Evening star., 1939-02-27
A. A. j. Athletes
In Nick Of Time
Setting Marks
Metric System Is Out
For Indoor Events;
Many Records Go
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK. Feb 27.-The boys
didn't know it, but they planked
down a flstful of metric records in
the A. A. U. championships just in
time. 1t looks as if the United
States will be off the metric stand
ard indoors for a long time to come.
The Executive Committee of the
Amateur Athletic Union, meeting
Sunday with memories of the meet
still warm, recommended that future
A. A. U. indoor competition be con-
Quoted with yards and miles meas
urements. This action is expected
to be confirmed at the annual con-
ventlon in Miami next December.
Thus will disappear one of the
last American outposts of the inter
national standard" introduced here
seven years ago in preparation for
the Olympic games at Los Angeles.
A. A. U. Stands Alone.
The intercollegiate A. A. A. A.,
whose indoor championships next
Saturday headline this weeks track
and field program. already has re-
turned to the yards-and-m miles sys-
tenn. The National Collegiate A. A..
whose rules govern the Big Ten
championships this week, never
left it.
This leaves the A. A. U. outdoor
championships alone among all the
track meets in the United States
still on the international standard.
There have been frequent sugges-
tions for shift to the American plan,
but 1t Is doubtful any change will be
made before the 1910 Olympics, if
ever.
Daniel j. Ferris, secretary-treas-
urer of the A. A. u. explained the
desirabllity of continuing the use of
meters outdoors lay in the chance
1t gives American athletes to achieve
records at internationally recognized
distances and to compare their per-
tormances with such marks.
Indoor records are not recognized
by the International Federation and
therefore, he said, there was no point
in the A. A. U. adhering to meters
when all other races are in wards,
American records in all cases are the
best indoor marks known and are
recognized in this country as world
standards.
Notable Exploits Numerous.
For these reasons, performances at
the 5lst A. A. U. championships
Saturday night appear destined for
posterity.
Included in the exploits to be re-
membered are these:
Allan Tolmich of Detroit travelled
IS meters over five hurdles in "a
seconds, one-tenth better than his
own world record.
The 1,600-meter relay team of the
69th Regiment A. A.-Howie Borck,
Dick Squire, Lou Burns and Carley
Beetham-shaved six-tenths off the
world record with a 3:172 effort.
The 290O-meter medley relay
combination of the New York A. c.
Ed Stripping. Ed OSullivan. Gene
Venzke and Phil Graves-did 1908
to cut seven-tenths off the old world
record.
Herbert Thompson of Jersey City
equaled the world mark for the
60-meter dash in Sc.
Don Lash of Indiana Tapped the
entire field in the 5,000-meter run
to set a new record for an American
citizen, 14:309.
Lash, who was awarded the 1888
Sullivan Trophy yesterday as the
athlete who did the most to advance
the cause of sportsmanship, will race
against Glenn Cunningham, the
durable Kansan, in a special 2-mile
race as part of the I. c. A. A. A. A.
jamboree. Cunningham retained his
1,5OO-meter title Saturday with
3:54.6 performance.