New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Yale Man, Despite Personal
Duels with Ray, King of
Rather Dull Season
BY A. &. CAYAGNARO

The many tnrilllng performances ex-
hibited by both Joie w. Ray, the gritty
little Illinois Athletic Club runner, and
John W. Overton, OF Yale University,
stood. out prominotly during me past
season Of track and field sports. The
B indoor athletic season did not quite
measure up to customary standards.
This fact was due, undoubtedly, 70 tho
encampment Of the local National
Guard regiments, which contain many
/ fine athletes. The European situation
also retarded the hopes for a banner
season. =,
A large number OF the clubs in Man
/ haitian also had 10 forego their annual
custom Of holding games IN srmories,
( but the raising Of the ban during the
last two months really saved the situa-
ton. However, during the limited time
for action things few thick and fast
and the enthusiasts we're rewarded with
such brilliant races that they will not
4 soon forget.
The honors OF the season were equal
/ " 0lNl0tO UfLhteN nay nIA OHfEtyAf
! as both succeeded in establishing new
worlds marks. During the course Of
/ the entire campaign, however, Father
Time succumbed 10 the speed o several
others, including 10 G. LOOMS, Of the
Chicago Athletic Association, and the
redoubtable Bob Simpson, the hurdles
wonder of the age. Simpson moves
along in a manner that indicates that
before long, all the obstacle marks viii
be 20 his credit.
As the srmories do not permit the
conduct OF hurdle races above the 10
yard distances, Simpson had 70 be sat
isfed with two short marks. Andy b.
Kelly, the stocky Holy Cross College
athlete, was another conspicuous rec
ord breaker Another to smash figures
was w. T. Hobbs, of Dartmouth College.
Overtop King of TRACK
To Overton, however, is meted out
the crown for the best feat OF the
short season. This came Of his win
ming the "Meadowbrook Mile at the
Neadowbrook Club games IN CONNER
cial Museum. Philadelphia. when he
sped over the narrow ten-iap track IN
the UNPRECEDENTED time Of 4:lo. The
Eli athlete surprised his most loyal
friends by his great race, as his new
figures erased . is seconds from the
former time. Only two weeks before
this contest 0verton gave an IDEA
what he might accomplish when ne
ran the distance on the Madison
Square Garden track in the Baxter
Mile of the New York Athletic Club
games in 4:19 ID. This race was
considered better than the old record,
as Overton had to run around a track
measured twelve inches from the bor-
der, and necessarily had 10 cover
about ten yards more than under the
old track measurements.
One week after his new Indoor
mark of 4:16 for the mile Oyerton
followed with the unheard-of time OF
2:l4 in defending his l,O00-yard
championship on the hard floor OF the
god Regiment Armory, in this city.
This great race cut l % seconds
from his own record, which was made
on the same floor last year.
Ray ran a mighty close second 20
Overton for the premier accomplish
ments Of the season, and many en-
thusiasts are inclined to give him Ine
preference over the collegian. Inc
illinois youth showed to ms pest al
vantage in the Millrose Athletic AS
| SOclatl0n ana Lut view AbAh -ANA+-
Club games, both of which we're held
in Madison Square Garden. In these
] be established new worlds and new
I American marks. respectively. In the
/ Millrose contests Ray sprinted one
and a half miles in Gas, which badly
I wrecked the previous best worlds
! time made by the late Tommy Com
neff. on the old Bergen Point track
/ New Jersey, more than a decade ago.
The next new mark 70 be hung up
bv Raw was in the two-mile special
run at the Winged Foot games, when
ne covered the distance IN minutes
1925 seconds. This feat shattered me
old American standard Of 9;14 l-5, held
bv George V. Bonhag. of the lrisn'
, American Athletic Club. II was the
intention of Ray in this run % lower
the figures of 900 3-5, held BY Alfred
, Shrubb. and undoubtedly he woulG have
| succeeded had he not run a slow hrst
mile, in which he was timed IN 4;8o'
However. his spectacular running
proved him to be the greatest distance
man of the present time.
Ray Wins Two of Three
A number Of duels between Ray ana
his college rival also did mucn 70 make
! tho indoor season n success. hey cam"
together in three meetings; the hons
! share fell to Ray, a. he beat OVertoR
J twice. The most striking race was the
one-mile special run at the John Wana-
maker Commercial Institute games. AZ
Madison Square Garden when Oyerton'
J running his third >,ice IN the SNORT
snace of ten days. was defeated ny
Raw. II was a stubbornly fought duel
nm TO within half lap from home
when the sturdy Ray. proving. the
stronger youth, sprinted away 20 leave
his New Haven rival almost standing
Overton was also led across the hnnn
line by Ray in his record breaking one
and-a-hslf-mile run, but was victor
over the Illinois athlete in the l,oVo-
yard national title event.
One Of the prettiest pieces Of sprint,
ing seen in many years was that OF
ANDY Kelly. Of Holy Cross, in which
he retained his 300-ysrd national title
recently. In both his heat and me
anal race the New England champion
was timed in 81 2-5 seconds, whieh
clipped four-ffths of a second from the
old record held by Alvah 7. Meyer
Kelly has corrected number Of action
faults. so that the coming outdoor sea.
son should find him one Of the best