New-York tribune., 1904-10-23
'LENA,S WATCHIN YER. !"
Hoo and Why Sonny" and Others
Raced for Bronze Medals.

oh Jimi Oh. sonnyl Lena's watchin' yer. Sea
she know yeT'u DO yer best"
Aue efimN atom OF humanity addressed hitehed
NlanIuily ct his combination baseball and swim
ming suit drew long, ecstatc breath OF eager
ness, "legied his toes in their diminutive sneak
ers. elinehed his tiny fists til the nails showed
"i.e' aho mus spurTed on, bent again TO the start
ing me- resolved to win the heat die in the en-
eeaVor. Lena was watching. Maybe his mother.
700, trail slight woman. wthered before her time
ana dressed IN faded shawl flung Spanish wise
across her iron gray hair could see him now. Just
ulink' Victory II one "teeny weeny" race would
make him the envy OF the block for many fiesta"
to come. With such rewards what boy would not
do his best?
Dsdaiuiag sordid emoluments. ''newsies'' for
sock their papers and boy pediers their wares, to
sven the throng OF at least 10000 that saw the
beginning OF series OF athletic games at Ham
hton Fish Park yesterday afternoon.
Amiahls armchair socioiogtsts and bored per-
sons. eager for new sensation. might have spent
a profitable afternoon watching the contestants
ana spectators at the games. which we're held at
the direction Of Park Commissioner Pallas. Such
physical strife for mastery. such tense organized
juvenile endeavor. such frenzied enthusiasm. were
never before witnessed In Hamilton Fish Park. 1t
a red letter day in the annals OF the East
Side afternoon that for sheer excitement viii
live long in the memory OF both those who took
part and those who looked on And ths twelve
bronze medals which Commissioner Pallas paid
for out Of his own pocket. and which Mr.. Willis
Holly. his secretary. presented 70 those who had
achieved The recipients viii cherish them to
their dying day.
Gazing at the restless swarns inside the park
it seemed as II the East Side quarters must be
quite deserted Mothers and little mothers" seat
mates and kid brothers. all were there to
and applaud. even the four-months-old babies
adding their guTgles Of approval TO the general
chorus
The entire earth surface Of the park was
black with humanity, which moved like
swaIming bees. now chatteTed Ike a monster cage
OF monkeys, now chirruped like waking reedbrds
al a sunrise IN spring.
As for the contestants, they ran the gamut of
the natlonalites, and ranged every color between
back and white 4 heir sporting costumes were
equally catholic Here were pair OF made-oveF
'knlckers.' half pair or suspenders and a soiled
unoershirt, revealing at the neck and shoulders
skin eloquent of memories Of the summer swim-
ming pool There were a pair Of baseball
breeehes. parti-coloFed rowing guernsey and
tattered football cap No matter. The race was
the thirg.
When the games were about to begin the crowd
was so large that Captain Handy. Of the Market
police station. had 10 send for a reserve force
Of ten men, 10 clear the small field in the centre
Of the park.
The Contestants Numbered more than q hundred,
divided into juniors and seniors. The juniors In
cluded boys up TO the age OF fourteen. and the
seniors up nineteen years old.
Peach twigs bits of scautlng. and even hockey
stick. the combined police, Park Department and
volunteer force found were the most effective in
sTrumerJs for clearing the courts This was no
light task. however. for the juvenile East Side
crowd Of spectators showed its characteristic rest
Iessness and agility at making getaways from
be kindergarten contests at Tompkins Square
Park