Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
Ydnk athletes Still Lead World
In RecOrd-Setting Track Fedts

7 N the IL months following an Olym-
pic year a slight decline in track
and field achievements is expect
Il ed. Outstanding athletes retire
from competition and there is
general tendency to let down from the
tense pitch of the big international
year. Ninteen twenty mine, however,
was an exception. Star athletes did
retire. yet others came up to Guido
their predecessors in the quality of
their achievements and the year was
replete with throbbing incidents on the
cinder path and in the field. The
United States. which had triumphed
| to lead the world in the quality and
quantity of its high-grade, record
breaking performances.
AS usual, the sport was confined to
the three months Of indoor COMPETE
| ton, from January to March, and the
| three months of outdoor competition,
from late April to early July. Nothing
OF national interest transpires after the
National A. A. U. championships the
first week of July until the cross-coun-
try runners take to the hills in the
Fall.
Many Highlights Recorded.
Sprinters, middle distance runners
and mtlers in track and discus throwers.
| shot putters and pole vaulters in the
! field contributed to the activities of
great year. There were many high
lights indoors and outdoors, too many
IN fact TO select one achievement above
all the others.
This was a year of sprinters, despite
Americas failure to accomplish any
thing OF note in the Olympic sprints
OF 1928. Half dozen speed kings raced
| 100 yards in 93s seconds, that time
| honored criterion Of real greatness, and
George Simpson of Ohio State was
clicked in 925 seconds with the aid of
starting blocks. This mechanical de-
vice was the subject of considerable
discussion and Simpsons record was
| accepted ofhcially with the bracketed
explanation that he used the device.
1t still remains for speed merchant
of the day to run 100 yards faster than
"nine-three" under the same conditions
! that obtained in the days of Arthur
Duffey, Bernie Wefers, Howard Drew
and others, that is, without starting
blocks and with fifth-second watches.
Simpson also set new record of 2035
seconds with blocks in the furlong.
| Simpson, Eddie Tolan, Michigan Ne
gro; Claude Bracey of Rice Institute,
Charley Borah of Southern California.
Frank Wykoff of Glendale, Calf, all
touched 1876 seconds or 95 seconds.
| They were closely matched, too we'll
matched to name one as the best of
the year. but Simpson probably de-
served this honor. He beat Tolan and
Tolan beat him. Simpson pulled a
tendon on the eve of the National A.
A. U. championships at Denver, and
Tolan gave a remarkable exhibition
against a wind in winning both the
100 and 220 yard titles against flock
Of flyers. The East had no one to COM
pare with the men beyond the Ale
ghenies. At the Penn relays Simpson
turned in the first "nine-three" in the
history of the games.
Conger Defeats Lermond.
Ray Conger Of the Illinois A. c., ran
mile indoors in Alb Us, beating Leo
Lermond, Wide of Sweden, and Purje
Of Finland. But Lermond, developing
amazingly at the mile distance, became
the years champion. He raced the
eight furlongs at the Yankee Stadium
in ALB, the second fastest performance
ever recorded outdoors in this country,
and dethroned Conger as national out
door mile chanDion. ~