The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-12-18

For the year 1908 there were a re-
markedly large number of new marks
In track and field events inscribed on
the records. more han in years which
have been considered banner ones.
h Olympic games have been allud-
ed to frequently as responsible for this.
and they may have been, In a. meas
ure, blu as a matter of fact, a number
of the new records have been made
since the games, which shows that the
interest was not centred on the London
meet alone, although those games were
remarkable in themselves, so far as the
accomplishments of the United States
athletes were concerned, for the mem
bers of the Yankee team demonstrated
their prowess by establishing ten new
lymph records and four worlds
marks.
athlete and say that his was the best
work OF the year. But of all the fine per
f9rnances, probably those of Melvin w
SSh me of the Irish-American A. C..
metre races at the Olympic championships
In both OF which he established worlds
reeorus. as well as defeating England's
crack middlc-distance runners, were the
greatest.
His records of 1 minute 50 As seconds
Tor $40 metres and 4 minutes 3 4-5 seconds
-" 49, ifVV dif EfdIu sdt1lRVG-
ments, and 1t may be years before these
marks are lowered. All through the year
he has run consistently, experiencing few
defeats. He has no peer in middie-dis-
lance running.
Another member of the Irish-American
Athletic Club must be placed high on tbs
other branch of athletics. What Mel Sben-
pard was to middle-distance running Mar
IN an sheridan was to the field events. 1t
Tell to his lot to beat the Greeks at their
OVID game. and his throw of 1A foot .
inches with the discus Greek style) was
the greatest the world has yet seen. Part
OK u the year he has been handicapped by
win his full share of honor and prizes.
II Mcdonald, of the Irish-American Club,
waited until the national indoor cham
ord heave with the 56-pound weight of rs
Feet 3s inches. 1t was a great exhibition
Of strength and skill. for James S.
Mitchell, the record-holder for years and
a powerfully-built man, fell far short OF
1t. giant though he is.
The weight-throwers were all in fine
fettle, as attested by the throw of 10 feet
AZ inches by John Flanagan in the Olym-
pic games under trying conditions; another
throw OF l9 feet S4 inches at Celtic Park,
New York. on August so; the world's-rec-
ord put by Ralph Rose, of the Olympic
Athletic Club. OF 81 feet 3 inches for the
l2-pound shot, at Celtic Park, on August
", and numerous other record losses.
There was a remarkably fine field OF
murders Mt work over the sticks. and TO
A. I. Shaw, formerly of Dartmouth and
now, of the. Chicago Athletic Club, goes
the honor of establishing a new record OF
10 10 seconds for the 120-yard hurdle race.
Johnny Garrels, of Michigan. and Forrest
Smithson, of the Multnomah Athletic Club.
ran close to the record on several occa-
sions.
This trio of high hurdlers cannot he
equaled by any other country. Shaw,
American Athletic Club, arc in a class
by. themselves over the low sticks.
IGller is probably the best man in com
petition; he is rarely hard pressed in the
22ssQsxaEA race.
n MithE4he exception of Jimmy Rector, of
the University of Virginia, who is cred =
tied with running the 100 yards in 8 50
seconds. the sprlnters were not up to the
American standard. Nat Cartmell, OF
PENNSYLVANIA, won both sprints in the
Intercollegiate games for the third success
sive year. but he was not in condition for
the Olympic games. Some of the athletic
club sprinters are developing rapidly, and
equaled in 1909.
America. is making the greatest strides
in long-distance running. the best per-
formance Of the year being that of 25m.
10 Dos, made by T. J. Collins, of the Irish
American Athletic club, in the five-mile
race Mt the national indoor championships.
This is a new American record, and com
pares favorablv with 25m. II POS, the time
made in the Olympic games for this dis
lance.
Another sterling exhibition was that
gwen new York ny NJ. r. brlscoll' OF me
Mercury A. c.. who ran two miles in the
same games in which Collins competed.
covering the distance in ON. Is 2-5s.
There was au especially fine collection OF
performers in the field events. a few OF
those in the weight contest having already
been mentioned. w. r. Dray, of Yale. +.
made Il worlds record of Il feet ga inches
in the pole vault before he retired. A. G.
Gilbert, of Yale, and T.. r. Cooke. of Corr
nell. also did sterling work in this eveut.
Harry Porter. of the Irish American A..
c., proved himself one Of the greatest high
while f. II. Irons. OF the Chicago A. G..
cleared "a feet 6h inches in the broad
jump.