The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
ATHLETIc CR4zE IN THE WEST.
what Hugh Baxter, Millionaire Pole
Nnniter snM In Trim TO California.

what Hugh Baxter, Millionaire Pole
VAuiter, saw In Trip TO California.
From all that can be gathered il appears
the West is athletic mad just now. Anon &
the colleges especially nothing il thought
OF but track and field sports, and every in
stitution which can command a plot of
ground has a squad Of men in training.
Hugh II Baxter. the millionaire pole vaulter
Of the New York A. c.. has just returned
from California. where he spent the winter
months, and he says that il is surprisin &
how athletics has grown in popularity
even within year. While rambling around
the Pacific Slope Baxter visited nearly all
the colleges, and though they are yet rude
in their methods they are learning all the
finer points Of the game by degrees
Mr. Baxter met several e1-champion
athletes and oldtimers well known TO East
ern sportsmen. Some we're ploddlng alon g
in life's uncertain pathway and others we're
on health and recreation bent. while not
a few were engaged with the colleges as
coaches, mentors and physical culture
experts. One day Baxter strolled into the
grounds Of Occidental College which, though
il boasted Of a student list Of only 800 OF so.
was equipped with a running track, football
gridiron, baseball diamond and other minor
fixtures, and better still the coaches we're
f. F.. Merrill. formerly OF Beloit College.
who tried unnecessarily for the all
round champio nship Of 1908, and r. W.
Wadsley, quarter mile champion OF Eng
land in 1901.
Merrills attempt at sll-round honors
showed that he was totally unacquaintsd
with the knack Of hammer throwing yet
-.
it is this very branch Of outdoor sport
he is teaching to the tyros Of Occidental.
Wadsley schools the boys in the sprints
and distance runs, and he is a competent
tutor. He will be best remembered by
the critics ON account Of his memorable
race with MsKey Long for the English
quarter mile championship In 1901. Maxey
had won the previous year. and went across
for the British title in a rather careless
wav and with very little training. But
he struck a veritable snag in Wadsley.
who, Law behind him all the way and beat
him in the homestretch in the smart time
Of 40 As seconds.
At little place named Toronto Baxter
ran against Bob Pritchard, the champion
high jumper and member Of the Staten
Island A. c., who annexed the American
title in 1889 with jump Of feet 1Oll inches.
He il now the prosperous owner Of an
orange grove and takes life easy. but he
can't forget little old New York and
the DAYS Of aud lang syne, Pritchard kept
Baxter for a whole afternoon asking about
the boys in the Fast and was surprised
at the number that had died.
Another athlete whom Baxter saw was
Clarence VI. Smith Of the New York A. g..
winner Of the American championship for
the half mile in 1886 in minutes 4 seconds.
But he was more noted for his pranks and
Jokes than his ability a. an athlete and
doubtless some OF HE doings will be in
cluded in the history OF American athletics
when II comes TO be written. Smith
that visited England and Ireland in 1898.
He ran second TO lie Maitre in the English
half mile champi onship and crossed the
Channel 20 Dublin on July 3, and the team
put up at Morrison's Hotel. Next day was
the glorious Fourth. which Smith de-
cided to celebrate in true Yankee fashion.
Early in the evening he purchased a lot
Of Chinese freorackers and rockets and
hid them in his room and In the dead OF
the night placed a frecrscker at the door
Of each member Of the team, set them on
and orept out on the front piazza and began
to shy his rockets into the street. In
few seconds there was a panic in the hotel,
and men. women and children were flying
to the street IN their night clothes. Out
side the neighborhood was in an uproar.
The fire department was out and the soldiers
and police we're hurrying TO the spot with
sabers drawn. Agitation over the coercion act
was then raging, and the noise at Morrson's
was taken for dynamite outrage by the
Fenians or the beginning OF an uprising to
free Ireland. After the international meet
ing at Balsbridge when the prizes were
presented at Kingstown Smith called
for three cheers for King William and Mr..
Goldie had TO hustle him from the platform
to prevent n riot