Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-05-12
'ALL-AROUND'
ATHLETE BEST
DRAWING CARD
nv DISPATCH A. P. Wirel

CAMBRIDGE, Mass, May II. =
While "this is the day of the spe-
cialist" in track and field athletics,
the all-around performer still carries
one of the strongest competitive ap-
peals, in the opinion of Ellery H.
Clark of Harvard.
Himself an all-around champion in
1897 and 1908, as well as an Olympic
title-holder in 1895, Clark notes the
prominence of all-around stars, past
and present, in the history of the
track and field championships of the
Intercollegiate A. A. A. A., which
holds it's Golden Jubilee meet at
Cambridge, May 28 and 20.
''While greatly admire the spe-
cialist, who has every reason to be
proud Of winning an intercollegiate
championship in single event, 1 have
a still higher regard for the men
who can take crack at anything
the Hoffs, Osborns, Planskys and Nor
TONS" Clark said.
"The customary definition of an
all-around athlete is man who can
run, jump and throw the weights.
And thus, though the name of Evart
Wendell, will never be forgotten in
the history of athletics, and although
in 1880, he accomplished the feat Of
winning the 1OO,22O and 44O yards
runs at the intercollegiates, we should
scarcely rank him as an all-around
performer.
THE first genuine all around man
in intercollegiate competition was r.
Larkin, of Princeton, who at the in
tercollegiates of 1878 won four first
places, the hammer, shot, standing,
high and standing broad jumps.
''If we except a most unusual double
winner of 1890, when w. c. Dohm of
Princeton won the half mile in 1857
1-5 and also the broad jump with
leap of 22.03 IL, the next outstanding
name is that of G. r. Fearing, Jr., of
Harvard From 1890 to 1898, inclu-
sive, Fearing won the running high
jump at the intercollegiates, and in
this space of time also picked up
first, second and third in the low
hurdles and two thirds in the high
hurdles. Fearing was also an oars
man and a football player an all
around champion in the broadest sense
of the word.
'The next all-around star-and the
brightest of all time to shine at the
lntercollegiates, was Alvin G. Kraen- |
zlein of Pennsylvania. Up to the
time of this marvellous performer, we
had always hurdled with the knee of
the front leg bent parallel to the top
of the hurdle, but Kraenzlein conceiv- |
ed the plan of taking the hurdles in !
his stride, with front leg extended |
in front of him. The result |
was new chapter in athletic history |
In 1898 Kraenzlein won both hurdles |
at the intercollegiate establishing a |
worlds record of 23 3-5 for the low |
hurdles and was third in the broad |
Jump, in 1899 he won both hurdles and |
the broad jump, and in 1900 turned in !
his most wonderful performance, win
ling the 100 yards, both hurdles races, !
and finishing second in the broad
jump. At the Olympic games of 1900, !
held in Paris, Kraenzlein won the so |
metres dash, the 11O and 22O metres
1urdles and the broad jump.
In 1907 the mighty John c. Gar
'els of Michigan invaded the Harvard
stadium, and won both hurdles races
n fast time, at the same time win
1ing second place in the shot put.
have seen most of the great ath-
etes of the last forty years, but 1
'annot recall anyone who looked the
'art' of the sturdy champion to great
r advantage than Garrels. Tall,
'angy, powerful-it was a pleasure Il
o watch him in action.
I'm recent times we have had Ned
iourdin of Harvard, national pentath-
on champion in 1921 and 1922, and
he first man to achieve 25 feet in
he running broad jump. Gourdin (
ould do about everything well, and {
o could j. w. Merchant of Califor-
ia, who put in pleasant afternoon