Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-26

drneren& Records In this branch of
criterion than comparative scores in any
other line Of athletic activity. and for
this reason It might seem. at first glance,
that to compare with present day athletes
the track performers OF a decade ago
ard to trace the progress track athletics
have enjoyed during that period of time
would be a task more tangible and pos
sfble than an effort to make similar COM
PARSONS IN other branches Of sport.
Progress In Track Athletics.
This Inference would be true IL all of
Tho notable track performances could re-
cetve Justice In mere figures. but they
. cannot, any more than wonderful plays
= in foot ball can be immortalized by empty
scores. The case Of Martin Sheridan is
directly in point. This athlete, whom
ISeene Fitzpatrick a year ago proclaimed
the greatest track athlete of all time.
mas TO his credit single worlds record,
and that in an event which is rot uni
versally accepted as being a part of a
championship program. The remarkable
part OF what Sheridan has done lies
rather in his versa tiiity and ability to
do everything we'll than to attain an I'M
approachable position In any single event
Ioath as We old-timers are to concede
that the athletes of our day were in any
way inferior 10 the men now making ath-
letic history, 1t seems to me that there is
little doubt that within the last decade
track athletics have made remarkable
progress. Such q result Is inevitab BILE. |
Each succeeding year sees more men
coaching track athletics as a profession
and any time q man is earning a liveli-
hood out OF any profession, whether il
be the practice of the law or the instruc-
ton OF athletes, YOU II find q man who IS
studying 10 excel in his line. IF he doesn't
nc doesn't last long.
It " these constant attempts to develop
new methods of training arid TO learn new
ways OF getting the best possible results
that have been responsible largely for
whatever strides track athletics have
made since 1900.
More Athletes IN Training.
There IS another reason but it is in q
way subordinate and Incidental There
are more athletes than there were a few
years ago. The colleges and universities
annually are attracting more of the high
school graduates, and with n few excep-
tions IL is the college men who have
made track history. These future ath-
letes are put under the care OF a pro-
fessional coach as soon as they enter col
lege. and from that time until they are
graduated FOUR years later they are given
the benefit OF every bit OF experience that
the coach has acquired b. years of com
petition and coaching. At the Same time
trainers whose business il is to perfect
he physical condition OF hts charges
That such "A course Of development re-
suits in other advantages than merely the
breaking OF a few records is too apparent
10 need comment The Young athletes
are taught the necessity OF self-sacrifce,
and at the same time are prevented by
the coach or trainer from overexertion.
The result scarcely can help but be that
the youths when they finish their ath-
letic career not only have become better
athletes, but they are ready to be bet
ter men physically and morally.
Modern Pole Vaulters Best.
IL We were 10 single ont the event i'm
which the greatest Improvement has been
made In the last ten years We should
have to choose the pole vault without
hesitation. Ten years ago eleven feet
was considered an excellent effort. while
in the big intercollegiate meets OF the
last few years the record has been broken
with such mOnou nous regularity that
even the statisticians have had difficulty
in keeping accurat y, I'd OF the holder
OF the worlds cham o. ship honor. LEROY
Samse of Indiana and Charlie Dvorak ot
Michigan were the class OF the couutry'S
pole Natilters not many years ago. but
the coach of n presented college track
team would consider il pretty seriously