, 1923-01-14
FIELD COACHES
BUSY PREPARING
TEAMS FOR YEAR
Many Meets Scheduled for
Coming Winter, Walter
Eckersall Points
Out.
BY WALTER

- NNN1N ~ "a "
and coaches busily engaged in pre-
pairing teams for the many meets
TO be held during the winter. It is in
teresting 10 note that some mentors
who have developed not only win.
Ling teams in past years, but record
breakers as well, are coaching again
this season.
IS year after year rolls around.
however, the ranks OF successful
track and field coaches are gradual
" thinning. Last yea Dad MoultoI.
= conspicuous figure on the cInder
rsth for years, passed away. During
the Closing years OF his life he was
connected with Leland Stanford uni
vcrsity where he was respected by all
whom he met.
At some institutions the Did time
mentors have been supplanted by
younger men, who are said to be
moro up to date in their training
methods. This is particularly true of
Tale and Harvard. where Ned Mer-
RAM has assumed charge at New
Haven and Martin at Cambridge.
Merriam is a former University of
Chicago athlete. who gained coaching
recognition at Ames. Martin was
track coach at Penn State last year
Donovan Once Great Splinter.
"Pooch" Donovan, one of the old
school, who was a great Splinter in
his day, vas coach at Harvard last
year, and Johnny Mack occupied the
same position at Yale. In his palmy
days Donovan was rated one of the
greatest professional s~printers. He
would run a DOT race at the drop
Of a hat with any one whenever n
bet vas made. He did most OF his
running in the New England states
when professional foot racing enjoy
ed a prosperous period OF years
Coaching OF track and field ath-
fetes has developed into a science,
the same as those who teach foot
ball. baseball and basketball. The
sport has been revolutioniEed to such
an extent that ideas which existed
years ago have been discarded and
new methods installed. The old time
coach who has kent abreast OF the
times is the one who is still holding
this position Mt the various universe
ties and colleges.
Fitzpatrick Maker of Champions.
Keene Fitzpatrick. former coach at
Michigan. who is now in charge OF
track and field athletics at Prince
ton, is probably one Of HI most
arccessful of the old school, Keene
hns always made a study Of men. and
St Is said of him he has mate as
many. II not more. college champions
than any other coach.
While such an assertion 10 made
ny Keene's friends. It 10 doubtful II
he has been moro successful than
Harry Gill, capable coach at the Uni
versity OF Illinois. A great athlete
in his day. GIL has kept UP with the
times. He has made a study Of his
speciality, as has been shown by his
improvement in the discus and Jaw
elm. He has made slight changes in
both implements. with the results
marks have been bettered.
GU is generally known as the 81
lent coach. He is a keen observer
and seldom gives his men instruc-
items until he has made n thorough
study Of Their form in running. jump
ing vaultIng. or weight tossing. He
has combined old ideas with o
modern methods, with the result IL
linois teams OF recent years have
either won the western conference
championship in indoor an. outdoor
meets or have been runners-up.
Sl1N bAo
Another OF this type is Steve Far
rell OF Michigan. one Of the few
Americans who ever won the Shelf
field handicap. the ambition OF every
foot racer in the early '9os. The
wolverine mentor has had great sue
cess at Ann Arbor. despite the fact
his teams OF recent years have not
won the Big Ter title. A track
coach. the same as any other men
tor. must have material, n coaching
asset which was conspicuous by its
absence at Michigan in late years.
Walter Christie OF the University
of California. another remarkable
srrinter OF his day. is probably n
of the most successful track and
fieii coaches n the country. Walter
is Of the old school. and last year
took his toam clear across the CON
tlnert to win tho eastern ~intercol-
legiate. On his way back from the
east the team stopped or in Chicago.
where il won the national collegiate
track and fled games.
jack Watson at Dartmouth.
Jack Watson OF Dartmouth, anoth-
or OF the old school, who gained
fame rs a jumper. has been success.
fuI in developing sterling athletes.
\. A. Stagg, veteran mentor Mt the
University OF Chicago, has turned
out come great athletes during his
long career at tho Maroon institu-
ton, where he Is assisted by Tom
Eek, one OF the country's most pic.
turesuue college oaocECs and train
cls.
Jack Moakley OF Cornell Is one ot
the pioneer coaches OF the college
world. He hao charge OF the last
American Olympic team and Is noted
for the development OF lonE distance
OF the moro recent crop OF track
and field coaches who are success
full are lawson Robertson Of Penn
~Hylvania. Knuts Rockne Of Notre
Dame. Walter Smith OF Ames. George
Breshnahan OF Iowa. T. z. n of
Wisconsin, and Dick Templeton o.
Stanford.