New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
RACE FOR RUGGIERO
LEADS BIG FIELD OF
\, SCHOOLBOYS.
Team Cross-COuntry Cham
pdonship Goes TO Manual
Training.

Aithough the 'cross-oountry team Of the
Manual Training High School won the an
nual public school championship from ten
other teams, individual hOnOrs went 90
Frank RuggierO, OF the Morris High
School. who covered the three circuits OF
The mile course at Celtic Park in ~ minutes
and 50 seconds. none TOO fast. even for
schoolboy. The Manual team just did win
the team honors the total OF ~ points
being only one point better than that OF
the De Witt Clinton High School runners.
The ten teams entered sent seventy-four
individual runners 20 the starting point,
and all had 10 undergo medical eNamina-
rion, under the new rule OF the Public
Schools Athletic League. before they were
allowed 10 get away. Only one Of the boys
failed 10 satisfy DIR. Champion and his as
sistsnts and OF those who started only
three failed 20 finish. a remarkable record
for so stiff q race There was a medical
examination after the race as well as be-
fore Il began. and not one of The youngsters
showed any bad effects.
Second 20 RugeierO for the individual
honors Was Arthur Vassee. Of CONNER
oisl High School. Not far behind him came
Tom Rooney, OF Bryant High School.
Manual Training and DE Witt Clinton
oved their leadership in the race for team
honors 20 even running by their boys, Tor
the first Manual man home was Moodcock.
in fifth place, while Mcdonald. Of De Witt
Clinton. took fourth place. Busing. IN
hftieth place. was the last Manual runner
home and most cf them finished in the
first twenty-five.
Rooney, wearing the c6l0rs Of Bryant.
made the pace al the start with Armb ana
Hasse. OF the High School Of Commerce
right al his heels Ruggiero moved up
with the leaders ss soon as the pack began
90 break up. and stuck 10 them until he was
ready 20 make his hid for victory, running
a well judged and clever race, in which he
saved his strength for the final spurt.
When the runners turned into the stretch
on the first Zap. by which time the pack was
spread out in long string. RuggieTo began
20 close I'D on the leaders. and led AT the
mile. Rooney was next TO him. with Yes
see, Of Commerce. who was In the ruck for
half mile. closing Up. by this time the
pack Was spreading out more and more,
and when the leaders were on the hill that
rose from the start again. the whole course
~ss covered with steadily plodding runners.
Rugeiero end Nessee began 10 increase
their pace Al this stage, and opened up
gap of about a hundred yards from the lead
tfs Nl llle blt pack dlLAoAHil ANpoAiNeH
Ter. Of Bryant: Mcdonald and Busing. of
Manual. stuck close 10 them. That was the
order al the second mile. with The field
dropping further and further back.
RuggierO and Nessee kept on increasing
their lead in the third mile, but Nessee was
unable 20 meet Ruggiero's final burst OF
speed. and dropped back quickly in the
stretch. the Morris runner winning at the
end by about twenty-five yards and show
ing no signs OF fatigue. His victory was
entirely unexpected, as he had given no in
oicstions OF ability TO defeat SO big field.
The real race al the nnish vs. between
Rooney, Of Bryant, and Mcdonald, Of DE
Witt Clinton. for third place. They came
up tie stretch like a team. but Rooney had
little more speed end Won the place by
the breadth of his hand. The pack strug-
gled m in good order. but at times il
seemed as II two or three boys We're cross
ing the line together. and IL WAS hard fs
the ofrcisls 90 place them correctly.
Despite the big entry, only about two
hundred spectators We're present They
made up ia enthusiasm what they lacked in
numbers however.