The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-26
ENGLISH RUNNER
IS IN AMERICA
Alfred Shrubb, Holder Of Many
Distance Records, Has Won
derfu Ability.
MAY RACE INDIAN LoNGB0AT
Il Latter Is Declared PROBES
sional, Way VIII Be Open
for Match.

NEW YORK, May 25.--Aifred shrubb.
said to be the greatest distance rum
ner in the world, who landed in New
York recently, had his first workout at
Celtic Park. 1t was the first chance
the local experts had to look over the
English dyer, and they were amazed
shrubb is not the tall, 1.-THE limbel
athlete one would expect TO SEQ AZ
champion distance runner. He appears
to be about five feet seven Inches i'll
shorter than BonhaS ANA
I.ongboat-yet his records are better
than theirs at every distance.
The Englishman when cunning docs
not show as pretty style rs sne average
American distance champion. YOU are
impressed. first of all, by the wonder
full snap" in his action. instend pf
the long lope Shrubb uses a fast stride.
and his arm action Is more that of a
srrinter than that of the average dis
tarcc runner.
In running distance race the aver
age athlete maintains an even gait al
the way. Not so with Shrubb, how
ever He is Just as liable to let out
hundred-yard sprint in the middle OF
a race as not. In fact, that Is his
favorite way OF worrying and wearing
out an opponent. Without warning he
will dash away and gain twenty-five
yards over his rivals in hundred.
Slowly they will close on him again
|untn they have almost reached his
shoulder, but the instant shrubb sees a
shadow on the path behind him he is
n.,, tIrn
trick repeated few times takes the
heart out of the best of them.
Some Past Performances.
AS an amatuer Shrubb beat every
thing in sight. Not pretending to be
at his best under two miles. no has.
nevertheless, done his mile q yard
worse than 4:l6 As. His two miles IN
900 SIS is regarded as the greatest dis
lance record on the books. Another
"reach" Is ten miles in fifty minutes
and forty seconds, or five minutes and
five seconds per mile all the way. The
following worlds records are all held
b: Shrubb: Mile and quarter
5:4o1-5; mile and a half, 6:473-5; two
miles. 9:o9 3-5: three miles. 14:l7 S-o;
four miles. 1928 3-5; five miles.
2.:ss 2-5; six miles, 1859 2-5; seven
miles 33:Oi as: eight miles. 40:l6;
min. miles, 1927 3-5; ten miles,
5o:4o: eleven miles. 1928 2-5:i one
hour eleven miles one thousand ono
hundred and thirty-seven yards.
Shrubb, like most great athletes, dis
covered his ability by accident. He
lived in a small English town, in which
cross-country running was one Of the
favortte winter sports. shrubb never
took part in the runs until there was
n big fire In one of the adjoining vii
lagos one evening a party of cross
country runner set out to run to the
fire (about seven miles,, and in some
way Shrubb was enticed to go along.
Shrubb reached tho fire long before the
olack runners of his village, and from
that gradually improved until he be-
came a champion.
May Run LonEboat.
When news reached England this
spring of Longboat's trouble with the
Canadian A. A. u. Shrubb thought that
more than likely the great Indian
would be competing: as q professional
ere long, and at once decided to hotfoot
| 1t over here to meet him. In the mean,
time Longboat has been forgiven ana
reinstated, but reports of his receiving
money as a gift from the city OF Hamll-
ton, Ontario, have set the deep thlnk-
ers to work trying TO nSure out WHelil-
err or not the Indian can compete as
an amateur or not 1t not, match
between Longboat and Shrubb Is IN
order: and what a race it would be-.
! The Indian has run ten miles IN
fifty-four minutes on a hard road with
flat shoes. and would be worthy foe
for tho flying Briton. Longboat has
been beaten but once in his cnreer-at
three miles, by George Bonhag-and
has prE3en himself peerless in America
t from five miles up. He is the logical
choice to meet Shrubb at any distance
over five miles. In the event OF Long
boats remaining an amateur, however.
SErubb will not be idle. Already
race is arranged between the British
flyer and Tom Kanaly. the great Bos-
ton runner who is the fastest pro IN
America at distances under five miles.
The distance of this race VIII be around
two or three miles. and the date and
place of its running will be announced
| in n few days. Shrubb Is already IN
fair shape He is faithful trainer,
and his simple living habits enable him
to get into condition on short notice.