The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-14
RITOLA WINS
JUNIOR CROSS
COUNTRY TITLE
Bronx Carpenter RunsAway
From Bic Field at Van
COrtlandt.
WESTERN INDIAN SECOND
Hatasoni Shows Good Sprint at
End Mohawk A. G. Takes
Point Trophy.
BY HENRY v. KING.

William Ritola, youag carpenter OF
The Bronx. threws down his hammer and
saw yesterday afternoon and started for
Van Cortlandt Park There he donned a
set of running togs and competed In
the National Junior Cross-Country run.
F-ifty-eight other young men competed
against him. but ne proved far heeter OF
foot and much stronger of heart, and led
them over the six and a half miles of III
and dale course without doing his best at
any stage of the journey. At the end
ne was a furlong ahead of A. Patasoni
a little INDIAN from Haskell Institute of
Kansas. who easily took second honors
from Al Husebosch the veteran OF the
Paulist a. G.
For his victory Ritola received a gold
medal from the Amateur Athletic Union
emblematic Of the title. but it was not
profitable day for him, for by leaving his
job he lost at least $25, the amount he
would have received for the days work
and overtime. But he was an extremely
happy youth when he sped past the
judges. He has been running for sew
eral years, and since he first took up
athletics it has been his ambition to win
a national cross-country title.
winner Sturdy Runner.
And it is likely that several more will
fall to his lot if he remains in the sport
He has all the qualifications of a good
distance runner He is sturdy little
fellow with chest almost as deep as the
one that mare the immortal St Yves
famous here a decade ago. His legs
are strong and long and he knows how to
run. He loses little energy and skins
over the earth with little apparent effort
AT the end of yesterdays run he wasn't
putting half as much as dozen of his
followers who accompanied him the last
fifty yards of the journey
Ritola is a member of the Finnish
American A. c.. and he carried its
eino EN- in the race, but his victory
wasn't enough to give his club the title
His team mates finished far In the rucl
and rolled up the big score of 10S.
The point trophy went to the Mohawk
A. c., with 2s points. The st. Chris
topher club was second with SO, Column
bia University third with 70 and the
Morningside A. c. fourth with s5.
Ritolas time for the distance was 80
minutes AZ is seconds
1t was cold at Van Cortlandt. and a
northwest wind which swept across the
field had a severe sting in It. Because
of 1t several Of the contestants donned
long drawers and long stockings.
Rito1a Takes Lead Mt start.
There was little or no delay at the
start and the ffty-nine young athletes
went away almost abreast Ritola went
to the front in the first dash for posi-
tions. and right there and then the
championship was decided. In COM
mand, he stepped along. up hill and
down dale. at steady, even pace. He
wasn't straining himself at any time
but every stride took him further away
from his opponents. The first time
around the course, which measured three
miles and quarter. he had lead OF
more than 100 yards, and in the next
turn OF the field he had doubled this
advantage.
bad judgment He competed in the
Olympic games at Antwerp with Hulse-
bosch and 'abored under the impression
that the Paulist A. c. star was the only
one he had to beat. In consequence he
followed Hulsebosch's page and allowed
Ritola 10 steal a tremendous lead on
MIN. The Indian finished strong hut
Ritola was in his dressing room when
he passed the judges.
Frank Zuna, the veteran Marathon
runner of Staten Island. suffered "A stitch
in the side during the first lap and was
forced TO quit. Harry Rosen. of the
Morningside A. c., collapsed as he threw
himself over the finish line. He quickly
revived. The first twenty-four TO finish
and the team score