New-York tribune., 1919-11-09
New York Lads
Shine i'm Race
OnParkT Trail
Simmons, Formerly of En-
glcwood III. S., Shows
Way i'm A. A. u. Race

District helped Syracuse University to
CAPTURE both the individual and team
honors in the annual junior national
Amateur Athletic Union championship
'cross-country run. held over the Van
Cortland: Park course yesterday. The
Individual tonors were won by John c.
Simmons. formerly of Englcwood High
School, while Jess Fleck, erstwhile
Morris High School student, and Will
lam Fellran. of Brooklyn, aided in Civ
ing the upstate college the team banner
with ihc low count of thirty-two points
Simmons only took the van in the
last goo yards by passing Lewis G. Wat
sen, teammate VINO had set the pace
almost throughout the six-mle course.
When Simmons challenged Watson for
the lead & fight ensued for some fifty
yards. but Simmons had the most re-
serve speed, and won by twenty yards.
Watson was some forty yards in ad-
vance Of William Ritola. Finnish Amer
ican Athletic Club. Of Brooklyn, who
was at the heels of his college rivals
until two miles from home. vprn he
tired
All the Syracuse represent a.ivcs fin
ished the trying sx-mile :olrse in
splendid condition, especially Simmons
and Watson, who were still full of run
ming at the end. Simmons completed
the two laps of three miles each in
thirty-three minutes and three ffths Of
second, the second fastest time for
the event.
The Syracuse barriers displayed splen-
did team running, having its members
placed i'll first. second. eighth, tenth and
eleventh position for an aggregate total
OF thirty-two points. Then followed
bitter figa- fcl second honors, the Fin
rish-American A. c. team being sue
cessful vi b eighty-one points. Follow
ING came the St. Christopher Club with
eighty-four points, and St. Anselm's
Athict:" Club. The Bronx. fourth with
eghty-seven The showing Of both the
Paulist and Mohawk Club teams was
indeed disappointing.
The majority of the runners that fin
ishcd showed evidence of the hard
grind. The rough trail called into play
the best that each athlete had. One
of the gamest exhibitions was that Of
Harry Wigger Paulist Athletic Club,
who, losing his right shoe two miles
from home. continued on over the rocky
course to finish we'll up. A field of
seventy eight. representing nine or
EaliiZdllOIS lcu Duk AOui SSS' VA
them fell By the waysjde.
Several hundred spectators crowded
around the starting point as the pack
leaped of in ~ild scramble for the
forward positions. The field ran
punched until the golf links hill was
reached, where the sturdler ath 'etes
worked their way forward. Reaching
road. Watson. Simmons and Ritola
were up with a group Of ten runners
who were fighting out the lead.
At this point. Simmons and Watson
Jumped off into a sprint with Ritola
1T their heels The trio had many
challengers. but us they swept up Gem
etery Hill, Watson was a few strides
IN front of Simmons. with Rtola
like distance behind Comp p'cting the
first lap OF the course. Watson was
timed in IL minutes IL seconds, with
Simmons, Eitola, Hulscbosch and
O'Connor g. f, each others heels. Then
came Los. sr, Cornetta. Prim, Ha!pin
and Voter. .sas far apart.
Beginning the second lap, Watson
still led the way for Simmons and
Ritola. Going up the golI links hl!l
FOR the second time, the three runners
were still in the same positions, but q
change came when the woods opposite
the finishing line were reached Here
Rtola began to weaken and MS TWO
college entrants sped away 10 llRhl oul
a duel.
Watson continued TO set the pace,
with Simmons onl few yards back,
untii the pair hove into sight, descend
ing Cemetery Hill, some 200 yards
from the finish. Both came down the
steep grade, unmindful of the boulders
THAT strew their path. Shortly before
Watson reached the foot of the Hill
Simmons had sprinted into the van.
Watson gave chase, but Simmons
eesil gathered a five-yard advantage
which lie increased in the run to the
finish line.
While spending his vacation at his
New Jersey home Simmons represented
the New York Athletic Club in open
competition. He first came into promi-
nence when he won the junior metro
politan one-mile championship and
shortly afterward finished second to
Mike Devancy in the senior. Met"
title run. Simmons later finished
second TO Jim Connolly. of the Boston
A. A., in the Junior national oEe-mile
title race in Philadelphia.
The summar; follows: