Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21
NEAREXHAUST|0N,.
TURNS ON STEAM
Timed in 1:49.2 and 1:48.4
in His Remarkable Feat.
Handicaps Beat Him.
BY SCOTTY RESTON,
Associated Press Sporta Writer.


LONDON, Aug. 2o.-Sydney Wood
ersol, Britain's beloved Leather Legs"
broke two world records in a single
race today and lost the race.
On the same Hotspur Park track on
which he established the world out
door mile mark of 1864 a year ago.
the 26-year-old clerk smashed thu,
records for half mile and 800 meters
and then practically collapsed at the
finish.
He was clicked in l 1872 for the half
and 1:484 for 800 meters. The pre-
vious record for both distances was set
at 1895 by Elroy Robinson Of San
Francisco at New York on July II,
1887. Robinson was not timed at the
metric distance, about five yards
short Of half mile, but was given
the record since his time bettered the
existing mark
The man who beat Wooderson today
was his own brother Stanley. That
happened because Stanley got an s5-
yard start and was just one Of five men
who set the pace for Leather Legs"
Wins Plaudits Of Critic.
All legs and weighing only l24
pounds, Wooderson was grabbed by
the crowd Of 5000, lifted on their
shoulders and paraded around the
park when it was announced he had
broken the records
One of the most surprised and
pleased spectators at the meet was
Jack Lovelock, famous middle -dis-
lance star who set world record at
$500 meters in the 1886 Olympic
games Lovelock, who yesterday had
criticized Wooderson adversely for at
tempting to break the record, remarked
after the race: ~
The remarkable thing about this
Is that conditions were not very IA
vorable. I insist we haven't yet seen
the best Of this superb little runner"
A bad hull going into the last 220
yards nearly cost Wooderson his twp
records. Visihly. exhausted at that
point. his face contorted, he appeared
to be run out But suddenly he spurted
near the end and finished miraculously.
Pace Faster Than Planned.
J Furniss, starting with handicap
of eight yards, set the pace and set 1t
faster than had been planned, % that
Wooderson ran the first 220 IN 257
seconds. He did the next furlong IN
2es and now had passed Furniss and
was well under his schedule Che had
planned to run each half Of the race
in 81 seconds.
He fell away slightly in the third
220, which required 27.8, and when he
faltered going into the last lap he ap-
peared to be beaten.
But 1t was here that Wooderson
started going. Trailing both his brother
and F. s. Whittingham, who had been
spotted 10 yards, he passed the latter
not far from home and nearly caught
his brother at the tape. =,
The remarkable thing about the pen
sons third public half-mile race. This
is the first season he ever has tried
the distance, for previously he had
specialized in the mile and $500 meters
His performance was by way of
being slap in the face to other
British half-milers who had been in.
vited to race against him, but had re-
fused. No explanation was given for
their refusal, but it is generally be-
lieved they resented Being asked to
run in handicap race. -
Woodersons next goal is Lovelocks
1,500-meter record Of 3:z7S He will
go after that in the European cham-
pionships. -