The Butte inter mountain., 1903-03-04

Maxwell w. Long now OF the New York
Athletic club.
1t is hardly likely that any OF these
men will accept the offer OF $500 as they
can remain in the East and make five
times that amount. Still, it is 10 be sin
cerely hoped that a good coach can be en-.
gagged, for there is no other form OF ath-
le,ics that deserves as much encourage
ment.
Track athletics are college sports, are
clean, are square and beautiful TO watch.
As far back as the palmy days Of Greece
when the Olympian games were the great
est athletic attraction OF the ancient times,
the man who cXcelled at running and
jumping was given the glad hand and the
loud ovation.
Sprinting has been hur, the past 100
years on account OF fake runners who
threw their hackers These petty profes-
sonals, however do not deserve a place
in the same ranks with amateur college
runners.
4 good step was taken in Butte last
year when a track and field day was intro.
ducod. The meet was held at Columbia
Gardens on July -, and the records made
then will 90 down as state records until
broken in after years. Owing TO the fact
that the racing season was in full swing
at the time the lovers OF good sport were
mostly out at the race track and the crowd
at the gardens was slim.
But this day has been set aside for an
interstate amateur meet each year and
sooner or later it will be given the prestige
ii deserves.
In the East | have seen 5000 spectators
90 wild with enthusiasm over 90 yards
dash which lasted less than II seconds
and the same crowd stand ON tip-toe in
| the excitement OF an effort at the bar in
| the pole vault.
am personally acquainted with Duffy
| Kranzlein and Clapp and have seen Long
| perform. Anyone OF these men would
make big thing OF track athletics at the
State university and the country boys who
didn't know they could go faster than a
walk would be developed into crack
sprinters.
Kranzlen knows more OF track athlet-
les perhaps, than any athlete that has
performed in this country. lie holds the
worlds record for both the high and low
hurdles and also the running long jump.
lie runs 100 yards in 10 Is seconds vaults
the bar 10 feet and jumps nearly six feet
in the high jump
Duffy used to take part in track meets
in the South when the writer was mem
Der OF the University of Georgia track
team. Then he was considered a third
rate sprnter and | can name a half dozen
men who beat him more than once. But
he kept on trying at Georgetown, where he
attended college, and finally developed into
a world beater. lie has run the Ioo-yard'
dash in o4s seconds several times anC
last spring did what no man ever did be
fore-covered the distance in 9 3-5 sec
onds. He would come to Montana-nit
This spring he sails for England to run
for some valuable trophies.
Clapp once coached me in the pole vaul
and | shall never forget the style of thu
game Yale lad He goes to the mark Will
long, fast stride and leaves the eartl
with the spring of a cat. He was no
satisfied until he had cleared the bar at /
feet inches.
Long is the great half-miler who made
his debut at Columbia.
These are among the greatest of mod
ern track athletes but there are many other
l could name, any one of whom woul(
arouse big interest in that line of spor
in this part of the West. 1t is TO b.
hoped that the STATE university boys car