Evening star., 1932-08-20
% RUNNERS START
.GRUEL|NG TEST
/. IN MARATHON HERE
National A. A. u. Champion
ship, Sponsored by Star,
Gets Under Way.
DR.. /. H. REICHELDERFER
FIRES STARTING GUN
Contestants in 26-Mile Contest
Protected From Sun
by Grease.

Paced by the national marathon
champion-Biii Agee of Baltimore
nearly 100 marathon aspirantS from
the United States and several foreign
countries started the grueling grind
for the National Amateur Athletic
Union marathon championship at 2
o'clock this afternoon from Mount
Vernon. The national marathon race
is being conducted under Amateur Ath-
letic Union auspices and is sponsored
by The Evening Star.
The entire field of entrants, number
ing 126, did not appear for the start.
About 80 runners left the mark as DR..
Luther H Reichelderfer. chairman of
the Board of District Commissioners,
fired the starting gun. The field quick
ly spread out as they ran the first mile
down a hill toward the Potomac River.
The start was made from the semi
circle in front of the entrance to Mount
Vernon, backed by the low, white build
ings which have recently been erected
to accommodate visitors to the shrine
OF the First President.
Many Well Creased.
Many of the contestants wore home
made turbanS, made of handkerchiefs.
knotted over their heads. Some of
them were we'll CREASED to combat the
bright sunlight which shone over the
course. A few moments before the
starting gun was fired, officials an
nounced that runners must keep to the
roadway and must not travel in the
grass on the side of the road, under
penalty of disqualification. The start
was witnessed by Or. Reichelderfer,
DR.. George c. Havenner, vice chairman
of the George Washington Bicentennial
Commission, and by officials OF the Dis
trict Chapter, A. A. U.
The course is along the Mount
Vernon Memorial Boulevard to WASH
ington, thence through Potomac Park,
around the Capitol and up Pennsylvania
avenue to end at the zero milestone in
the rear Of the White House.
There, at about 4:35, the victor will
receive from the hands of Maj. Gen.
Douglas Macarthur, representing Sec
retary Of War Hurley, The Evening Star
trophy. Other awards will be made
tonight in the assembly hall OF the
Y. M. c. A. headquarters of the race.
Thousands were seeking vantage
points along the route of the race at
noon.
Keen Rivalry Certain.
Outstanding rivals of Agee who won
the title last year in close to world
record time, are Paul de Bruyn, Ger
man champion and 1892 winner of the
classic Boston Patriots day marathon;
Clarence de Mar of Harrison, Me-,
seven times victor at Boston, and john
ny Semple, champion of Scotland but
Yankee-to-be, with residence at Rox-
bury Mass. The field, however, Is
dotted with dark horses.
Favorites to capture the team title
are the Monarch Athletic Club runners
of Toronto. Canada, led by the smallest
distance running star in the world,
Percy Wyer, who weighs SO pounds.
The finest point Of vantage will be
at the finish. Here many thousands
may view the final mile as the runners
circle about three-quarters of the
EllipSe.
Autos Asked to Cooperate.
In order to avoid traffic congestion
and Interference with the race, the
police department has requested that
spectators not follow the runners by
automobile.
The Y. M. c. A. was a beehive Of
activity this morning as runners
checked in and prepared themselves for
the long grind, the most gruelling OF
athletic events. The ~" with con-
CONTINUED on Page 3, Column 81