The Washington herald., 1907-09-15

Heralded as the greatest sprnter the
world has ever known, Dan Kelly. Of
Oregon, was dismal failure in the Amer
lean championships at jamestown last
week. and the consensus Of opinion among
the experts at the tape on September Z
was that the Western collegian is simply
an overrated athlete, who IS credited with
record which he never really made.
The greatest galaxy OF athletes that
ever assembled for a field and track meet
in this country participated in the games
at jamestown. but the uHiverasI opin-
ion was that Kelly is far from cham
pionship Caliber. and that he cannot do
9 3-5 seconds for the 100 yards. unless he
is favored by unfair conditions for
TecOrd-brealling test
The writer, who was among those who
watched Kelly, saw Arthur Dufey when
the Georgetown man was in his prime,
and it is only fair to the Blue and Gray
flyer to say that Kelly is not III the class
Of the sprinter whose place ne has taken,
as the worlds record holder.
Kelly is a good sprinter and that is
alL He IS fairly good at the start. and
can show considerable speed from the
flash TO about the So-yard mark. but in
the most important part Of a l0o-yard dash.
the last ten or fifteen yards, he is not.
and it is doubtful if he ever will be, the
''inisher' that Duffey or Bernie Wefers
were when they won races Al James
town Kelly held his field fairly well up
TO the So-yard mark. but in the real test.
the final burst Of speed, when a mans
nerve and speed are fully tested. he was
not there.
Has Poor Form.
Kelly runs high" he does not use his
arms 10 increase his speed. and if he con-
tinues 10 compete i'm the East he will
have TO admit time after time that he is
not tho equal of Charley Seitz, Billy
Eaton, and a number Of college stars,
who can do 10 fiat when the watches
are held by competent timers.
Contrary TO the general belief in the
East. Western critics are not inclined 10
seriously consider Kelly as a real record
holder. Speaking of Kelly. a Portland
dispatch TO the San Francisco Chronicle
says: Some positive statements have
been made 10 the writer concerning The
ability or. rather, lack OF ability, where
Kelly IS concerned. and while he is not
charged with COnniving to secure a rec
ord that has been held by the outside
world as almost impossible, # is said that
unusual conditions favored him. and the
same parties allege that the favored son
OF the Beaver State was never better
than lo-second man, and that If hard
pressed in the East, will leave ANYTHING
Z cd. g
ern slope Of the United States can pro-
duce.
Portland people who are IN position
20 talk. and. Furthermore. know what
they are talking about, don't care 20 be
picked out and quoted I'm person. They
are bit shy when it comes to knocking
their own country and their own man
when IL comes to attacking record Of
that description. but in private they are
perfectly willing 10 tell all they know.
And these are the assertions that were
made 70 the writer by a prominent mem
Of the Multnomah Club. who has been
an active participant in athletics and IS
we'll versed In what IS going on
This man Kelly is a shine. He can't
run the hundred i'm 9 3-5 or anything
like that It is true that he has afida-
Wits 10 show that he made that record
many irregularities that were overlooked
by those in charge. Il looks 10 me that
the reason he refused to go 70 California
TO meet Parsons was because he was
afraid that some one would show him up
and his glory would be taken away from
him. Just take this from me. If the two
ever meet just bet all your money that
Parsons Will beat him. II may be Just
his luck when he goes 10 jamestown TO /
get up against an easy field. but he VIII /
not beat a 10-fiat man.
Most Favorable Conditions.
Here are the conditions that surround /
ed the record that he secured at Spokane. |
The race was run on a horse track which /
gave him an advantage. Then the wind 4
was at his back, and he could run down .
hill Furthermore, at least one OF the .
official timekeepers was not on hand /
They substituted a fellow who knew very \
little about it, and furthermore, who told /
me afterward that he did not catch the /
time that was designated.
I have positive knowledge that the
course was at least five inches short. and F.
IL may have been more. They measured /
the course with a steel tape and then .
claimed that the weather was so warm
that the tape contracted There was
nothing in that contention and the tape
was all right. James z. Sullivan. then
secretary Of the Amateur Athletic Union.
and now its president, and Bert Kerri-
gan, who represented the Pacific North
west branch Of the Amateur Athletic
Union. tHled the experiment First they
heated steel tape in Turkish bath
house, and dipped It !n ice-cold water.
The tape didn't vary a sixteenth of an
Inch.
In spite Of that and the other trregu-
larities, Sullivan allowed the record. He
was sore at Arthur Duhey, who had been
writing some very severe criticisms, and
was glad TO take away the record. c, c.
Holzel, of Spokane, high In the councils
Of the Amateur Athletic Union. WAS
anxious to have the record allowed, as # /
meant q boost for Spokane Since then
Kelly has done absolutely nothing. and
I don't think he ever Will. When he does
run he will be an exploded phenom.
There is one good thing about him He /.
is great broad jumper, and if he would
stick TO that he would make a success"