The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-07-28
AMERICA WINS
MARATHON RACE
Hayes Gets First Place Because
italian Was Given Aid.
BORANDO HERO OF THE DAY

Italian Runner After Terrific Strug-
gle TO Min First Place. couapsed
Near the Finish and Had to Sc
heiPed-hsyes Was Less Than a
Minute Behind and Was Compare.
lively Fresh-May Never Be Another
Marathon Race In Ennland-ouccn
70 Give Cut to Dorsndo.
london. July e5.-It would Do no cx.
argeraucn m che minds of any OF tle
100000 spectators Who witnessed The
nnishing struggle OF the Marathon racs
twenty sis milcsl at the Olympic
arena 90 say that Il was the most
tarlnng athletic event that has oc-
CURED since that Marathon race In an.
Gent Greece whore the victor fcu az
tne goat ant. with wave of triumph
dieI
To WAS an American day. and rho re-
sentiments watch ranked strongly in
the breasts of Americans here were
Forgotten not only IN the victory o.
John /. Hayes. the lrlsh-Amcrican
Athletic club runner but In the spien-
did record made by the other Ameri.
cans who we've well 10 the front in the
line OF those that finished
SIX Americans started In the Mara
fnon race and nine English runuc-s
or the hrst ten men 20 reach the CIV
cted goal. four were Americans. an
they were officially placed as follows
Hayes. hrst. Joseph Forshaw. Missouri
Athletic club. third. A. r. Welton.
Lawrence y. NJ. c. 4. fourth and
Lewis Tcwsnlna the Carlisle Indian.
ninth. The second man was Hencrun.
OF South Africa.
Il viii not snatch any laurels from
'he brow OF Hayes. who won rooI
race. 90 say that the hero OF the dav
vas the Italian. Dorando. The mcrl-
phone announced: The runners are
IL sight. guns had proclaimed the ar
rival OF the leaders al the nearest sta
ton o. the course; an intense silence
ovcrhung the stadium while the thou
sands awaited brcathlcssly the ap-
Qroach Of the frst man. Finally AFT er
what seemed TO be an intolerable sus-
1ense. a runner staggered down the
incline leading % the track. lie stood
for moment as though dazed and
then turned 70 the left. although n rcd
cord had been drawn about the track
In the opposite direction Tor the run.
ners 90 follow. Il was evident that the
man was practically deiirious \ SQUAD
or otcials ran out and cNpostulatcd
with him. but apparently he was afraid
that they We're trying 20 deceive him
and fought to go on 10 the LETT. At
length be turned about and started on
tho right path along the track. Thcu
followed an exhibition never 70 De for
gotten by any one who Witnessed Il.
The coiors and the number told the
spectators that e was Dorando. and his
name was on every lip He STAGGERED
along the c.uder path like a man in n
dream. his gait being neither wall,
nor run. bat simply a d0under. with
arms ehakiug and legs tottering. By
devious ways he went on People had
lost Thought OF his nationality ana par.
usanshlp was forgotten. They rose in
their seats and saw only this small
MAJ. lettering onward with his head
SO bent forward that the chin rested
on his chest They knew nothing OF
him. bat they realized that his strue
gle must have been a terrific one 10
bring him thus right to the threshold
OF victory.
Dorando staggered on toward tho
turn and dropped TO the ground. I'm
mediately a crowd Of track officials
and followers swarmed about him. Il
was evident that the man. with IN.
daunted courage. had run himself T.
the very limit OF endurance.
According TO the rusS OF the race.
physicians should haze taken him
away. but the track officials. lost ~
their sympathy for such a man and
for such an effort lifted him 90 his
feet. and with their hands at his baci,
gave him support Four times Dorando
fell IN the 300 Yards that separated
him from the finish. and three times
after the doctors had poured stimu-
lants down his throat he was dragge z
TO his feet and finally was pushe
across the line with one man at his
back and another holding him by the
arm.
His part In the race for all practical
purposes was ended when ne entered
the stadium. for unless he received
assistance he could not have finished
While this pathetic scene was being
enacted, the American Hayes entered
the stadium comparatively fresh and
trotted around. He came in less than
minute behind Dorando. but in the
excitement Of the moment failed to
get even from his Own cOuntrymen the
reception he deserved.
II is a question whether public opin-
ion viii ever support another Mara
thon race here. Dorando's condition
when he finished and the condition OF
many Of the contestants in the event
lead people to think II is worse than
prize fighting or bull fighting.
At the governments banquet 10 the
foreign representatives and the coun-
ell Of the Olympiad. held at the Graf
ton galleries. IL was announced by
Lord Desborough. chairman OF the
council, that Queen Alexandra had ex-
pressed a desire TO present a cup 10
DoTando an . mark Of her appreciation
tox his sDls9did RsEtornsnce,