Evening star., 1938-05-16
SPEEDSTERS0F 10
SET GREAT MARKS
Rivals Now Fear Griff Has
Motor Cycle Disguised
as Man for Test.
Es a stan Correspondent Of The Star.

dS WdII IUI ICSls
NEW YORK, May 16.-Clark Grit
fifth, Washington's craftiest citizen, has
hurled a challenge in the teeth of the
world-and specifically In the teeth
.of w. Benjamin Chapman-on behalf
of young ball player named George
Washington Case. Griff says that his
protege can outrun 'em all, including
Chapman.
The test would be straightaway
dash, of perhaps hundred yards,
rather than a sprint around the bases.
Chapman, now wearing the livery OF
the Boston Red Sox, never has denied
that he is the fastest runner in base
ball The truth is sacred to Ben, and
-he sees no reason to trifle with it.
There are other nominees for the
title, though. The Yankees place their
future book bets on Joe Vance, the
pitcher, and Red Rolfe, the third base
man. The Cardinals swear by Don
Gutteridge and Frenchy Bordagary
and Stu Martin The Dodgers have
been keeping Van Lingle Mungo under
wraps, ready to slip him into an aver
night stake race. and the Athletics
own fleet mudder in Wallie Moses.
Case Commands Respect.
Young George Washington Case,
wearing the cherry and blue silks OF
the Griffith Stable. is the newest threat
to the field. Being a STRIPPING. he has
no record, but it pays to keep your
~ eyes open when Mr.. Griffith makes a
bet Rival magnateS are willing to
respect the entry sight unseen.
"Griff probably has got motor cycle
disguised as man. said one noted
sportsman, who shall be nameless. L
would not trust him as far as I can
pitch a pipe-organ.'
This matter should be settled at
once. A track and field day would
be a fine thing for the game of base
ball-a series of track and field days
would be still better.
Looking back through Francis Rich
ter's History and Records of Base
ball" published in 1914, I find that
, they staged a grand carnival of speed.
skill and workmanship in Cincinnati
cinnati and Pittsburgh ball players,
and few picked specialists from the
minor leagues competed, They ran
off every kind of event, from circling
bases to fungo hitting.
Lcbert Gets the Medals.
Old John Lobert-Hans Of the con-
vex legs, who roars like a sea lion on
sthe Cincinnati coaching line-Was the
Jesse Owens of the era. Old John,
beardless youth in those days. circum-
navigated the bases in Is As seconds
and ran the hundred yards in 10 Sec
onds fiat. uniform and all.
Mr. Richter, the historian, relates:
Official timers, who have been
officiating at Cincinnati amateur and
professional meets for years, did the
clocking. and city surveyors did the
surveying. so the new records cannot
be questioned In the 100-yard
dashes and in the circling-the-bases
contest the runners started from pis-
tol reports Alfred Brodbeck. physi-
cal director of Cincinnati University
did the pistol firing.
Aside from slight breeze, which
tust stirred the leaves on the trees
there was no wind blowing, SO the
performance went down In baseball
record books as official
Record Throw by LIE Jeune.
Another world record Of the time
was created by Sheldon LIE Jeune,
then playing with the Evansville club |
lin the old Central League, who |
heaved a regulation baseball 426 feet
Ga inches
Here is the summary of the days !
events. as Mr.. Richter preserved them !!
for poSterity:
Beating out a bunt-John Lobert |
and Ward Miller, both of Cincinnati,
tied at 325 seconds and divided the !
prize money.
"Fungo hitting-Won by Rowan of
Cincinnati. Distance, 1913 feet 6l2 |
inches.
"Crcling the bases-Campbell of
Pittsburgh and Lobert of Cincinnati,
tie Time, IA seconds. In the rum
off Lobert won by repeating the cir
cult in 1895 seconds.
CdlCIlcIS dCCul dtc UIu OWAl6-
Won by Mclean of Cincinnati by |
making two bull's-eyes out of three |
throws.
Pitchers control contest-Won by |
Harry Gaspar. Cincinnati. Record,
8 strikes out of II balls thrown.
"Outflelders' accurate throwing
Paskert. Cincinnati, and Wilson,
Pittsburgh. tied on two throws, Pas
kert winning on the third.
"100-yard dash-Won by Lobert,
Cincinnati; Campbell. Pittsburgh, |
second, and w. Miller. Cincinnati,
third. j. Miller, Pittsburgh, also
started Time, 10 seconds"
Wagner Had Great Arm.
For the sake Of the record, might
add that Mr. Richter cites a throw
by Honus Wagner, turned loose in
1898, which carried 1874 yards foot
8 inches. The Dutchman was one
of the greatest throWers of his time,
as well as one of the greatest every
thing else.
Somewhat along the lines of that
day of fitting and tourneying in 1910,
track and field days should be Or
ganized this summer in all big league
cities. The players love this kind of
stuff. And it won't scare the Gus
toners away.
Copyright 1898. By the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)