The Washington herald., 1922-01-22

Travers Island in a. As seconds.
Ted Meredith bettered this perform
ance in 1916 when he ran around
one turn in "a 2-5. These perform
ances all eclipse any middle dis
tance runner of earlier times.
Charlie Kflpatrick's half-mile rec
ord lasted many years. and such
great runners as Sheppard and Par
sons couldn't crack it. Emilio Lun-
CHI. of Italy broke 1t first. but Tea
Meredith's half-mile in 1 minute,
521-5 seconds, in 1916, lowered It
more than two seconds.
The Fastest Mfle.
W. G. George was the great mile
runner a quarter century ago, and
as q professional ran in 4 minutes.
123 "a seconds. His amateur record
was first broken by John Paul Jones
with a mile in 4 minutes, II 2-5 sec
onds, run in open scratch compeu-
tion in the intercollegiate meet.
Norman Taber broke the record
again in 1915, with 4 minutes, IL 3-5
seconds, which was faster than
Georges professional mile. While
this record was accepted by the
athletic authorities II was a doubt
full performance. being actually a
paced race. First middle distance
runners were sent out ahead with
big handicaps. to jog along easily
and pick Taber up and pace him
through the different quarters of
the race.
Goulding's walking records cut
big chunks from the old times along
in 1911 to 1915.
Alvin Kraenzlein of Pennsylvania
was the great athlete of his day:
making hurdling and broad jumping
records. His 23 3-5 seconds for the
220-yard hurdles in 1898 was a mar
velous performance, and still stands
although equalled by Wendell in
1913 and Robert Simpson in 1916.
But Kraenzlein's 12o-yard hurdle
record has been bettered by Garrell.
Smithson, Kelly, Murray and others.
When the race was run in is Sec
onds 1t was thought the limit Of
speed had been reached. but Robert
Simpson eclipsed all other perform
ances inN 1s16-a great athletic year,
just before the war caused a tenn
porary lapse in sports, by running
in 143-5 seconds. Earl Thomson
has been timed in 1925 seconds.
Kalehmainen has broken nearly all
distance records up to ten miles.
The high jump OF 6 feet SIS
inches by Dan Sweeney twenty five
years ago remained a record until
HORNE cleared feet inches in
1912 Beeson. of California. beat
that five-sixteenths of an inch in
1914.
Ray C. Ewry's standing jump rec
ords. made in various Olympic meets,
displaced all old time marks and
are unequalled today.
A quarter-century ago Jim Mitch
ellis hammer throw of 145 feet was
| supposed to be unbeatable. but Pat
| Ryan threw over 1s9 feet, in 1918.
Thirty-four feet was great
heave with the 56-pound weight in
| the days of John L. Sullivan. Today
McGrath. Ryan and Mcdonald have
tossed the big hunk of lead over 40
| feet.
The worlds shot putting record
stood at a feet for years, made
by George Gray. Ralph Rose, in
1919 put it 81 feet. A California
high school boy, Bud Houser, has
recently put over 4S feet in the Ma
tional championships and will un-
doubtedly break the record II he
continues in competition.
| The discus record was held by
Robert Garret, of Princeton, back in
1895, and was less than 100 feet. To-
day dozen athletes are throwing
more than 140 feet. Arlie Mucks
threw 155 feet from a seven foot
circle. and Jim Duncan o>er $50
from the Olympic 8 foot, 21-2 inch
circle.
Myer Prinstein's 20 foot 7 IA inch
running broad jump has been raised
this year to better than rs feet. The
pole vault-10 feet, was a great per-
forfnance in the time of Buchoiz of
Pennsylvania, and the rest of the
champions in the 9o's-has gone up
to Is feet Sis inches. made by
Frank Foss. of Chicago, in 1920.
| Judging by improving athletic
records. the old timers wouldn't
make much of showing today in
any line of sport.