The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-06-09
SPLIT The SECONDS
Hard to Get Correct Time in
Great Races.
HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS
Electrical System Has Proved Sue
4. cessfuI In Automobile Matches he
cause Contact with Machines Can
BE Obtained, but in Foot Racing
There Is No Such Method.

The Importance Of timing TO athletes is
so great that doubt is expressed by a
veteran timer as 20 whether the devotees
of sport fully realize how large a par:
the expert timer plays i'm the success or
.nonsuccess Of their contests.
Mere victory amounts 20 little unless
the character Of the performance is suf-
fcienuy high class 70 make il notable.
and the quality of the performance de-
ponds almost as much on the timer rs on
the contesting athlete. This was aptly
Illustrated in the last Vanderbilt Cup
race, where the rate Of speed was Of far
more Importance than the victory or de-
fsat Of any individual competitor. In that
race. had provision not been made 10
check the watches Of the official timers,
the event would have been a fat failure
because the strong electric currents and
batteries used about the course maRne-
tized several OF the watches. and but
Tor the presence Of "a number, correct
figures could not possibly have been OBJ
tanned.
I, is no light task TO time an event cor
rsctly, and 90 requires close application
expert knowledge Of timepieces, and long
experience The timer must have his
finger ever ready on the push piece, must
Instantly start his watch with the flash
Of the gun and must concentrate his at
teut.on solely on the tape as the con
testants approach tie finish. The identity
Of the winner must never distract him and
he must read his time absolutely accurate.
Irrespective of what another timer may
obtain. The confession Of error due
likely % some momentary disarrange-
ment of the tlmepiece, is essential 20 the
maintenance Of the timers reputation,
and 20 requires considerable moral cour-
. age sometimes 20 admit the fault
I'm Different Events.
Timing Cor different events differs
widely In n foot race the breuStng of
the tape or the crossing Of the line by the
from. foot IS the signal OF finish. In
rowing regattas time is taken by the fall
of the flag. In automobile and biryel5
races By the passing Of the front wheel
by a mark. Yacht races hy the foremost
ana W. 'iAe' events sun OH .I7"lE' IL is
necessary 10 use split second watches
with two OF three hands. and the expert
timer invariably has TWO or three time
pieces. costing anywhere from $50 q
H1oa These he never allows others 20
use. Tor the delicate mechanism becomes
accustomed 10 one handling, in tne same
way as horse becomes accustomed 20
one hand on the rein
The electric system of timing which "a
nov heln- used I'm automobile races ana
the Ike is effective for that purpose be-
cause contact can be obtained with the
foremost part OF the machines, but for
foot faces there VS. no practical method as
yet employing the s.etrlc device
Nurphy's Fast Time.
For tho celebrated trial Of "Nrlr-a- Min
49,. ,,.,r-t.-. 60 ,-,.., mill. g.. -f,.,,. CO.,
., ~. ... 49,, .--.- 81.
'-'..'' ''' 1i.
lial TRACK OF lAi'7 !iliT9 ieA--h WIS con-
structed win a boarded path laid in be-
tween the ties. This path was smoothed
with hand planners over the entire dis
-anra. as the possibility of a sr-Igtar fear
ing -ha tire would have meant death n
the rider. ON the rear Of the train WAS a