Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-04
TRAtk ATHLETES IN TRAINING
Season for Field Sports Opens Two Months
Earlier Than Usual.
EXCELLENT PRACTICE is SECURED INDOORS
Athletic Meets Show superiority of
Men Who Have Undergone Com
|scientious Training with Ap-
pnrntus During winter.

Track athletics are again in season, two
months earlier than one year ago. Sprinters,
vaulters, jumpers and weight-throwers are
already in excellent trim and the mild
weather is now permitting outdoor applica-
tion OF theories acquired within walls. The
Young Mems Christian association has af-
forded excellent practice in field events by
its recent indoor contests, chief among
which was the meet under the auspices Of
the Athletic League Of North America. the
first contest under that direction attempted
in Omaha. The entries were from Omaha,
South Omaha and Council Bluffs. each ath-
lete having previously complied with the re-
quirements of the league. 1t was necessary
to deny entrance to a number Of applicants
for the reason that they had either %partici-
pated in contests for money or were lacking
in some other qualification. 1t is the inten-
ton Of the physical director to put the con-
tests on the plane of pure, amateur athletics
and no means will be spared to that end.
The first contest brought out some excep-
~tionally strong timber, Finney, McElroy and
Painter fracturing records in a commendable
fashion. The creditable showing, it Is
pointed out, is the result of months of faith
full and laborious practice in the gymnasium
classes,
NHolltl NDHltEl ulllt tue SAME auspices
will be given in the gymnasium on March
10, and an increased number &C entries is
expected. Silver cups will be hung up for the
different events as before, and LEGAL athletes
have designs ON still further records. The
events will be identical with thcee on Janu-
AIRY "a, together with such additions as the
space at hand will allow. 1t is intended TO
add a twenty yard dash II the event can be
accommodated. The other numbers of the
program will be as follows: Putting twelve
pound shot, running high jump, standing
broad jump, pole vault and potato race.
in addition to the frequent Athletic league
contests in the Young Memo Christian asso-
cations gymnasium, the High school will
be given an opportunity every month to
measure its skill and strength in a meet
open only to students. These High school
contests will be participated in by members
OF the Athletic association who feel the need
of gymnasium practice for which no facili-
ties exist in the school building.
"A meeting of the association was called on
Thursday afternoon to consider plans for
spring athletics and twenty-five names were
entered for the meet on FRIDAY. Captain
Earl Painter of the track team made a plea
for faithfulness in training, pointing cut
''S N'S'N' 'Nf'o pNN A'AAA - liNOi ulih
other schools in the state, which Omaha will
be forced to meet at the interscholastic con-
test in May or June. About fifty young
men promised to appear regularly at prac-
tice.
For the high jump and pole vault Omaha
will depend largely on the efforts of Earl
Painter; for the broad jump the favored
candidate is Harry Welsh; for the shot-put,
Harold Cathrow; for the sprints, Arthur
and Earl Painter; for the long
distance runs, II. Lehmer; for the hurdles.
Gay Hardy; and for the hammer throws,
Englehart. There are a number of other
candidates for the team who have not been
assigned. and altogether the Omaha athletes
may be expected to do credit to themselves
and their school.
The High school indoor meet on Friday
was intended principally as a showing-up
process of what material could be relied
upon and the promoters had no reason to be
ashamed of the showing. The results were
as follows: Putting underground shot
Harold Cathrow first, So feet 61a inches;
Welsh, second; Englehart. third. Running
high jump-Harry Welsh, first, ) feet;
Moore, second; Hardy, third. Pole vault
Hall, first, s feet; Bryant, second. One mile
relay potato race,-Won by the. Beers
The potato race is a feature recently in
t%roduced and Is rapidly finding favor, com
bining as 1t does skill speed and endur-
ance. An important feature is in rounding
the turns, a runner who is apparently max
ing Indifferent progress often defeating mis-
adversary by agility in turning the corners.
AS described in the league rules the equip
ment of the event consists of two boxes for
each runner, located thirty-one feet apart.
The boxes are set on legs and one of each
pair contains seventeen potatoes or other
light objects. The runner starts from the
full box with one potato in his hand, deposit
ing his burden in the empty box and return
ing for another potato. Grasping the box
or stand in any way, failure to run around
both boxes, or "A failure to transfer all the
potatoes singly to the other box disqualiaes
the runner.
Another resource which the High school
athletes rely upon to develop their lung and
leg power is through the medium Of the
Cross Country club, composed of about
thirty undergraduates pledged to go on semi
weekly runs whenever the weather will per-
nit. The jaunts are made on Wednesday
afternoon and Saturday evening and so far