The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-14
EXPERTS CRITICISE
PENN RELAY RULES
Point Out That Olympic Meth.
DDS Have Not Been Adopted
as Expected.
DRAW FOR POSITIONS MADE
oxford Team in Middle Of Track,
but Position Matters Little
in Four Mile Race.

Disappointment was expressed yester-
dav by athletic experts over the rules sent
out to govern the relay races at the meet
Of the University OF Pennsylvania on April
Is. which this year becomes OF international
importance because OF the entry Of a team
from oxford University. England
The announcement was made some
time ago. that for the first time at this
meet the passing Of the baton from one
runner to another would be insisted on in.
stead OF merely requiring the men to touch
hands This was regarded as a good move
toward educating American runners In the
style Of racing demanded at the Olympic
games, and was welcomed accordingly by
al, those interested in the success OF the
United States at Berlin. In the last
olympic games the American team was
disqualified for not relaying In the proper
manner, and lost the title. though the
quartet was without doubt the fastest
entered.
II appears that the managem-nt Of the
relay carnival instead of selecting the
rules In vogue at the last Olympics. and
almost certain to be followed at Berlin.
has picked up from somewhere an old set
II 4. \. l.. rules which although generally
dlsregaid ed look imposing Unfortunately
these uluSF TIC Sly
conditions and therefore will not carry out
the scheme of Olympic education 30
thoroughly as expected.
The stipulated baton for the Pennsyl-
van!a meet calls for a round piece OF solid
wood or other lighter material, ten inches
.ong by one and II quarter inches in
diameter At Stockholm the baton was
hollow and was fully sixteen inches long.
The latter is the more important detail.
as the extra length allows the men to pass
from one TO another with greater facility
and surety than II the stick were smaller.
The result may be "A failure on the part Of
many to make the pass quickly and a
consequent disbursement for the COM
petitors and the new system
The next item to which objection Is
taken is that calling for the drawing of
u line across the track twenty feet In
front Of the starting line. Between these
lines the baton must be passed from one
man to the other At the Olympic meet
the distance between the starting line
and the obligatory passing line was
twenty meters, or about sixty-sx feet,
This Is considerable difference and Is
hablc to lead to the disqualification of
many teams which would be abe to sur
vlve the test of international competition
An appeal will be made to the athletic
authorities Of the University OF Pennsyl-
vania to readjust these rules SO that they
Wall NbUlIly as DossioiV VIVA
those Of the Olympic committee and tho
International Athletic Federation.
Drawings for positions in the different
races have been made by II. NJ. Abbott.
clerk Of the course for the relays, and
Guy Gundaker, head marshal. Tine latter
takes the place of DIR. George w. orion.
who retired because OF his appointment rs
coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
Although the positions drawn by the
teams are not so vital in the four mile
race as in the shorter distances, there is
more Interest in that event this year be-
cause Of the entry OF the oxford team.
Cornell. always formidable in distance
races. has drawn the pole for the four
miles, while oxford Is In sixth place. with
i've teams inside and four outside Those
who have studied the performance of the
Dark Blues say that 1t will make little or
10 difference as To where their man Is
placed at the start, for II IL believed that
the first oxford man will be so far ahead
at the end Of the first mile that the sec
md relay VIII be able TO take any part OF
me track without running the risk of a
foul. Pennsylvania has the pole In the
one mile relay, where that place is lik -ly
20 be worth while. and Princeton viii
start next the border In the two miles.
The positions for the championship fol-
low:
Two Mila College Relay Championship of
America, Princeton; >, Illinois. 3. Penn
sylyanid, I, Dartmouth. s. Michigan. D,
Colby, !. Kansas, $, Virginia; y, State
10, Cornell, II. Brown.
Grammar School Relay Championship OF
Phi!adel phla--l, willard. =. Drexel; 3, Bel
mont, I, Marshall
one Mile Freshman College Relay Cham
pionship Of America, Pennsylvania; z.
Harvard, Z. Dartmouth, 4, Columbia.
One Mile Preparatory school Relay Cham
piouship Of America--i, Exeter: 2, MERGERS
Durg Z. l.aWrrnCeNille.
ouc Mlie High school Relay Championship
NJ Amrri,a--l, Boston Commercial. =, New
Tx Central. 3. Boston English. 4, Bura Ia
Central. 6, Philadelphia Central; ., Brooklyn
Nanua
one Mile College Relay Championship OF
America Pennsylvania; 2, Illinois. g.
COLBY, 4 Cornell, s. Michigan, q, Notre
Dam, = Kansas, $, Chicago, =, Harvard
ur Nh" College Relay Championship OF
me W1riI-l, Cornell. ., state, 3, Princeton
Z. f'Ht-N wanna, 3. Boston College, 4, oxford
Cui ~ OF England, :, Harvard: 5, bart
mouth. 3 ohio state, 10, Chicago,