New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-02
OLD RECORD FALLS
NEW M4R4THON STAR
SHINES OUT.
Johansen Romps Home After
Trailing HIS Riuals for
TTenty Miles.

Thure Johansen, a slim lad from Sweden.
won the three-cornered race in 2:3e:551S
beating James Crowley. the former Irish
American amateur, BY practically mile.
Hans Homer, the other contestant. was
run into the ground after going twenty
miles. and had 10 retire with a cramp in
his eft leg.
Just what the best previous Marathon
record is no one seems TO know. Abby
Wood was credited with 2:3e at Montreal
last year, and Holnler was timed when he
beat ST. Yves, in 2:S7. but the track was
found TO be short
In last nights contest intermediate
Marathon marks began to fall at eight
miles and al the end something like eigh-
teen new records had been chalked I'D
Some Of these went to the credit of Crow
ley and some TO Holnler.
Johanser2. who came here g few months
ago, sprang into fame across the seas last
year by winning the amateur Marathon
championship of Sweden in 2:40:34 He is
Under the management Of Ernie Hjertberg.
who at last appears TO have a winner.
JohanSen's victory the more sensa-
1ional in that he allowed Crowley and
Homer 10 gain what appeared to be a
winning lead in the early part of the race.
but when he cut loose, after covering
twenty miles, the others were beaten off in
most decisive fashion. 4 fair sized crowd
was in attendance
When Melvin Sheppard fired the gun that
started the runners on their long journey
tie hands the big clock over the balcony
pointed to exactly o'clock. The men start
ed from the Fourth avenue and 18th street
corner. and the journey of IS miles 3S5
yards meant So laps and 20 yards, the finish
was in the centre on the 18th street side.
At the outset Crowley took the lead, close
attended r-ifh
ing. The difference in action caused gen.
eral comment Crowley. big and awkward.
went numbering along, giving the appear
arce of an abundance of reserve strength,
while the sturdy Holmer seemed to pound
unnecessarily the hard boards. The fair
haired Swede. the other hand, kept up
on his toes more like the average amateur
distance runner.
Holmer locked a deal better than on that
unfortunate night in the Garden a few
weeks ago when he seemed scarcely able
10 drag his feet along the floor. The first
mile found Crowley leading il, 5:47 2-5. This
was only t0o-ffths Of q second slower than
the time for the 41rst Dorando- Hayes race
al the Garden more than year ago.
Nothing out of the ordinary took place
70 relieve the monotony. OF the grind dur
tn- tl.e first FIVE miles save that Johansen
kept falling slowly but surely behind. He
ers had covered five miles Up to that point
Crowley led. with Holmer at his heels
crowley covered the five miles in 1886
Get his Irish M" shouted a Homer en-
1hnsiasr who wanted to see Hans beat
Crowley Homer smiled and let out q link.
which kept the ex-amateur going TO keep
II front. Incidentally. this struggle between
Crowlev and Holner made the pace SO fast
that the pair in question lapred the Swede
AZ Six and a half miles
When the other Two ranged I'D alongside
~ him Joharsen evidently did not relish
being Tapped and promptly set sail a
fast pace in an endeavor 70 make I'D the
lost ground He did draw away for time.
hut soon came back and ere long began
70 lose more ground.
So fast did the leaders travel that the
eight miles were covered in 1851 49, fifth
CT z second faster than the mark set by
Shrub IN his contest with Ionghoaf ct the
Garden. This made Crowley-s time an in
tern1ediate Marathon record indoors. Crow
lev's time OF 51:s2 So for nine miles was
also -vo-fl fths Of = second better than
IL Shrubs tin2,
shortly after eight miles Holr,er forged
n he front. but the determined Crowley
soon resumed his old position at the head.
while the SUede continued TO drop back
The birly James made ten miles in 81 :43 3-s
=
front, and the man from Canada kent there
untll after the eleventh mile post had been
passed Al eleven miles and two laps Jo-
hansen WAS Tapped for the second time
Arran who had wagered on Johansen at
The outset declared confidently, after his
man vas TWO laps TO the bad. that he would
Win. hose TWO other chaps will drop in
their tracks al fifteen miles" announced
TIE Johansen supporter
Il was not 10 be, however. Homer led
- fourteen miles in III 81 Is. which was
fourteen and one-fifth seconds ahead of
shruobs marx More fast running by Hol-
rDer pat the oid record further in the shade.
Tor 81 fifteen miles the Canadian was
1:05 Is INSIDE Shrubb's mark and HoIuer's
time Was 7-27,1e -.
Shortly after seventeen miles the race
assumed an exciting turn because of a
great effort on the part of the Swede to
make Up the lost ground. So fast did he
20 that Holmer soon got q cramp and had
10 slow down. and Johansen got his first /
lap back on Homer at eighteen and half |
miles and IN less than mile further Jo-
hansen caught and passed Holmer. who /
was then badly beaten man. In fact
Hans quit altogether in the twenty first
mile
At that time ne was four laps behind |
Crowley and three behind Johansen, who /
had Tcga;ned one of the lost circuits from
The Irishnan
This remarkable effort the part of the
light haired athlete from Sweden caused
The spectators TO make the old armory ring
with their shouts. yonansen soon set sail
again. and the pace SO fast that Crow
icy had to let him go With each addi-
tional lap Johansen picked up more of the
lost distance until tWenty-one miles and
two laps he caught his man.
That the beginning OF the end. for
the Swede. then by far the fresher Of the
TWO. at once took command. The Irish fol-
lowing saw the handwriting the wall
and subsided, bat Johansen was not with
out encouragement Amid the shouts of
his admirers the Swede Tapped Crowley at
twenty-five miles and one lap, whereupon
an unfeeEng rooter called to Crowley that
he would have TO go back and carry the
hod"
Thereafter the race resolved itself into
procession. chief interest centring in the re-
markable exhibition of Johansen who was
racing along far ahead OF the record With
each succeeding mile he gained an extra
lap Al twenty-five miles he was six laps
ahead Of Crowley, who stopped for a few {
moments refreshments