The sun., 1916-08-27
CAN'T Do IT"
NOT IN LEXICON
OF HOMER BAKER
Great Runners Career Replcte
With Triumphs Over :
Adversely.
sCRAWNY SCHOOLBOY
BECOMES A CHAMPION
nv yPRINTER.

LIFGnNen l" WIN
t,nr,er Baker showed all Of the won
derful speed and stamina that enabled
Str, 40 sweep the boards In he middle
ais,ance events throughout Europe two
saars ago. Around that field OF sixty
a.. r,nners over the none too fast Col
81. park course Homer stepped 1000
I'D. from scratch in 2:lA And that
certainly was some going ana well
worthy Of Baker at his best.
No runner Is more deserving OF VIC.
tory than IL Homer Baker. No runner
MAS achieved more triumphs over al
yersi,y than has this long, lean. ianky
Brooklyn youngster. lie repea.eu'y nes
.no~n that though he has the limbs 81 a
rcvbound his grit Is that OF the bull
dog and his heart the Hon.
,iomer Baker has had many . bout
,t,b adversely. Old you Can't Do IT,
.,d he are ancient combatants. and 20
a. tho victories all have been on
ps.sr's side. Homer has dropped old
av"u can't Do IT" for the count NOR
oscn than Sam Langford has knocked
out Jim Barry.
st.rt, In as High temper.
s.vera, years ago when Baker was .
mere lad and attending Public School
"a . of Brooklyn he had ambitions to
n. n high Jumper. He was . thin.
sr,avny lad and troubled with weak
.y,.!sht. Bakers ~ wera no BAD
hat ne found 1t difficult to see the cross
bar and gauge his Jumps Il want 20 10
a high Jumper and win a chanpionship
for my school, Baker conhdsd to some
Of his friends. .
MIN "Besides you never showed any
athletic ability anyway. You can't do
It,"
And then Homer went out n car
cured the high jumping championships OF
the Public Schools Athletic Leaxus 1S'
three years in succession. -
while NJ school Homer never did
running. II WAS not till 1910 that the
idea Of ever becoming a runner entered
his head. In 1910 Homer decided 10
Quit high jumping and become . runner.
lie had seen Mel Sheppard run some
sr,.i .s,id,s distance race. and ne de-
cided that middle distance running was
the branch OF the game for him. $1,000
"Huh." snorted some OK his friehos
vhen Homer told them OF his Aspira-
,ions you are too fraii and skinny.
You might be able TO run In the sprints.
but you haven't the stamina and strength
necessary for a successful middle dis-
lance runner. You ant do IT,"
And Jus, to show his sceptical friends
that he COULD do It Homer entered the
half mile novice event at . meet In tne
Foty.seventh Regiment armory Brook'
lyn. and surpr!sed his friends by hinginS
his feet in the face OF the field. Just q
week later he showed he had the strength
and stamina to run beyond the half nile
BY entering n special n mile race TOT
those who never had won a prize at that
distance at q set Of games In the Thir-
tenth Regiment armory n leaoins
his rivals across the line In 4:3s.
The running Homer did on tho board
floor In the fall and winter OF 1911 50
impressed the officials Of the New York
A. C., ever on the alert for promising
material, that he was recruited into the
exclusive Mercury Foot organization
Among other races Homer carried the
Mercury Foot to victory In the junior
metropolitan half mile championship OF
1911 and the Junior national 1000 yard
indoor championship Of 1912.
Beats Mel Sheppard.
Homer had proved himself a good run
nor and a classy runner but not a great
runner. Consequently when 1t became
Known that he had ambitions to win a
senior championship few Of the experts
thought him capable Of accomplishing
The feat. you are a good runner. Ho'
ner." his friends told him. but you
don't think you are capable Of defeating
such a phenom as Mel Sheppard. do YOU
You'll have TO lick Sheppard TO win the
national half mile championship. You
can't DO ~
And once more Homer put old "Yo,
Can't Do II" down for the full count
Tina gentnr national Npnrk and AaIf
Championships Of America In 1919 were
held in Grant Park. Chicago. and II
the race for the half mile title Bakel
showed his heels to a wonderfully fas
re!d, including the great Sheppard. ant
captured the coveted championship.
The national track n field champion
ships OF 1914 were held on Homework
Field, Baltimore. during the Old Glor!
Celebration, and Baker repeated his sue
cess OF the previous year. winning tn
senior half mile championship. fiyini
me four furlongs N ! :57 SIS. and TAX
ING a great field into camp. He VOL
The senior half mile metropolitan cham
pionship in 1914 as we'll.
The year 1914 was Bakers banne
year, for besides winning the senio
metropolitan and national half mil
Championships Baker went on an ath
ietic tour OF Europe and cleaned up II
the middle distance events In the British
Aies and on the Continent.
Wants to Cross the Pond.
When Baker first made plans TO
Ms European INVASION he was laughe'
a. N athletic quarters. There was A
olympic games on. Hat there been
Dig International meet scheduled incl
Sammy would have sent a team acroo
fhn Ennl a-l aV~.u
nave been chosen a member. Then h
would not have had TO worry about ex
penscs and the financing Of the trip.
But there being no Olympic game
on tap, and consequently no America
Team being sent. Homer had to max
me trip On his own hook. lie had it'll
funds to cover the expenses of the triI
When he confded his intentions OF NAL
ing an athletic invasion OF Europe all b
nus lonesome TO his brother athletes the
laughed and said. "Vvhy. Homer. wher
are you going to set the masums
You know u trip to Europe costa q Il
more than a 5aunt down to Coney Islant
The club certainly u not going to hnanc
your proposed trip across the Atlantl
and your tour Of the Continent. 70
might as well wait till the next Olympia
ana give up your intended tour. 70
But Homer did do II!
With only his faithful friend an
vsbber. Jake weber. ~ = partner Homs
made the long trip across the AtlsntI
and toured Europe besides. BY scrimI
Ing and saving he got enough money
pay hts passage to the other side an
once In Europe the athletic clubs aide
him by paying his hotel expenses m
railroad and boat fares to and from II
various cities.
TbA LNc~et~A >A~-~gn-~AlH~ - VoS