Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-31

/
athletics was more firmly established
than ever by the overwhelming victory
Of the 1thacans on Franklin Field Satur-
day afternoon.
The result was forecast in this column
five weeks ago, at which time II was
pointed out that John r. Moakley, Cor
nell coach had in the first stages OF de-
velopnent a group of men who were
sure to score an average of more than
| one place in every event on the pro-
gram. That is what Cornell did. The
| Ithacans got is places In 10 OF the 15
| events. IL mattered not that they won
only a single first; they had enough SEQ
onds, thirds fourths and 1fths to give
them total of IS i-2 points.
| This was not the biggest total ever
| made in these games, for It has been sur
| passed three times. In 1899 Pennsylvania
| established the record breaking total Of
| 81 points with just eight winners In 1898
| the Quakers Tailed so 3-4 points. Har-
| ward ranks next to Pennsylvania as top
| scorer for In 1901 the Crimson won with
a score of IS 2-3. one-slxth of point bet
ter than the Ithacans total on Saturday.
| The Harvard and Pennsylvania scores
were made with only four places count
ing, while this year Ave places counted
with increased valuation for second,
third and fourth places and one point
for fifth
AT the same time Cornell had to over
come sitter competition than there used
to be. The all-around strength of the
1thacans is further indicated by the fact
that theirs was the first team that ever
won championship with only a single
flrst-place winner This victory will fur
ther intensity track enthusiasm at Cor
nell, already higher than at any other uni
vere!:y IN America, and probably more
and more ambitious schoolboy athletes
will wish to place themselves under the
care of Jack Moakley, who has sue
ceeded the late Mike Murphy as the
greatest developer and conditioner of
athletes in this country.
So much attention centred on the team
championship that one is likely to over
look individual performances. OF the in
dividuals, j. e. Meredith of Pennsylva-
MIA. towers head and shoulders above his
rivals in the quarter and half mile runs,
and even without Meredith both fields
would nave ranked above the average.
Meredith's performance in winning the
quarter and half mile events in the won
derful time he did was comparable only |
to the work of A. c. Kraenzlein, who |
scored is points, with three frsts and a |
second, in 1900 In his own field Meredith !
was undoubtedly as great as kraenzlein, |
which means that he should be ranked |
among the half dozen greatest athletes |
the world has ever seen.
In scoring his double victory Meredith |
accomplished something that no other |
athlete ever did under the same condi- |
tions. 1t is true that in 1882, 1888 and 1884 |
w. H. Goodwin, Jr., of Harvard, won
both these events; but that was more
than 30 years ago, when the competition
was not keen and when 1t was not even
necessary to run preliminary heats. The
entire meet, then, was run off in
single afternoon. Goodwin won these
three -quarter-mile races in SO, 81 is and
50 S-5 seconds respectively. and the half
miles in 202 2-5, 2:02 and 205 1-5. When
these times are compared with quarter
mile in 4S seconds and a haf-mile in
1854 2-5 run on a slow track and after
two hard preliminary heats the miracu-
lous aspect of Meredith's performance is
the more evident.
If Meredith had met the same field in
each race there would never have been
any question about his ultimate victories.
But in each he had a new field TO con-
luer, and all were fresh men primed
to defeat him. In the quarter he had
Wilcox, of Harvard. with his recent
mark of As seconds, and Wilkie, of Yale,
with a mark of As 2-5 seconds. To make
defeat doubly sure, Harvard
Kept Bingham out of the quarter-mile
and trained him all spring exclusively
'or the half. Then Cornell kept Speiden
,ut of the mile solely to beat Meredith
ct Meredltn SnOOk on MS opponents |
With what looked like ridiculous ease.
Both races he ran with perfect judgment
md worked himself out of boxes with a |
kill enough to dishearten the ordinary
Mortal. The ease with which he won
10th races is convincing proof that had
lie realized his strength last year he
ould have won the half-mile as we'll as .
he quarter and would today hold the
record.
Weather and racing conditions were not
uite right for Meredith to make a world =
ecord in the quarter-mile, but he is sure
o create new figures just as soon as he
-ets these conditions The track was n
title soggy and there was humidity in the
tmosphere. Then, too, in this event Will
lie and Wilcox showed that they were :
traid of Meredith and did not dare to
ct the pace for the first 800 yards. Had
lther carried Meredith to the home
tretch three or four yards faster. as they
ould have done, the record would have
cen nearer AZ than 4s seconds 1t is to
Q hoped that Meredith will try for a new
lark soon, preferably in handicap race.
Or it was under such conditions that :
faXey Long, the old Columbia runner. .
Ell the present mark of AZ As seconds. =
The showing of the Pennsylvania team
'as- about as predicted from the start A
had been evident for weeks that to beat :
ornell the Quakers would have to make
clean sweep of the sprints and the
urdles Had they gotten Is points In the n
prints as they should have done had not i,