The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-21

Who Holds the Record for
the Quarter Mile Phila- :
delphia Student at
u. OF p. .:.-.-, :
BY e. Il. Rushnell :

H.
The fame of John B. TAYLOR, Jr,
the feet-footed Negro runner who
wears the colors of'the University of
Pennsylvania;, has spread to such an
extent that. 1t promises soon to equal
that of joe Cans, the champion
lightweight pugilist. The athletic
world Is just beginning to realize
what great athlete Taylor really is,
and before he has reached the limit
or his ability thers@ will probably be-
even more cause Tar amazement.
NOT only ts Taylor the greatest
Negro runner thfS country has vet
seen, but ne is then gTeatest a nna sg.
miller In this country now running,
America has probably: seen no faster
man at the quarter mile than TayIor
outside Of Maxeyl =, Long, who still
holds the worlds record, of At sec
onds for a straightaway course. Tay-
lor Is the Intercollegiate champion at
$40 yards, his time for this distance
being 40 1-5 seconds, and was made
In 1904, when he was q freshman at
the Quaker Institution.
This is the first year since then
that Taylor has been eligible to rep-
resent Pennsylvania During the
scholastic year OF 19O4-O5 TAYLOR
was Ill a portion Of the time, fell be-
hind in his studies and was debarred
by the faculty. The next year he
changed his course, and by q rule Of
the university had to remain in good
standing a fun year before being al
lowed to compete. This, then, in his
second year Of competition for Penn.
Taylor is most unusual type Of
Negro. 1t Is safe to say that not
one Negro in 10000 has a build like
him. His legs are his most striking
Unlike most other
members Of his race, Taylor has
straight legs, long and sinewy. There
1s not an ounce Of superfiuous weight
On the calves of his legs. Then. he
mas high instep, which is the mark
Of every Splinter.
Taylor Is six feet In height and
weighs $50 pounds, these measure
ments being ideal in every respect.
He was born in Philadelphia twenty
TOUR years ago. His father is ca
terer for. one Of the railroads, and
the family Is well to do. His first
experience on the track came when
ne was student at the Central high
school. Then he was candidate for.
the relay team, but was discarded as
not fast enough. Before the year
was out, however, he developed so
rapidly that he was regarded as the
fastest schoolboy runner in the city.
This was In the spring OF 1901.
1t was during the next year that
he became famous for his speed and
equaled the record of SO Is seconds
for the quarter mile, this being the
tntersch elastic record held by him
self and G. B. Long, of Hill school,
later OF Yale. During his prepara-
tory school days at the Central high
school, and later at Brown prepara-
tory school. the latter also being the
school from which Melvin Sheppard
graduated, Taylor was unbeatable at
the quarter mile.
He entered the University Of Penn
sylvania in the fall Of 1903 and was
member OF the PennyIvania team
which made new worlds record for
tie one-mfle relay indoors. It was
In the spring Of 1904 that Taylor did
mis- best work in the quarter mile.
AFTER winning every race in which
ne competed, he was the favorite for
first place at the intercollegiate cham
pionsh2ps, which that year were held
on FRANKLIN field In this race Tay-
Tor had to compete against such men
as Dives, of Harvard; Burnap and
Long, Of Yale, and other well-known
quarter-milers. In the race Taylor
ran on the outside of the bunch and
passed all his competitors on the last
turn, running probably four yards
further than the required distance
on this account. But 1T did not af-
feet Taylor ip the slightest, for he
romped home q winner by Ave yards
In the remarkable time of 20 LIS
seconds, breaking the previous re-
cord of 40 2-5 seconds held by Long,
Of Columbia 4 .5yg.tl.
1t was during the aext year, that
DR.. ]. x. Shell, Penn's drainer at that
tirasa dscidedxto try SBAxtor at, the
h tss II Us 81 nav dis No for him.