Evening star., 1939-04-29
6. u, Maryland
Hopeful After
Poor Starts
Gain Fourth Places
In Team Races; c. U.
And A. u. Strive
BY BILL BONI,
Associated Press Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA, April 29.-Be-
cause its blue and gold colors are
worn by Long John Woodruff. one OF
the worlds finest runners, the Uni
versity of Pittsburgh today stood an
extra good chance Of making an un-
precedented haul of championships
in the 45th annual Penn Relay Car
nival.
The Panthers opened fire in yes
terday's opening program by taking
down the quarter-mile and sprint
medley championships. This after
noon, in addition to being standouts
in defense of their half-mile and
mile crowns, they also are rated on
equal terms with any of their rivals
in the 2-mile race.
Thus Pitt, by the end of the day,
may have bagged five titles, more
than one school ever has won in any
single year of this track and field
extravaganza.
Georgetown and Maryland, fourth
yesterday in the sprint and distant
medleys, respectively, were hopeful
Of better luck today. The Hoyas
were out after Pitts championship
in the college 1-mile relay while the
TerpS were to run in the 4mile
and class B mile events. Catholic
and American Universities also were
to see action today in the Mason
Dixon Conference mile relay, while
Eastern High, also of Washington,
was to run in the mile relay for high
schools.
Terps Mildly Surprise.
Marylands fourth place in the
distance medley, won by North Texas
State, was a mild surprise inasmuch
as the Terps finished ahead of such
teams as Pitt and N. Y. U. The
College Parkers were second until
the three-quarter mile lap when it
fell to fifth. only to snap back and
finish just behind Michigan.
Georgetown, handicapped in the
lane assignments, never was in the
running as NJ Y. U. and Fordham
were the only teams to challenge
Pitt.
Washington schools gained some
consolation when Hermie Evans,
Marylands crack hurdler. finished
second in the 400-meter hurdles.
Since the Pittsburgh baton
passers were successful in the 40
without Woodruff, they may elect
to gamble on the same team in the
half-mile. If they decide to follow
through with Woodruff all the way.
then Long John will be asked to
carry the anchor-man burden in all
three events. with only As minutes
rest between the 2-mile and the mile.
1t is this latter event. of all to-
days 78 contests involving 5000
athletes from North. East, South,
Midwest and Southwest, which has
aroused the most interest. Even the
oldest Penn relay observers can't
recall when the field for this climatic
race was so we'll balanced. and
chances are the winner will have to
improve on the meet record of 3:154
set in 1882 by Olympian Bill Carr
and his University of Pennsylvania
mates.
Georgetown Minor Factor.
Chief rivals to Pittsburgh and
Woodruff in the mile should be
Fordham. indoor world record
holder at 1852; New York u, which
pushed the Rams to that perform
ance at Dartmouth last month, and
Michigan, which hit 3:19 in winning
the Big Ten championship. But if
any of these four should slack of.
perhaps because its stars have had
to double up, then Manhattan,
Georgetown or some other fresher
foursome may sneak through.
But it's sure shot that in any
race in which he runs, the man
who wants to beat Woodruff will
have to be holding a tremendous
lead when the Olympic 800-meter
champion decides to let out that
giant stride. That was only too
evident yesterday, when Long John
came up from third place on the
anchor leg of the spring medley to
win by Is yards "breezing."
Besides Pitt, chief threats in the
half-mile appear to be N. Y. u.
Cornell and Penn; in the 2-mile,
MdHIldCtdl, N. I. ". dIlo rViuIldH,
in the 4-mile, North Texas State,
which won the distance medley yes
terday; Manhattan and Michigan,
and in the shuttle hurdles, in which
Pitt is not entered, Pennsylvania
and Yale.
In addition to these events, today's
program included individual compe-
tin,, in fvo fiold ovontc q hatch ~
minor college relays and 18 high
school mile relay races. which sup
ply the bulk of the performers and
draw the biggest share of the crowd.