Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-01
AMATEUR ATHLETIC
UNION CHAMPIONSHIP

| NEW YORK, December 1.--Athletic
performances OF a nature that bordered
on the sensational were in evidence last
| night at Madison Square Garden. where
the first part of a two-night perform
ance of the A. A. \. championships was
| run off Three thousand persons of a
rather enthusiastic nature had plenty of
| opportunity TO give free rein to their bub-
bling spirits. for right Off the reel a
| worlds record went by the boards In one
| of the greatest weight-throwing duels
seen In many year.
| 1t is a rare thing to see n crowd at an
athletic meet cheer a weight-heavins COM
petition the way the onlookers did when
Matt McGrath the title holder or tue
56-pound weight for height. and Daddy
Mcdonald a newcomer among the cham
pions struggled for the blue ribbon In
this sport OF giants.
There was the added zest too. in that
McGrath was representing the New
York Athletic Club and Mcdonald sported
the silk OF the great rival organization.
the .Irisl,-Amercan Athletic Club. AS the
standard was raised in big gaps the
brawny Celts arose to the occasion, each
time until the worlds record Of ID feet .
inches. held by McGrath. was reached.
This. however did not mark the limit of
their great efforts, and the crowd went
wild as the pair added inch by inch to
the marx. L ne Ola cndUipIoii Iiiu icdtieo
his limit at u feet 10 inches. but MELON
aid took one more supreme twist of the
weight and sent 1t kiting up to 16 feet IS
inch.
Driscoll's Great Run.
This was good enough as an eye opener,
but the track men had their innings a
little later Mike Driscoll of the Mer-
curry Athletic Club of Yonkers continued
@I,o -hro fS winning the
tYo-mile race from very classy field
In next to the fastest time ever run In
America He beat Tom Collins of the
Irish American Athletic Club two yards
in 9.2S %, q new indoor figure. George
Ronhag of the Irish American Athletic
Club. who Won the title last year, could
finish no better than third. The outdoor
record, held by Alex Grant % the New
York Athletic Club. is only tlree-fftls
second faster than Drtscolls performance
The race was a cracking good one from
the sound of the pistol until the worsted
had been broken. Jimmy Lee Of Bos-
ton started at a pace that threatened TO
run the rest OF the dozen off their feet
Ali were able to stand the terrific cilp eA-
cept Weeks and Haskell of Yale, who be
gan to fade away before the mile Lee
was all in at the halfway point.
E,isele Bonhag, Collins and Drlscoil
fought ii out on the last mile, ana ~ was
nip-and-tuck struggle until WITHIN three
Inns an Irish-American entry. began TO
draw away. The latter ran great race.
but failed by a scant two yards to oreak
the tape first. BOnhag was nfteen Eards
hack. and Eisele, the old Princeton star.
about the same distance behind him. Lee
was Tapped
Two champions had already fallen be-
fore the rising generation, but it took the
1,OoO-yard run to cause the SENSATION OF
the night. Harry Gissing OF the New
York A. C., who has been coming along at
q great rate. took the measure OF Melvin
Sheppard. holder of the indoor title and
the worlds greatest middle distance run
ner, in style that was so convincing that
II left no doubt as to the superiority OF
the newcomer. for the present at least.
Gissing led Sheppard to the tape by eight
Yards In the fast time of 2.2U. a new In
door record for the distance.
Sheridan Biggest Winner.
The biggest joint winner proved TO be
Martin Sheridan of the Irish-American A.
c. He was first in the eight-pound shot
put and second In the hop step and jump.