New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-10-06
Service Run
Will Attract
Record Field
Over 300 Starters Expected
in Six-Mile Champion
ship Contest
By A. c. Cavagnaro

What is expected to prove the great
est 'cross-country run ever held in
this city will be the contesting Of tho
service championship of the netropoli
tan district at Van Cortlandt Park on
the afternoon of November 3. The
event will be held in accordance with
the recent DECISION Of the Amateur
Athletic Union, to conduct service
championship in fifteen districts of
the United States.
1t is the intention of the amateur
officials to encourage every military
unit within the boundaries of this dis
trct to enter a team. The competition
is open to the army and navy, Marine
Corps and Students Army Training
Corps. The biggest entry is likely to
come from schools and colleges which
have Students Army Training Corps
1t is expected that 300 runners will
start in the race.
But it would appear that the ANA
teur body had made a bad error in
asking the men and boys to test their
speed over the national course of six
miles. This trail is by no means a
fiat rum" as it abounds in rough
ground. wire fences and hills. There
also is BROOK hazard
That asking the competitors to cover
the threemile course twice is too much
is borne out by the fact that many of
the we'll conditioned runners of local
clubs have to call upon their last ounce
of stamina and grit to cover the dis
lance. 1t is a common occurrence at
the runs held at Van CortlaMdt Park
to see several athletes partially col
lapse after the race.
Teams of Eight
Each unit represented Will be per-
mitted to enter a team of eight men,
and the winning combination Will re-
ceive a silver loving cup. 1t is posi-
bic that the A. A. U. will also award
prizes to the second and third teams
to finish.
In order to make the event sue
cess the promoting organization has
sent entry blanks to every army and
to all of those located IN Connecticut
and New Jersey, north of Trenton.
The biggest representation is expected
to come from Camp Upton, where the
majority Of the athletes of the local
district have been congregated through
the workings of the draft. Fort Slo-
cum will also be strongly represented,
with Jimmy Henigan and Eddie Mayo,
two former champions at this sport,
heading the team.
Then there is Fort Hamilton. where
there are several old hill-and dale ath-
letes, who are to be used as a nucleus
for building up a team. Entries are ex-
pected, too, from Pelham Bay Naval
Station. Camp Merritt, Fort Hancock,
Fort Jay, Camp Raritan, Camp Vail,
others.
There is to be no curtailment Of the
lnvlgorating sport of 'cross-country
running during the coming outdoor sea
son, according to a statement by Fred
A. Niles, who is greatly interested IN
this form of competition. Road runs
on Sunday and handicap open races will
not be so plentiful as in former years,
but we expect to keep things a-going
pretty lively" said Niles.
MY club, the Morningsde Athletic
Club, has only ten men LETT of Gross
country squad of forty-fve, but we in
tend to conduct a race every Sunday
for the benefit of the other club ath-
letes of the city. Also, the athletic
committee of my club has decided to
hold It's annual open race early in
March"
There will be much pounding of feet
over macadamized roads of the city by
athletes desiring to condition them
selves for the junior and senior ma
tlonal 'cross-country championship
runs at Van Cortlandt Park. The Junior
race Will be held on November Is and
the senior event two weeks later
In order to aid the prospective start
ers, the Morningside Athletic Club. the
Brooklyn Athletic association, St. An
selm's Club and the Clark House Ath-
letlc Association invite athletes TO com
pete IN their invitation runs over their
respective courses this afternoon.
Hoppe to Make Tour