Evening star., 1933-03-02
FERRIS FORESEES
GREAT SHOW HERE
lunners Already in Training
for June II Race Spon.
sored by Star.
BY r. d. THOMAS.


TOR most athletes three
r months Is q long way to
| look ahead, but not your
marathon runner. Shortly
he long distance committee OF
he District A. A. u, headed by
erry Looney, will meet to lay
'?lans for The Stars second an
,ual classic to be run no sooner
han Saturday, June II.
In the meantime, leather -lunged lads
lroushout the country are training for
le 26-mile gallop for the national A.
!. y. championship.
Some have been preparing almost
'.'om the time the last race was finished.
4 CCORDINd to Dan Ferris, national
4 secretary Of the A. A. U. and the
best informed man on track Ath-
,tics in the country, this years con-
est should be the greatest national
marathon show ever held, with the pos
ible exception Of one Or two that fol-
owed the 1905 olympics, which featured
UGH famous barriers Is johnny Hayes,
'--om Longboat, DorAndo Pietri and Al
: red Shrubb.
More distance running talent abounds
in the land today than at any time
ince the great international feud OF
nearly quarter century ago.
Cross currents Of rivalry will make
he 1898 marathon much more In
eresting affair than the last. For
Instance. the Ogden Park Club OF Chi
80, has served notice on the team
hampton. the Monarch Athletic Club
Of Canada.
A recent letter from Bill Mihalo.
Ogden Park youngster, says: Willie
Teyer, Augie Sloboda and have been
raining religiously ever since we got
,sck from Washington, looking to the
next race there, and some OF the other
Chicago runners have joined US. Dreyer,
-.ou know, was not member OF our
,lub last year. He Is now and that
lives us the three necessary for team.
But there probably will be others"
NKIHALos communication was pre-
lVl ceded by one from Ernie Wyer Of
the Monarch Club, brother OF
7olorful little Percy. The Canadians,
according to Ernie. have not the
alightest intention Of surrendering thetf
title.
aside from the victory" we learn
from Wyer, "the Monarch boys en-
ioyed The washington Star race more,
I believe, than any they have COM
peted in and they're coming back"
At least two famous runners are bent
upon redeeming themselves for disap-
pointing performances. These are Billy
Agee, who relinduished the national
crown to his fellow Baltimorean, Clyde
Martak, and the sturdy German, Paul
De Bruyn.
Agee dropped out at the end Of Is
miles In the terrific test Of last Au-
gust 20, but In this reporters estitaa-
ton he was gar1ester clean through.
Only q few knew that Agee had no
make it useless. Defending national
title, ballyhooed as q potential record
breaker, Agee risked humiliation rath-
er than spoil the show. His job last
Summer made it impracticable to train,
but not until few days before the
event was 1t known to race heAdquar-
ters that he might not compete for
want Of condition.
FRIENDS prevailed upon him to
l. make . try and Bounding Billy,
probably feeling martyr, entered.
For Is miles he ran like the champion
he was, either setting or forcing q rec
ord pace. Then condition began to
tell. His feet not properly toughened,
blistered badly. He removed his shoes,
broke the blisters and went It barefoot
for while, every step an agony. The
day was scorcher.
Imagine raw flesh against the shim-
mering heat Of Mount Vernon Boule-
ward! Ouch.
Agee, as modest as he Is game, is
looking grinly to the 1898 race. but
saying little, according to his friend
and coach, the popular Jimmy Ireland.
"Bill doesn't have much to say" we
hear from Ireland, but he's looking
forward to this race ~ he has none
other. He hated In the worst way to
drop out Of The Star marathon last
August A runner can't explain to
everybody. you know, why he quits and
even II he could. lot Of people would
be skeptical. The only way he can
truly vindicate himself is in another
test, and Billy, believe me. will be ready
1OI eLlc IlCAt lIldIdtliOll Ill washington.
Unless something unforeseen occurs be-
tween now and June II, he will be the
runner to beat for that national title.
He wants it back, badly"
VOUR correspondent has . lot Of
| 1 respect for Bill Agee, but his faith
in the BaltimoreAn ID tempered BY
thoughts of Scotchnan named John
Semple.
Semple, national title holder Of Scot
land. but now resident Of Lynn, Mass,
finished creditable fifth in the August
race, but then went on to several i'm
portant victories. A week after running
In Washington he beat smart field In
q regulation marathon at Rockingham.
N. H, field that included the Olympic
champion, Juan Zabala. and the United
States champion, Martak, neither Of
whom finished.
Semple later retained the Champion
ship Of New England. stronghold d
marathon running, and won the Paw
tucket race. an annual event, for the
third straight time.
We believe Semple will be a favorite
when the lads Of the long reaches line
UP on June II at Mount Vernon.