The Washington times., 1909-06-12
ANNUAL INTERCITY MARATHON
IS PLAN OF THE MUNSEY PAPERS

Early next week The Washington
Times and the Baltimore News viii ap-
ply to officials of the A A T. for a
sanction to hold the second annual
Intercity Marathon early in the spring
Of 1910 The running of this race VIII
be a feature of the South Atlantic Asso-
cations calendar each year.
This decision, reached today sy man
ayers of the Frank A Munsey news
papers in Washington and Baltimore, is
the best gauge OF the success they be
lieve has attended the Inauguration Of
/ the event
Conceived in the threefold purpose Of
fostering track athletics. of aging
distance running in this section, and u
arouslng a spirit of friendly intercity
competition between Washington and
Baltimore, the success of the hTst Inter
city Marathon was assured fram the
moment It was announced.
just what degree OF success lay in
store for this initial attempt is shown
boy the interest displayed in two great
cities, and in the high standard Of the
race itself The Times frankly admits
this success was far greater than it's
promoters dared expect
Worked Under Handicaps.
Managers of the race worked under
handicaPs from the start. From six to
nine months of actual hard work is the
key 10 the success Of the great Boston
Marathon The Times-Nevys race was a
new venture. and 1t was worked out IN
a little more than six weeks.
June y is too late to hold a Marathon
race. The event next year will prob
question OF launching the project at all
this year was seriously considered But
The Times believed that action had al
ready been delayed too long. and de-
cided it was better to run the race in
face of handicaps than not run it at
all
Poorly arranged Marathons have
aroused a general prejudice against DIST
anCe running. Admitting men who were
not in condition TO run one mile had put
the running of more than twenty miles
in disfavor. Trainers declare that there
is no more danger in running twenty
miles. if properly trained, than there IS
in running one.
on the other hand, distance running is
one Of the surest tests OF endurance IN
all athletics. A man with yellow
streak can hardly get in among the
winners Of twenty-nile run.
Not To Our Credit.
It is not to the credit Of America that
it has always been far behind other
countries in distance races where in
ternatlonal competition was possible.
The distance events at the Olympic
games offer the one field Americans
have yet to conquer. The Times be-
Iieyes that Maryland and the District
of Columbia should be represented on
N ~ - f=
Marathon should be. most Of all, an in
centive 10 develop distance racing
throughout the South.
A Marathon, moreover. seemed best
adapted to serve a more immediate
need. Baltimore and Washington are
/ logical rivals in athletics. A wider In
I terest in track athletics can be aroused
( IN no better way than by a spirit of
friendly rivalry on the athletic field.
The first step IT working ont this
project was 10 enlist the aid Of officials
of the A. A. L The Times has always
stood for a sharp line between prOfez-
I sional and amateur sports II has
given every encOura cement in its pow
er to both. II has only demanded that
that amateur athletics should be with
out the taint Of the professional Gle
ment
NO better criterion OF the importance
/ OF -his event in the minds Of sport pro-
moters could be gained than by scan
ming the list Of officials. which includes
] the Baltimore and Washington heads Gi
! the A. A T. and one or more repre-
sentatives from practically every col
{ lege, club, or school Of any athletic
| importance in both cities. The value of
their expert knowledge of sports In ar
| ranging for the race was another asset
List Of Officials.
Besides Theodore Strauss, president OF
the South Atlantic Association, and Dr,
/ .. r. Wiber, chairman Of the regis
tration committee, who stand for the
! best there is in amateur athletics here,
/ the officials included such men as:
". q. Stuart, probably the best known
athletic promoter in TIE South.
Capt O e Edwards the father II
[ National Guard athletics In Washington.
c. F. Beckett. who has placed y. NJ
c. A. athletics on standard with as