Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-05-04
Ted Meredith Believes Illinois
Athlete Is Capable Of Run
ming Mile in 4:10-Better
Than Taber.
Joie Never in Race With Right
Weather and Field Good
Enough to Push Him to His
Best.
BY TED MEREDITH.
(World's Greatest Middle Distance


runner.)
TOTE RAY, the wonderful little run
ner from the Illinois A. c., has
won nearly every big race in
which he has started since 1915, yet
consider him a champion in hard luck
circles. When a chap has a long list of
titles after his name and numerous
prizes, as Ray has, it is not often that
he Is thought of as being out of luck,
but Joie is.
miller Of all time and he never has had
a chance to prove it. l never bad seen
a man who could compare with the
little westerner in speed, form, head
work and stamina. Ray is so good
that if Norman Taber can run a mile
in 4:12 3-5, the worlds record, then
Joie can do 4:10. He is a few seconds
better than the best.
NO REAL RECORD.
My reason for saying Ray is a hard
luck runner Is that he never has had
a race where he has had a field good
enough to push him and at the same
time had the conditions just right
Consequently Ray has no record that
will make him stand out in the books
in after years as the great miller he is.
Ray first came into national promi-
nence in 1915 at the A. A. u. cham
pionships, which We're held that year
in conjunction with the Panama -Paci-
fic Exposition in San Francisco. At
that time he beat some of Americas
greatest milers, but he never was
given the credit he deserved. There was
strong wind the day of the race and
most of those who saw the event fig
ured that Rays victory was a freak.
Norman Taber had just established
his worlds record, which he set up
with the aid of PAGERS, and he was the
favorite for the event. 1t was believed
that the only other man capable of
beating the former oxford runner was
Kiviat. Ray was figured among the
leaders.
VICTORY DISCOUNTED.
Ray showed his heels to both the
, stars, but the time was slow because
of the weather and his victory was
discounted discounted because of the
weather and because Taber recently
had set the record.
The late Johnny Overton and Ray
met in New York in 1917 and before
the race it was believed that the record
surely would be lowered. Both Ray
and Overton We're racers however, and
not runners. They ran for victory,
not for time. OHerton had just set
his record of 4:16, worlds figures for
a mile run indoors, and he was the
favorite, but Ray used his head and
won In much slower time.
The field and conditions in the in
terallied meet, which will be held in
France some time in June, probably
will be right for n new record, but
here again Joie is out of luck. lie Is
a past master in shipyard work and
never went into the service. He has
been doing shipyard work for many
years.
CHANGE TO COME.
If he can go ahead for another year,
and / see no reason why he shouldn't
he will have his chance in the Olympic
games in 1920. In the international
meet he win have the incentive and
the right field. and. hope the right
weather to show what no has had
stored up since 1915.
1t Is hard for n man to keep in the
game year in and year out and still
retain his punch, but l have confidence
in Ray and 1 believe he will come
through and prove to the utmost in
time just what ability lies in his little
W. -laNplnnoI hnIu