Albuquerque morning journal., 1908-07-25
THRILLING END
Of MARATHON
STRUGGLE
LEADERS DROPS HELPLESS
FEW YARDS FROM FINISH
Hayes of IriSh-American CAP
lures Trophy of 0Iympiad;
PIucky Italian Wins Applause
OF the Multitude,
IBy Morning journal special Leased wire

IBy Morning Journal Special Leased WlTe,l
London. July Alt would be- no
exaggeration in the minds of any Of
the 100 900 spectators who witnessed
the finishing struggle Of the Marathon
race az the Olymplan arena today OF
say that il was the most thrilling ath-
letic event that mas occurred since
that Marathon race in ancient Greece,
where the victor fell at the goal ana
with wave Of triumph, died.
The veteran athletes Of Europe,
America. Africa and Australia. who
have seen the greatest struggles Of
every sort on land ana water, for ath-
letic supremacy declared that there
was nothing comparable 10 the great
race today within their memories or in
the other olympiads since the modern
cycle of these began.
1t was spectacle the like of which
none living had ever seen and none
who saw expect TO ever see it repeated
The race Itself. with nfty-eght Of the
best men winnOwed from the runners
OF four continents competing; the
arena where It Was finished In the
presence OF an enormous cosmopolitan
assemblage, with the queen OF Eng
land, the royal representatives Of sew
eral nations and hosts Of finely dress
ed men and women from the most
fashionable circles Of Europe as well
as several thousand Americans. and
the dramatic and exciting denoue-
ment at the end. combined to make a
historic day.
II was an American day, and the
rescntments of yesterday, which ran
Killed. strongly in the breasts of Amer
leans here when they came TO the
Stadium this afternoon, were forgot
ten not only in the victory OF John r.
Hayes the lrish-American Athletic
club runner. but In the splendid rec
ord made by the other Americans who
were well 10 the front In the lines Of
those that finished.
Since the beginning of the Olympic
games the great rivalry has been be-
tween England and America. and
while the minor competitions on the
track and field In which the two ma
tlons specialized were fought out,
Englishmen coHsoled themselves for
all the American successes by the
thought that IN the domain OF long
distance running they have always
been supreme anl whatever prizes
they failed 10 grasp IN this. the colo
nials would pick up.
The sequel may be told briefly Six
Americans started IN tho Marathon
race and nine English runners OF
q
goal, four werc Americans They are
officially placed as follows.
Hayes. first: Josh Foreshaw. Mis-
souri, Athletic club, third, \. r. We'll
ton. Lawrence Y. NJ c. A.. fourth, and
Lewis Tewanina, the Carlisle Indian
ninth
The second was Hefferon, OF South
Africa He was the oldest among the
runners. having thlrty-four years ia
his credit. and he made remarkabl,
pace almost TO the end Of the twenty.
six miles Of the struggle, but Haye.
was the better man. Friends OF Hef-
feron explain that he Is al his best al
forty miles, and that today's event was
too short for him, but certainly he {,
one Of the most wonderful runners In
the world
The first Englishman who crossed
the line came ia twelfth. He was w
II. Clarke. ana was not one Of thos,
counted on TO win. Duncan the for.
mer English champion, who won tn,
preliminary English trial fell out al
the twelfth mile. and like several 9th.
er contestants. was taken into a motor
car and brought 10 the Stadium.
II Is considered generally that th'
race IS not only a triumph for tn,
United States. but IN a larger sense
for America. because seven Of th'
leaders at the end were from North
America.
Three Canadians. Wood. the Indian
simpson and Lawson finished nth