The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
PROGRESS IN ATHLETICS.
WRAT DECIDE HAS EFFRorED IN
TRAoK AND FIELD FRO URBa

IltAhA ~
-
intercollegiate Chnn,ptenS er Te-DaS Compared
with Those sr Tcu YEATS Eo-sWeeptn9
Alterations in the FaEures - hnpreNs-
nent Due ts Moro Scientific Hlsthsdss
The remarkable Improvement In athletic pef'
formanoes Of the present day over those OF pro
yious years forms a topic that the athletic sharDn
discuss with never. failing vidity. 1.-THE devel-
opment was only noticeable In one or two ath-
lctes It would not DO very dihlcult to accouno
for the superiority of tho lattor-day gladiator,
for the history Of athletics is replete with the
names OF phenomenal performers who have
from time to time stood out from their Fellows
and created. figures which have wtthstood the
onslaughts of champions year after. year, Ia
X. Myers and W. g.. George arc perhaps two OF
the most widely known OF those phe~nomenonA.
In their day they entirely outclassodstheir com
petltoRs and for years their supremacy was un-
questioned. Though many OF the records made
by these peerless athletes still stand, evidence q
the general Improvement Of amateurs 10 found
in the fact that some OF their best times have
boon beaten, and that in most instances the
record breaker has within q very brief period
succumbod to thessupcrior speed Of another az
tho rising generation.
The interc o~lloginte games held at Berkeley
Oval two weeks ago clearly demonstrated the
immense strides with which the athletes have
advanced, and old-timers looked on in amaze
mont while records wero ruthlcsSly moved
down.. and watched competitors whoa few years
ago would have boon good enough to win the
events outright fail to even get 9 place;
Jr., Of Yale defeated . mediocre Held FOR the
the recent meet four men fnished within a yard
in the hnal heat, tho time being 10 seconds. 10
10 conceded that Sheriff. might have run fastor,
as he aftorward proved to DO a ten.second man,
but the conclusion is Inevitable that the fourth
man in tho intercollegiate hundred OF 1898
could have beaten the second man in 1888 By
at least four yards, and this with Wofers. the
iewScsbury. the dual victor in tho short prints
this year, ran the go yards in p 3.5 seconds,.a
i fsss. 'c Shiie t ). g. WINS H%H s q ha sRsESiI th %ad soo X
90 81 r. Is I ssSoss. to Of soY r M tSo 1nsyIs' t SSs'i Rrs, the
time 10 is equally, marked. and d%isappointod as
had been nlf launched on their ashle.io oaFo soFF0ss
decade earlier. when 4. r; Miles Of Harvard cap
Of PrinoOton IN this years CONTEST In the far ali.
A eomparison. Of the times for tho mile races
in 1883 and 1898 10 even moro creditable to tho
Sl:'f aSrm TIn on Taf G5 won Soia IN 4 minutes nj sns sG 81 %aS seer sec.
onds, . performance that would have placed
test, which was won BY CroEan in I minutes
20 3.5 seconde. In such q long race as q mile
any appreciabio effect ON the result. and the in.
ference T. that had harmar run in the race
sgainst CrSgen, Lhe latter would have beaten
In eyontS requirine the exercise of skill. in:
speed and andursnce, the exponentsS Of modern m
athie nS simply 1 smother !he performances Of
most remarkable example Of progressive meth
DDS: In 1888 7. q. shoerman Of Yale won this
event with a Jump Of 20 feet 9 inches. a pet;
him to compete on the final day. when only tho
i've best performers on tho trialday were eligible,
secured no better than third place. First hon.
ors on the latest occasion went to M: Prinstcin
man By nearly three feet. The. pole vault
perfor%ers. Nine feet 9 inches ndhNof was vi sT su RaStens
to win the event in 1888, while two weeks ago
resulting in aRolhSr tie between 6. S. Clapp Of
Yale and "; ": hoyt Of Harvard, who cleared
The high jump is the only event on the pro-
gramme In which the record made in 1888 ex-
Of the University OF PennysIvania won WITH 5
feet IN inches, while four men-C. U.;Powell.
MRiee = isih sSiD year ssi' at III 5 G feet M iqS inches sRa A. NJ
The timber toppers have not neglected their
opportunities to learn the fine points Of tho
IN 1883. but It remained for. tho present year to
former over both high and low hurdles that has
yet boon seen. His figures discount those made
iow-hurdle event bear comparison With the
records made in the early intercollegiate meets
low hurdle race over 9,foot 6-inch hurdles in
Is 80 seconds, against 26 4-5 seconds by Man:
home in the easiest manner in Is as seconds,
while Mapes, in 1888. took II 1-5 seconds.
mer render comparisons Between the old and
new school of athletes useless, but in putting
and the records indicate that the big men have
SEVEN SEVEN f eSp' which 5P w Won the the eTeSs IN nsss T for
PennypScieT Of HarvaPd, Would not not baVc
gained q place for him this season.. when J. {.
MeCr 1Gi the Pep1nsylyania football player:
put the sphere 80 feet 4 inches.
With every event except one decidedly In
favor OF the representatives at the ~intercol.
legtaDe meeting this year when compared with
their Predecessors OF ten years ago. the improve:
be taken as indicating plainly that the applica:
tIon of scientific methods in training and COM
Standards, 1t Is true that a few veterans who
have watched the younEsters Of to-day relent-
in tracks as q great factor in prosent-day per-
formances. but this argument scarcely holds
this spring are compared with those made in
1888; Continuous rain had made the track. on
records, decidedly holding and SOW, I rende sdiDs
the fast Z mes tho more remarkable. Conditions
two Important points In short races. are ever;
more enacting now than in the old days, the
careful to select none but the most competent
oaifialS. The rules governing, the events are
as those prevailing ten years ago. The senor.
ally accepted explanation OF the Increased abil.
ity shown to-day Is the most natural one. that.
stimulated by competition, the American youth
has devoted himself to the study of athletics in
the most thorough. manner, has invented new
styles or clearing jun DIS and taking obstacles,
and has applied all the science at his command
to enable, him TO- cover the ground at the high.
est possible speed with the minimum of exertion
required. That ho has succeeded is evidenced
BY the fact, that the intercollegiate records OF to-
day not only exceed those made ton years ago,
but In nearly every event are superior to those
m Pn1 at the annual games Of Oxford and Cam.
before the era Of athletic games dawned in
American colleges.