The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-15
BIG AFRICAN COP
WON OLYMPIC
MARATHON
Another Runner From the
Transvaal in Second Place
AMERICA WELL TO THE FRONT
Six of the First Ten in the Classic
Event From the New
World

Stockholm, Sweden, July b
South Africa, which heretofore play
ed rather a modest part in this Olym
pic drama, came to the center OF the
stage at the moment of its culmina-
ton yesterday winning the Marathon
race, the most important number on
the Olympic program. This might
have been honor enough for small
nation, but South Africa also won
second place by a secure lead. which
was piling up the glory, The win
ner of the classical Marathon was
X. X Macarthur, a tall Transvaal po-
liceman, who has never yet been
headed in a similar, event. His com
patriot, c. w. Gitshaw, came second
into the Stadium several hundred
yards behind, and third to appear
was the American Caster Strobino of
the South Paterson athletic club,
who put up a Drawer fight than most
of the runners, for his feet were skin
ned and bleeding and he was suffer
ing great pain.
The times as announced were: Nc
Arthur hours, 36 minutes; Gitshaw
hours, 81 minutes, SO seconds;
Stroino, 2 hours SO minutes, AZ 2-5
seconds. The Americans certainly
gave a deathblow to the theory that
the athletes of the United States are
better in contests which require
quickness and agility than in tests
of endurance
While 10000 spectators who were
grilled on the Stadium seats, strained
their eyes toward the archway from
under which the runners were com
ing they saw the American shield on
the breasts of six of the first ten men
who entered.
The names on this roll of honor
are Strobino, Andrew, Sockalexis of
Old Town, John j. Gallagher of Yale
University. Joseph Erxlaben of Mis-
souri, athletic club, Richard f. Pig
gott of North Dorchester athletic as
ISOLATION, and Joseph Forshaw of
Missouri athletic club. The Ameri-
can team numbered IL and ten finish
ed. The last of these was Thomas
II. Lilley of North Dorchester athletic
club, who finished 18th. Two Amer
leans fell by the wayside-Michael
j. Ryan of the Irish-American athlet
ic club who made a good run for 10
miles and then succumbed TO the
heat, and John ]. Reynolds of the
same club, who fell out earlier.
Sweden furnished another dozen to
the race and if their strength had
been equal TO their ambition they
would have had a different tale to
tell. They started at a great pace.
the cheers of their countrymen in
spring them to exert themselves to
the limit During the first few miles
they put forth all their powers and
had nothing left to draw on when the
final test came.
Two miles and a half from the
goal Macarthur went to the front and
held the lead to the end. He had
completed the circuit of the arena
before Gitshaw was observed run
ming under the archway, and he
fell TO the ground exhausted. The
spectators cheered him Justify and
as he lay painting, Crown Prince Gus
tave Adolph shook him by the hand
and patted him on the back A small
part of South African enthusiasts
had an enormous laurel wreath ready
in anticipation of victory of which
they were confident from the first.
They lifted the two green jerseyed
athletes on their shoulders and slung
the laurel over Macarthur, carrying
the pair across the field
Strobino was 18th at the turning.
around the quaint Sollentuna church
which the runners rounded to retrace
their tracks. Two Americans were
ahead of him at that time and he
ran seven miles with Tewanima:
then joined Kolehmainen until the
Finn dropped far back in the rear.