The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-24
EQUALIZATION
SPELLS SUCCESS
That's Why Americans Have
Best Chance in Track and
Field Events.
BoNHAG NOTABLE EXAMPLE
After His Defeat in 1906 Hc
Prohtcd by His Expert
cncc.

| the american athletes won the greatest
number of events they have trlumphcd
| In at an Olympic gathering.
I In tho five-mile event George Bon
bag was forced to lower his colors to
Lieutenant Hawtrey, tho English cham
! pion, In &c minutes 70 1-5 seconds. In
those days this timo was considered
very fast, because the nrt of special
| izinS had not begun to play so promi-
nent part in track athletics as 1t
does to-day. Hawtrey won because he
used style common among English
/ distance runners. 1t consisted OF an
extreme specd In tho early part OF the
race, with tho result that after few
miles tho British lieutenant was run
ming in the lead all alono
! Bonhag, like tho majority OF Amcri-
can runners. affected the American
/ method, which differed in the respect
that they used no early speed and
depended on an average pnce to win.
| was termed running from the gum"
and it typifies the highest form OF
specialization in distance running.
Changes HIS style.
| On his return home. Bonhag, him
| self great student OF the game, real
iZinG this tyle was capable of better
| results and faster time, trained to
master the English method with q Wow
| TO improving the time In this event.
| That he succeeded Is proved by the
fact that to-day he is still cham
pion. and has continued to slip sec
| oIids from the flve-milo figures up to
the present day. To-day his hvc-mile
| time is the American record, 20 min
utes 91-5 seconds. In addition he
has made the best time In the ten
mile championship run, held at Celtic
Park in 1908. of So minutes "a At
seconds.
The United States Olympic teams
eign strands. Their success. duo in
a great measure TO specializing. OF
which the Bonhag' example is u
criterion has spread our iame as the
tho contrary, England, which has al
| ways cNcelled in the distance events,
seems TO have neglected to specialize
/ WI thin the past lew years, with the
L result that she mas fallen into an ath-
letic lethargy.
Tho essential element in the making
/ of champions on field and track Is
termed specialization. This term means
the Insulting into the mind of the
athletic nspirant the fact that to sue
coed he must learn TO cover a certain
distance with the least waste OF
energy or effort.
| Three methods have como In vogue
of late years which have u tendency
to produce good athletes and cham
pions through specialization or i'm
q proved methods. First. the professional
coach. who has become the rule where
years ago. he was the exception. has
proved his worth by turning on,
champions every year., who not only
4 break all the existing times. but prove
capablo OF coping with our athletic
rivals than their predecessors.
/ Correct Evils Eurly.
Il Secondly, by teaching novlces proper
! style in track athletics, the faults
which crop UP in a prospective cham
pion. and which sometimes prevent u
classy performer from ascending Il
Coaches like Mike Murphy, Lawson
Robertson and Bernie WeIers change
the style or practically every man
I reason Tor this is that faults III form
are very hard To correct. SO the
trainer mas to start to teacn an attn
letc in an entirely now way, instead
! OF tho tedious manner of correcting all
his faults. This teaching of style Il
very essential. and Is productive oi
/ wonderful results. novice has an
apt tendency to slip into number Oh
faults, which retard his development
to such an extent that he mover ac-
compIishes anything In athletics.
To cite an example: Jimmy sullivan
of "4:32" fame. was running for about
three years for tho st. bartholomew
! Club without ths advice OF coach.
During this time he was ong-marls
} than minutes and 40 seconds. In 1897
Jim Joined the Irish-American. In the
three months no was training under
the wutchful eye of Ernie ElJcrtherg
no acquired the ability to run mile
In minutes and 23 seconds. which
up. to that time was the fastest mile
ever run by a native-born American
n To cut OFF Is seconds from thc neal
| q ma a. n
plihcation OF good coaching, and is an
! example OF tho benefits OF speciulian-
ton.
Training Tables Valuable.
Thirdly, the installing or training
4 tables by the big athletic clubs and
4 colleges has been productive of very
good results The men hive regular
hours for meals and are taught &c
give themselves proper time for the
,digesting OF food before donnine their
track suits to train In the big clubs
one like the Irish-.Nmcrlcan y. c.. this
athletes who are employed In tho city
can come direct from business to tho
track 1T Celtic Park. and after il work
Out supper is enjoyed, and then. after
a couple hours OF lounging, tho nier
dnctiyo OF wonderful results. and is al
4 Incentive to prospective athlete.
II Is through tho neglect of the fore.
going principles that England has
ceased to be regarded by tho athletic
authorities as formidable In distanc,
events. In England professional
coaches and training tables arc tabooet
by the amateur rules. but they will In
time adopt tho methods which the
Il Americans and Canadians have proved
to be so hopeful in developing cham.
pionship material.
(. Tho benefitssof Bonhag's observation
and application OF English long dis
lance mothod have produced such ster-
! ling performers as John Paul Jones
OF Cornell. tho onc-mile record holder
Louis Scott. Tom Collins. Abel Kiviat
Melvin Sheppard and Tell Berna, the
Comedians. .,flt,5. ~
This Improvement has resulted II
/, shortening the times In the milo. ave.
: Continued on Second, page.).