Evening star., 1939-06-15

UlSdT1 mueT, Dho tDuL run tn
the mile OF the century" at
Princeton Saturday..
BY WILLIAM H. STONEMAN.
LONDON, June Is (NA.N.A)-
sgd" Wooderson, half-pint and
soft-spoken world champion in the
mile, the half mile, the three-quar-
ter mile and the 300 miters, typically
is noratorical when he discusses
the race at Princeton Saturday,
when he will run an invitation race
against the greatest milers in Amer
lea.
He never has run against most of
the others who are expected to run
that day-Glenn Cunningham, Gene
Venzke and others, most of whom
reel off the mile in lis or less. He
Will have been in America just about
five days when the race takes place.
And his whole reputation-built up
by series of almost incredible per-
formances during the last two years
will be at stake. If he fails in the
invitation mile, Sydney still NAV be
the world ,ecord holder (and then
again he ltay not), but in any case
he will haze lost his place as a
super man.
These great races are like the
Derby; they are match races. and
the thing that counts is to get over
the finish line first. Whatever YOU
may have done in the past doesn't
make any difference.
Perfectly Calm About Race,
You might expect a fellow to be
emotional in the face of such a sit
uation. But not Sydney. Sydney
just isn't built that way.
Sydney won't even say whas he
expects to do in the race. He does
nope" to win, but he isn't at all
sure. And he won't say how fast
ne expects to do the distance. There
however, is his record to show what
he may do.
Sydr eys world record in the mile
is 4:06 4-established in a handican
race at the London Universities
track, Motspur Park, London in
1881. Since then he has been reel
ing of one tremendous performance
after another. He habituallv does
tne distance in less than Ais, At
Camoerley several weeks ago he did
u IN 4:l4.8. At Bournville on Nav
Il ne did it in 4:12, while evervhody
expected him to do it in about a .20
He followed that on Nav 30 with
4;o'4 time in London race.
incidentally, Sydney holds the
worlo record in the half mile with
the fantistic, dreamland time of
l:492, and the world record for am
meters IN the equally soul-stirrine
time OF l:48.4, and recently ran the
hree-quarter mile in 1855 to shat.
ter the old mark.
Friends See Fast Mile.
"A rev years ago such records would
nave been regarded as impossihle
1nose were the dear old davs when
really great college stars were d.
Ing the 100 yards in 0.0ea tho
quarter in So seconds. the half milo
III l:oo and the mile in Ais or .20
PEOPLE here in England have been
.nlnking that Sydney may crack
Aus when he gets on the fast track
there at Princeton, provided, of
course, that he hasn't been thrown
on his stride by the long trip, the
change OF food and hot weather
IT is even regarded as possible that
ne Will do 4:04 when he gets up
against the red-hot competition that
they have to offer over on the other
sloe OF the Atlantic. It is suggested
That he may run the first quarter in
90 seconds, the second in 81. the
thlrd IN 63 and the last in 60.
IT, says Sydney, Il was going tc
90 a mile in 4:04, I suppose that
would map it out that way: The
first quarter in even time, the sec
ond little slower, the third a little
slower still and the last one in
minute fiat. But it's impossible to
say whether or not can plan to do
1t that way. Well simply have to
see."
All that Sydney will ask for it
good fast competition and the faster
the better.
Il hope that they will start out
fast and keep up a hot pace right
up to the finish," he says. In that
case ought to do we'll I don't
want them to drag"
Not Afraid of Boxing"
Sydney, incidentally, has made
some of his best performances in
handicap races where there was
never any question of boxing" or
other dirty work. If anybody at
Princeton tries anything along that
line-which should be capital Of
fense-one of two things will hap
pen. Sydney (who, after all, still
can run mile faster than anybody
else in the world, either will take a
detour and leave the others, or he
will be badly bal]ed up and lose the
race. Personally, he isn't looking for
anything like that.
He doesn't expect to be bothered
by the short training period in
America. THE five days there won't
give me time to get off my stride"
he SAYS, II hope that it won't maize