The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-26
ATHLETIC RECORDS OF 1902.
WORLDS FIGURES BROKEN IN
TRACK AND FIELD GAMES.
Dunys 100 Yards In . IS Seconds the
Sensation Of the season-De witt the
Leading Hammer ThrOwer-acarcity
OF New Marks In Distance Races.

Sensation Of the seasOn-De witt the
Leading Hammer ThrOwer-scarc ity
OF New Marks In Distance Races.
Chroniclers who record the progress Of
track and field sports will find plenty of
material In the season just past, and al
though It was minus an international meet
or other special feature 1t will be handed
down to posterity az a year Of remarkable
performances. II Il true that 1902 has not
been quite as prolific in American or worlds
records as 1900 and 1901. but as the years
slip by the smashing Of a worlds record
becomes more difficult. for each succeeding
effort places the mark nearer the limit of
human prowess.
A quarter OF century ago any one at all
possessing a bit Of extra form could don
his toys and. with the condit ions favorable,
break a record. So 1t was from year to
year following, and the periodical onslaught
on the record tables occurred with the regu-
larity Of the equinox. But this yearly crop
OF new records may now be said to he at
an end. for each standard has been moved
up 80 high that only an exceptional effort
by rare performance will supplant any
OF the figures at present on the books
or course, it is easily within the scope of a
majority Of the present day athletes to
have fun with the records for odd distances
in running and for obsolete sly les in weight
throwing and jumping, and no doubt many
OF the second raters could at days notice
relegate host OF these old stagers TO a
wellmerited oblivion.
1t is a remarkable fact that prior to 1890
not a single record for events on standard
nh In Lxala
American. all being credited to English
men, 1rishmen or Scotchmen. To-day,
twenty-five years later, Americans hold
almost all the records and 1t Is surely a
fact which this country may regard with
pride. while the rest Of the world may
look on with admiration.
Up to the advent of the athletic season
Of 1902 the record for 100 yards was Q As
seconds. 1t was first made by John Owen,
Jr., OF the Detroit A. c. at Washingt on
in 1890 and afterward duplicated by Wefers,
Maybury. Rush and Duffy OF America
Mcpherson Of New Zealand and Kempton
of A l-tralia. Experts said that this was
the limit and no man big or small. black or
white amateur or professional. need ever
expect to run a fifth faster. Yet this theory
was knocked sky-high on May 81 at Berkeley
Oval when Duffy in the final heat covered
the century in Q IS seconds, thereby
capsizing all representations and estab-
fishing himself the greatest sprinter Of
the age,
As to the validity of the record there
can never be the least doubt. The oc-
casion was the annual championships
OF the intercollegiate A. A. where compe-
~ sol ,lv
were three timers. Evert Jansen Wendell
and Mortimer Bishop Of the New York A .
c. and c. C. Hughes, delegate-at- large to
the A. A. U. Wendell il former inter-
collegiate champion Splinter and man
with a score Of years experience as timer
and he returned Duhy's time as 1875: Bishop
has had as much experience as Wendell
and his watch showed Q IS seconds and
Hughes who has been holding watches
in sprint races for at least fifteen years
returned rs seconds. According to the
rules which govern the acceptance of a
record the time OF two watches which
agreed was returned.
At the start Duffy did not beat the pistol,
getting away. IL anything. a trifle worse
than Schick, his most sturdy opponent.
Furt hermore. and to insure accuracy, two
weather clerks were appointed and they
stood at the finish line holding silk hand
kerchiefs suspended in the air. Their
verdict after the race was that there was
not enough air in motion to sway the hand
kerchiefs one way or the OF her thus scouting
the least idea that the sprinter might be
helped with breeze behind him. One
notable thing about this marvellous fea,
was that it was in the last twenty yards
Duffy gained this much-coveted fifth He
states himself that Schick led him to sew
enty-five yards and at eighty yards they
were level Then the Georgetown flyer
sprinted and almost. bounded out Of his
trousers and gained eight feet on the fly
ing Harvard man In the short space of
twenty yards.
Duffy essayed to beat the 6O-yard record
Of o2-5 seconds at the spring games of the
New York A. c. short time after, but
no was shot Of his mark only
succeeded In equalling these figures. Now
his name is recorded jointly with L. T..
Myers, j; w. B. Tewksbury. W, d. Eaton
and Washington Delgado. Soon after the
New York A. G. meet he sailed for England
and for the third year in succession won
t he English lO0-yard championship, his
time, as on the two previous occasions
being 10 seconds
Besides these two records by Duffy there
were few minor feats by A. II. Kent Al
Maspeth, l.. l.. on Aug. 2 Kent ran 81 yards
In s-6 seconds. wiping on the old record of
5 As made by W. II. Morgan on April =,
1880. Three weeks later at Celtic Park
Kent ran 10 yards In : SIS seconds, thereby
equalling the old mark set by F.. b. Bloss.
F: II. Bigelow. H, c. Remington b. j
Wefers, 1. W. Redpath. F. Scheuber and
A. F. DUFFY.
The record OF 81 lis seconds for the 22o
yards. made by b. j. Wefers in 1895, still
stands intact, but splendid performance
for the distance stands to the credit of
p, j. Walsh Of the New York A. G., which
was done at the Canadian championship ..
Montreal, on Sept. 81 The track is three
laps to the mile and around one of the curves
Walsh ran, doing 81 3-5 seconds. On this
same path in 1892 Harry Jewett of the
Detroit A. c. ran according to an cleo
trical timing apparatus in 21 95-IOO, or
binary stop watches clocdng him ri As
seconds.
In the distances inclusive from a quarter
10 mile nothing new was accomplished
and Long Hlirka N nd Eily,a r;,k = - ~