The sun., 1919-08-24
New York A. C.. Comes Into
Own in Big Title Games
Bags Twelve Metropolitan
Championships and Rolls
Up 126 Points.
NJ GEORGE n. UNDERWOOD.

and entertainment for American soldiers
and sailors. the Mercury Foot blazed
forth in all Its ancient glory In the
annual senior track and Geld champion
ships OF the Metropolitan Association on
Pershing Field. Jersey City, yesterday
afternoon.
Instead Of being fat and fabby from
two years absence from the cinder path
the Mercury Foot giant came back
stronger than ever before. Without its
ancient Winged Fist rival-the Irish
American A. G. practically has gone out
or athletic existence-to give battle the
Mercury Foot clan found the Metropoli-
tan title events surprisingly soft picking.
OF the nineteen titles at stake twelve
were won by athletes sporting the Mer-
curry Foot,
Throwing great galaxy OF timber
legged, sturdy muscled and stout hearted
lads into the fray the Mercury Footers
swept the boards In the point competi-
ton, rolling up the remarkable total Of
l26 points cut of possible 900. The
New York A. c. outscored It's nearest
competitor, Loughlin Lyceum of Brook
lyn, 10 to /. Loughlin Lyceum bagged
- points one more point than the
salem Crescent 4. C. and the Mil,rose
A A., which tied for third place with
IL points each.
- Unplaced In Only Ono Event.
with the lone exception of the five
mile run. in which the New York A. C.
had no entrant, the Mercury Footers
figured In every event on the pro-
sramme. The representatives of the
clubmen who summer at Travers Island
and winter on the sunny side of Gen.
trail Park made a clean sweep in the
pole vault and Javelin throw. taking all
four places in each of those events.
The Mercury Footers bagged first,
second and third places In shot put. nifty
six pound weight throw and 120 yard
high hurdles and took FIRST and second
places in the three mile walk and rum
ming broad jump
More than 1900 persons witnessed
the surprising comeback Of the Mercury
Footers. The metropolitan champion
ships featured the Inauguration OF
Pershing Field, Jersey City's wonderful
new public playground. The huge crowd
OF men, women and children lined the
great third of mile track ranks deep
and filled the huge temporary grand
stands 70 the overfiowing. Nothing
further was needed to put the public
stamp OF approval on the undertaking
so successfully completed by A. Harry
Moore. Director OF Parks and Public
BuildingS
The athletic field undoubtedly will be
the greatest in the East and should fur
hlsh battle-ground for most OF the Inn
portant athletic events held In the vi
cinity Of New York city. There ID
nothing tho matter with the plan of the
held and It Is splendidly laid out and
equipped. The only thing open to criti-
cism Is the composition OF the great
third of mile track The track. for sc
large n ono and of such sweeping
curves. was undoubtedly slow. It wai
too hard and cakey of surface II
offered little spring and resiliency. The
top layer Is composed of too much Jer'
sey clay and will have to be narrowed
over and mixed with softer soil to sci
better results.
The siowness Of the track undoubtedl,
was responsible for the fact that timei
were slow In practically all of the tracl
events, despite the fact the competition
was keen and the athletes were no
handicapped by any adverse wind OF
weather conditions. The day was idea
from a competitive viewpoint.
Kolehmainen Quits.
Despite the fact that Father Time ant
the Record Book had easy sailing III
games were replete with keen compsti
tion and stirring races DURING tn
early stages of the fve mile race th'
contest looked as IL II were going u
be an epochal one. for Hannes Koleh
mainen, the Flying Finn, back from :
years absence from the track and held
Charles Pores. tho national ivs mill
champion and American record holder
Pat Flynn OF the Fighting Sixty-nlntl
and Max Bohland. national cross coun
try champion. ran stride for stride ant
gave the spectators hints Of a great four
cornered distance battle.
Just when excitement was getting a
fever heat through the keen racing. witt
frst one and then the other of the star
going up front taking his turn at makinl
the pace Bohland's weak knee. whicl
he injured a fortnight ago, gave wa.
under him and he was forced to with
draw. That was at 2 "a miles. Enter
ing into the fourth mile Kolehmainen
stlll going strong. suddenly put his han,
to his side and few strides furthe
dropped out Of the race He said h
had a stitch in his side. but It was no
| ticed that he kept right on running
across the field and into the dressing
room. g..
Tho withdrawal of Bohland an,
Kolehmainen left only Pat Flynn I
! continue the duel with Pores, Pat hum
on till the last lap, when Pores length
ened out, shook of the soldier boy AM
wore away to a Tag lead. Pores wa
clocked IN IS :26 1-5. more than a full
minute behind George Bonhag's Metro
politan record and surprisingly sloy
time for a man who lays claims to hav
ing run five miles in 20 :36 as.
Patterson a Conner.
In the sprints the New York A. {
uncovered a youngster whom many O
the experts think has a rosy athleti
| future. He Is ]. r. Patterson. the Por
Jervis High School boy Patterso
only was beaten a scant hands breadt
by Pete White, the darky demon, in th
| 100 yard dash, and turned the table
on the colored speed marvel in the %
yard dash. winning out by a canno
ball sprint in the last twenty yard
Patterson covered the furlong In tn
good time of % 2-5 seconds.
| Patterson Is a tall rangy fellow Q