Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-01
PROGRESS IN ATHLETICS
James E. Sullivan, Previous to His
Death, Prepared Chart of Rec
ords of Twenty Years.
MANY FIGURES ARE REDUCED

NEW YORK. Jan. S1.-An excellent idea
OF the progress made In athletic competi-
ton during the last twenty-odd years Is
given In a series of charts prepared by
James e. Sullivan just previous TO his
death. The founder Of the Amateur
Athletic union worked out the advance In
each track and field event since the or
ganization Of the Amateur Athletic union
in 1858. The 1co-yard dash figures we're
reduced from 10 seconds flat 20 as sec
onds by J. Owens, jr, In 1890. For fif-
teen years they remained there, seven
sprinters tying the time in that period.
In 1906 d. ]. Kelly cut another * OF n
second off the record, and last year How
ard p. Drew equalled Kelly's figures,
The 2sO-yard record, held at % seconds
by Wendell Baker in 1855, was cut to 21M
seconds by Bernie Wefers in 1896. and
five runners have tied these figures since
that date.
Baker also held the quarter-mile figures
Of 47& seconds from 1883 to 1900, when
AIaxey Long cut the record to a seconds
flat. This time has stood for fourteen
years without being equalled. The 100
yard hurdles was set at 1885 seconds by
5, Chase in 1895. Three years later Alvin
Kraenzlein cut u of second off these
figures, which time was not surpassed
until F. w. Kelly made 10 seconds flat
in 1918. ]. L. Bremen, jr., did the 30
hurdles in 2lsS seconds in 1896. and
Kraenzleln reduced It whole second in
1895. During the last sixteen years but
one hurdler. j, L Wendell. has equalled
23% seconds.
.IOnea HoIda Mile neeord
In the distance runs w. G. George held
the mile record at 4;217S from 1852 TO 1895,
when Tommy Connect did 4:15ss. In 1911
John Paul Jones cut the time to 4:159s.
and two years later Tapped another sec
ond off the record. where 1t row stands,
Eddie Carter set the five-uile figures at
25;2szs in 1887. This stood for twenty
years. During the last seven years the
record has been lowered three times. the
present holder being II. Kolehmainen,
who ran the distance in 24:29s in 1913.
Carter and Willie, Day held the ten-mile
record at 52;5S9s and 52;Ssss I'm 1886 and
1883. respectively. Not until 1909 did
George Bonhag surpass Days time.
Then Kolemainen set the present time
of 5l.O32s two years ago,
In the field events Advancement has
been along similar lines. w. b. Page set
the high jump figures at feet 4 inches
in 1857 Mike Sweeney raised them to s
feet bss inches in 1895. George HORNE did
feet inches in 1912. and Ed Beeson
added 5-lS Of an inch to Horine's record
last season. In tho broad jump there was
gain of l foot AZ inches between 1886.
when Malcom Ford did % feet 3 inches.
and 1900 when Myer Prinstein cleared "a
feet ~ inches In the hop step and
Jump. Ford set the record at "A feet IA
inches In 1854. and d. j. Ahearn holds the
record today with 50 feet II inches. show
ing gain of 6 feet 9h inches in twenty
seven years. In the pole vault eight
vaulters have held the record since 1857.
when Hugh Baxter cleared the bar at IL
feet 5 inches. Today the record is Is feet
~ inches. held by NJ s. Wright The
giants who toss the 56-pound weight have
gained IA feet 3ls inches since 1884. when
c. A ]. Queckberner's throw OF 20 feet
81 inches was considered remarkable
The shot put record in 1887 was held by
G. Gray at 43 feet II inches. Today Ralph
Rose is credited with 81 feet flat. made
In 1909. This gain of feet / inch. made
by three performers in a period OF TWEEN
ty-three years Gray, Rose and Coe. all
holding the honor from time to time
Although Rose is dead It is likely that
his arecord will stand for some years to
come.