The Washington times., 1925-06-19

campaign IN America, WHICH % "AIi
and field athletics.
Nurni deserves the title OF gre
first. and obviously, because o. tn
America and elsewhere; second,
Nurmi did SO at cost to himself OF
Nnrnai returned home clean as to-
charge of money acceptance ana
with only one blotch on his atnletlc
ELECTROMAGNETIC defeat In a distances
All foo short for him by Allan He'll
frich. Americas greatest han nlller'
In this effort Nurmi put load on
himself which was pressing nature
beyond frs limits. 49,
Not many amateurs would nav
w,tbs4ood the temptation to turn
professional that beset Nurrni. une
offer alone of $4,000 q week Tor
thirty weeks was made Nurmi by
the am Ranch circus. Other
offers aggregating three times that
much for advertising privileges ana
for professional exhibitions were
ThrcUgh It an he stood fast II
fherc was any faint connected with
the financing Of his visit ana MS
exhibitions. he WAC absolVed OF uli
connection Herewith. IT has neen
shown flat NurIni accepted only ~
T,er day for ITO days as his personal
exnenses. 4 sum approved by the
Amateur Athletic Union OF America.
He tran sportation was the only
other expense which he entatled pro-
n has been limited that Nurmi was
made the goat Of an attempt by MS
manager or others connected with
hts tour TO capitalize his visit. But
Nurni was absolved OF all connec-
ton Herewith.
Two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars Is enough to turn the
head Of any athlete. But NuFInl
held fast 60 his ideals. He says he
eruecke 70 be &C his athletic peak
when at the age Of thirty. three,
which win be about five years
hence.
Probably his greatest temptation
win beset him at home, where his
friends win doubtless beseech him
90 profit by his reputation and
make his fortune out of It. Nurmi
has said that he would point him.
aelf for the Holland games OF 1898.
Paayo seemed to regret leaving
this country. That defeat by
HeIffrich was . bitter PHI Tor
him.
For nearly six months he had
zone his conquesing way, beating
Americas best runners and setting
new worlds records. He had COM
I,eted in forty-eight track meets,
travelled more than $1,000 miles,
I'M keeping his racing, engagements
all over the United States and
Canada. and was q tired young man
when he was persuaded to forsake
long distance running to meat Amer
ica's middle distance champion
In q half mile run, and his defeat |
was freely predicted by those ac-
quainted with the sport.
But while Paavo found 1t diff
Guilt to accept that setback-the
first he had experienced In
scratch race since 1920-ho was
alone In opining 1t would seriously
affect his standing. Paavo in the
eyes OF all the world Is the great
est foot racer history has known
and Is likely to remain 80.
On his visit he broke thirty-eight |
worlds records, ranging from the
three-quarter mile run to the 10000 |
meter run. His most noteworthy
record was his last two-mile effort,
in which he covered the distance in
8 minutes SO is seconds-many sec.
onds under both the indoor and
outdoor records, and marking the
first time a human had covered
two miles in less than nine min
utes.
Other standard marks set BY
him, some Of which have since
been equsIed or slightly shaded,
are:. Three-quarter mile run,
3.03 As; 1,500-meters, 1856 1-5; one
nlfIa run, 4:12; two and one-half
miles, 1876 Is; three miles,
14:15 9-1O; 5000 meters, 14:44 3-5.
His list of vanquished includes
Joie Ray. Lloyd Hahn. Jimmy Con-
molly, Willie Ritola, Verne Booth,
Ed Kirby. Leo Larrive, and many
others who hold or have held
American national titles and ma
tional or worlds records, and in all
instances he defeated them not
only once, but several times in the
course Of the forty.eight meets In
which he participated.
Following are Nurmi's records
made on his American tour:
Event Old mark New mark,
N-mile run ......... 3:06 3:03 AS
1,60o-meter run %;oi 80 1855