The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-06
SHERIDAN SMASHES ALL=ROUND RECORD Wonderful Winged Fist Athlete Rolls up
 1885 Points.
 C0LLAPSES IN THE MILE RUN He Gets Cramp After Going Short Dis. tance, but Refuses to Omit Despite
 Great Pain.
C0LLAPSES IN THE MILE RUN

Marvellous Martin Sheridan, knight
 of the Winged Fist and the worlds
 greatest athlete captured the all-
 round championship. of the United
 States, held at Celtic Park yesterday
 in conjunction with the games of the Scottish Clans, running up the wonder
 full total of 1885 points, and smashing
 the former worlds best figures of 7,-
 1301A points, which he made in 1907.
 Sheridan's record smashing feat came
 after one of the grandest exhibitions
 of grit and gameness in the annals of
 sport. HF
 Up to the last event on the pro
 gramme, the mile run, Sheridan was well ahead of the record. He expected
 to step the mile in about $40, a mark
 which he easily has bettered in sprac-
 tice. Previous to the mile Sheridan
 with no one of class to push him, had
 driven himself at top speed through nine events, and all of his powers of speed and spring. strength and stamina had been stretched to the snapping point.
 With the one event left, and evident ly as fresh and strong as when he started the competition, the great Celt strOlled down to the starting line con- fident of beating six minutes and stay Teddy Matsukes of the West Side Y. M. c. A., the only other competitor, Farrell and Payne not showing up, faced the barrier with Sheridan. Crack went the gun, and out in front shot Matsukes, with Sheridan trailing him and loping along easily. All looked we'll till a furlong from the start, when suddenly Sheridan was seen to grasp a cramp. Experts shouted advice to Martin, and the big fellow gamely tried to '-pull'' the cramp. He could not succeed in doing so. With his 1><> I T, Ii f-ap< showing plainly his suffering, Sheri- dan staggered over the track. Out in front stepped Matsukes. At the quar- ter the Y. M. c. A boy had gained sew like a bulldog. Martin suffered tor lures from the quarter mile on, but would not quit. Round the track he plodded, hands and jaws clenched un- der the efforts. He reached the half mile and plodded on to the three-quar- ter mile post, staggering and evident ly ready for a collapse. It did not seem that he could last the final quar- ter, but stick it out he did.
 Bulldog grit and gaueness kept him on his feet, and though he swayed and along the path that led to his hearts desire, Sheridan staggered down the homestretch and tottered across the line, when he fell in a col lapse. Trainer Roberson, Major Gil gar and others quickly raised him to his feet, and he was assisted to the club house, where it took several min- utes to bring him around.
 The mile event was the only one in which Sheridan did not win. His in sticking out the event and crossing the line in 6:05 gave him 464 poins and new rec ord. @
 Sheridan's exhibition was one of the most wonderful in :sp0rtirg history. With no one to pull him out, the won derful Celt gamely plugged through the ten events. Matzukes,- the only other competitor, did not class with Martin and Sheridan might as well hours Martin forced himself to the limit, running walking. hurdling, pole vaulting, jumping, throwing the ham, 1 mer and weights and putting the shot. l Tn running up the marvellous score of 1885 points Martin showed he is built l of steel and rawhfde and has the heart 1 of the lion. After the competition | Sheridan said:
 'I} am not satisfied with my days work and will go out after the record again next year. If I only had Gar | good man to pull me out today think | would have come pretty close to | 5000 points. It was a pretty | stiff proposition to go through the ten | events without somebody to force me | along. Then I was particularly unfor- | tur ate in getting a cramp in the mile. | When took my mark was confident | of doing $40 or better. And the | cramp was fearful. You don't know not last it out. In fact I don't re- | crossing the line. I thought | [ dropped just before the tape was reached"