The Washington herald., 1922-01-22
By ROBERT EDGREN.

Are modern athletes better than
the old timers. or were the old
time champions a sturdier race?
A few days ago I was talking
performances date back many years
and asked him what he thought of
John l. Sullivan compared with our
later champions.
Why" he said. 'in my opinion
Sullivan would have lasted a couple
of rounds with Dempsey. You hear
a lot of talk about the old timers.
but 1 heard the same stuff when I
was a boy, forty years ago. and the
people then were always telling u.
what shines we were compared to
the men before our day. 1 think
we're far ahead Of the old timers, in
everything, athletics, boxing, base
ball. music, art, science.
The old timers never had such
chances as our boys have. Now there
are a thousand boxers where there
used to be one. Every school has
its athletic sports and its coach, or
stan of coaches. Boys are much
more advanced mentally. and that
puts them ahead physically, too.
Sullivan was a marvel in his day,
because where he travelled around
the country very few men knew
anything about boxing. But how
far would he get today touring the
United States offering $500 to any
man who could stay four rounds ?
He'd find plenty of fellows who
knew how to box"
Or course 1t is difficult to make
any accurate comparison between
old time boxers or wrestlers and
modern champions. But in. some
sports we have actual times and
measurements to compare, and the
way these records go proves the
modern athlete to be pretty fair.
In amateur track and field athletics
the loo-yard race was run in 93-5
seconds Tor the first time by Arthur
DuHey. in the intercollegiate cham
pionshlps. May, 1902. Before that
herhie Wefers' 94-5 seconds was
supposed to be unbeatable.
since then Dan Kelly, Arthur Rob.
lnson' {. II. Patching. Howard Drew
James Rector and Charlie Paddock
nave run in s3-5 seconds. Paddock
mas made that time in several races
and some of the watches have re-
corded 9 2-5 seconds.
1t is claimed by Japanese authori-
! ties that Minoru Full, of Tokyo
university. ran 100 yards on grass
In s2-5 seconds, the faculty of the
university vouching for the timing
However, athletic sports were new
In japan then, and the most learned
professor may not qualify as a tim
ing expert.
The 220-yard record was held for
many years by Wefers, and equalled
at different times by Craig, Lippin-
colt and G. Parker. But the latest
sprinting king, Charlie Paddock,
cut this down to 20 As seconds In
1921. a performance that eclipse.
anything the old timers ever did.
May Do Even Better.
Paddock is the greatest sprinter
ever known in either amateur or
professional sport. HIS most re-
markable performance. aside from
his 22O-yard record. was made in
the Southern Pacific A. A. U. Cham
pionships. held at Redlands, Cali.
fornia, April %, 1921.
In this meet Paddock broke four
worlds records and equalled one
He ran 100 yards in s3-5 seconds
equalling the record. and contfnuine
covered 100 meters (about ITO yards
and broke a record with 10 2-5 sec.
onds. The former record was 10 As
seconds. In Paddock's second race
he was timed at zoo me,ers. szc
yards and 800 meters.
The 22o yards was run as of a
second slower than his own world
record, but he broke the world,y
record for zoo meters. making II in
u 1-s seconds. the 800 yards In
80 l-5 seconds. and the 800 meter,
in s3 As seconds. This beat Bernie
Wefers' twenty-five year old record
of 80 3-5 seconds.
Paddock is still in his prime and
possibly improving. He intends tc
run another year. and may break
more records.
Only two great old time record,
stand today. In 1900 Make Long rar
the 40 In AZ seconds even, on 3
straightaway track. He was timed
In 421-5 seconds at 400 yards. The
400-yard run Is not included In the
usual athletic program. Also there
are few quarter miles run on a
straightaway. But Make Longs
record. made twenty-five years ago
has note been touched. Long ran q