLING enect
They quickly Scrambled out atsr the piunse AM, ana
unusual had happened
At the end Of the fourth lap Wright SIN
in the lead. having incr,aa his advan age to about
one hundred and twenty five Yards; Al THIS point
Bray lad pullei into second position Win q Con-
nor third and Ortou running about sixth The
latter's friends were getting rather anxious. but
they cOntcnted themselves with thinking that the
champion was saving himself for the last lap Ii
was expected that he would then forge 10 the front
ana snatch victory from seeming defeat Wright
IL Was observed. running apparently most easily
of all the men. with his head up In the air. az II
he could keep Up the terrific pace FOR another five
miles II necessary
Before half Of the nth and final lap had been
run II was plain that Wright would prove
the victor. barring accidents He then run
Ming as easiN al the heginnng Of The race and