Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-01

IDEA OF PROGRESS IN THE
ATHLE TIC WORLD CIvENbY
LATE JAMES f. SULLIVAN

New York. Jan 3i.-An excellent
IDEA Of the progress made in athletic
competition during the past twenty
odd years is given in 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
organization of the A. A L. in 1888.
The 100 yard dash figures were re-
duced from 10 seconds fiat 10 9 As
seconds by j. Owevs Jr.. in 1890. For
Is years they remained there. seven
sprinters tying the time in that
period. In 1906 =. J. Kelly CIT
another Is of a second off the rec
ord and last year Howard P. Drew
equaled kelly's figures. The go yd-
record held at 80 seconds by WendaI
Baker in 1883 was cut to Il Ia Sec
onds by Bernie Wefers in 1896 AMI
five runners have tied these figures
since that date.
Baker also held the IA mile figures
Of Al "a seconds from 1888 to 1900
when Maxey Long cut the record TO
a. seconds fiat. This time has stood
for fourteen years without being
equaled. The 10 yd hurdle was
set al Is - seconds by s. Chase in
1898. Three years later Alvin
kraenzlein cut fifth of q second ca
these figures which time was not sur
passed until F. T. Kelly made Is
seconds fiat il 1913, ]. L. Bremen,
Jr, did the 80 hurdles in "A 50 SEE
onds in 1895 and Kraenzlein reduced
il whole second in 1898. During
the past sixteen years but on
hurdler, J. l. Wendell. has equalled
23 So seconds
In the distance runs W. q. George
held the mile record at min. Il Is
seconds from 1882 to 1895 when
Tommy Conneff did ! min u 60
sec. In 1871 John Paul Jones cut the
time 70 / min. - 20 sec and two
Years later Tapped another second of
the record where il now stands Ed
die Garter set the five mile figures at
% min. 23 20 sec. in 1887. This
stood for twenty years. During the
past seven Years the record has been
lowered three times the present
holder being II. kolehmainen who run
the distance in - min. 20 l-5 sec. in
1913. Carter and Willie Day held
the ten mile record at 81 min SIS 50
sec. and - min. IS % sec in 1886
and 1889 respectively. Not until
1909 did George Bonhag surpass
Days time Then kolemainen set
the present time Of u min. 3 % sec.
two years ago.
In the field events advancement has
been among similar lines W. &
Page set the high jump figures at s
fit in. in 1887 Mike Sweeney raised
them to 6 fl. > SIS in. in 1895. George
HORNE die 6 fl. : in. in 1872 and Ed
Beeson added 5-16 of an inch 10
Horine's record last season In tne
broad jump there was gain Of f.
4 IA in. between 1856 when Malcolm
Ford did 70 fl. III. and 1900 when
Myer Prinstein cleared "a fl : IA in.
In the hop, step and jump Ford set
the record al al #. I "a in. in 1854
and y. J. Ahearn holds the record to-
DAY with 80 fl. il in. showing a gain
OF it. Ia III, in - years. In the
pole vault eight Vaulters nave held
the record since 1887 when Hugh
Baxter cleared the bar at II fl. . IN
To-day the record is Is fl. Ia in
held by NJ. S Wright. The giants
who toss the 50 ID. weigh, have
gained il #. > is in. since 1884 " hen
G. A. J. Queckberners throw Of 20 t.
3 ia in, was considered remarka bic
The shot put record in 1887 was held
by G.. Gray at 43 fl. Il in. Today
Ralph Rose is credited with 81 feet
fiat made in 1909 This gain of #.
! in. made by three performers in a
period of 20 years Gray Rose ana
Coe all holding the honor from time
10 time. Although Rose is dead it is
likely that his record will stand for
some years 10 come.