The sun., 1919-09-28
RAY FAILS TO BETTER
CONNEFF'S RECORD
Finishes Second to pevanney
in Three-fourth Mile Run
in N. Y. A. G. Meet
Time Is Four-fifths of q Sec
Time Is Three-fifths of a Sec
ond Slower Than Worlds
Figures.
nv GEORGE n. UNDERWOOD.

Twenty-four years ago last month at
Trayers Island the late Tommy Con-
nen, the little Celt who sported the
Mercury Foot. with Charlie Fitzpatrick
and George Orion on scratch with him
ana Al b. Daily Harry Lyons and
others out on the handicap marks to
null them along, raced the field into the
ground in a record breaking three-quar-
ter mile race, breasting the worsteu III
the wonderful time of 3 :02 40. For
more than two decades the cream OF the
worlds middle distancers have been
shooting in vain at Conneffs mark Yes
terday at the 103d games of the New
York A. c.. over the same track on
which, Connect made his record, another
world famous athlete made an assault
on Connects MARYLAND once again in
vain.
This time Il was Joie Ray, the phe-
nomenal middle distancer from Chicago.
who found he figuratively had bit on
more than he could chew. With the
old. Travers Island track in the most
superb condition it ever was in. level
as a billiard table and wonderfully re-
silent and springy, the best Ray could
do was :03 3-5 under the old eighteen
inch from the border system of track
measurement that was in vogue up till
1915, and :04 1-5 under the present
twelve inch from the border measure
ment standard.
Bay, cooked to the proverbisl FRAGILE
in cinder path parlance. finished second
in the race, four yards behind Mike
Devanney of the Millrose A. A., the
Metropolitan one mile champion, to
whom the Chicagoan had spotted a
twenty-five yard start. Ray caught the
Millrose man at 1000 yards and for
thirty yards held a slight advantage,
only to have Devanney jump him and
regain the lead. From that stage on
Devanney had little trouble holding his
advantage Mike did not run himself
out, but crossed the line four yards
ahead Of Ray in 3:0S LIS.
Ray Appears stale.
From the form displayed by the two
II appeared as If Devanney could have
beaten Ray from scratch yesterday.
Worn from his terrific three weeks rae
ing campaign in which he three times
has beaten 4:16 for the miles and
raced 1000 yards and 1900 meters in
near record wrecklng time, Joie was a
bit stale. The bound and power he dis
played in his strides in his Ala 2-5
mile at the nationals was missing and
when he hit the home stretch he had
nothing left and had to finish on his
nerve
In justice to Ray it also can be said
that he was handicapped by a fairly
strong wind that swept from the Sound
and which particularly was felt on the
far straightaway and turn. He also
was bothered By the kindly meant but
hindering tactics Of A. L. Hulsenbeck of
the New York A. c.. who in the mis-
taken idea that he was furnishing pace
TO Ray, irritated him and twice came
back so near Joie that the Chicagoan
was forced to slow UP.
The New York A. c. made every effort
to aid Ray in his record wrecking as
sault. Under the clever and skilful
massaging of Bill Dillon the old race
course was put in wonderful condition.
II Is doubtful II the Travers Island track
in all the years II has been built ever
was so fast, firm and springy as yester-
day. ooh what wonderful track !"
enthusiastically exclaimed Charlie Kill
patrick the old half mile champion and
record holder, as he tested the track
shortly before Ray took his mark 81
reckon Conner could crack :02 on such
q superb course"
To aid Ray the programme was 30
arranged that the three-quarter mile
race came the fourth on the programme
and was the first Of the circular track
events. A finish mark was drawn across
the track where the tape would have
been stretched under the old IS inch
from the border measurement. A mat
ter of IL feet AGA inches further up
the track the worsted was stretched,
according to the present IL inch from
the border standard.
n -,
Measurement Standards.
Under the present measurement a
runner covers IL feet 4.64 inches more
ground in a three-quarter mile race
over fifth of a mile circular track
than he did in Connects time. and, in
fact, up till 1915, when the A. A. U.
accepted the International Athletic Fed
eration's IL inch standard
Six men started on the marks ahead
OF Ray in the three-quarter mile race
The short mark man was Devanney, 2s
yards. and the long mark man Francis
Brennan of the New York A. c., 55
Yards At the crack of Starter Johnny
McHughs gun Ray shot of his mark
and swept up the track with long swing.
ing strides. He gained little on Hevan.
ney in the first furlong. Mike, however
passed Hulsenbeck. who started from
the IS yard mark at $50 yards, and al
800 yards Ray also caught Hulsenbeck
The latter man then slowed down to a
jog 30 as to let Ray lap him for pick
up purposes later on.
Ray flashed past the quarter mile post
In 81 seconds. At that stage he was
twenty yards behind Devanney, who had
sliced down the lead Of the longer mark
men appreoiably. At 500 yards Devanney
worked into fourth place with Ray nth.
At 600 yards DevanRey had pulled Raw
20 within striking distance OF the land.