Evening star., 1940-04-23
Clever Relay Quartet
Also Will Be Sent
To Penn Carnival
Nearby Virginia Squads
Starting Action With
Bright Prospects
By ROBERT HENRY.

BY ROBERT HENRY.
Taking advantage Of yesterdays
clear weather, Hardy Pearce, whose
Central High track teams have won
two interhigh championships and
placed second twice in the last four
years, looked pleased as he watched
his big squad of IS go through its
first outdoor PAGES In over a week.
Preparing for its meet today with
University Of Maryland freshmen at
College Park, the squad revealed
considerable promise, especially Ave
boys who also will compete in the
Penn Relays Friday and Saturday.
Although bad weather had forced
indoor practice, the tracksters ap-
peared to be in good form. While
Pearce had hopes of revenging the
one-point defeat the Maryland
freshman inflicted on his team last
year. in the meet this afternoon the
former George Washington gridman
was looking toward the Penn Relays.
He has Al Hayden, John Bredbenner,
Bill Edgerton, Clayton Norris and
Johnny Thomas from which to select
a quartet. They seek the scholastic
mile relay championship of America.
Hayden Ace Of Team.
Hayden, of course, is certain to
rum Pearce said. Hes been our
mainstay since 1887. But the other
four are about equal and I don't
know just which three to choose.
They've been running together for
three years now and all except
Thomas are letter men. Johnny,
however, is improving rapidly"
In various combinations these
boys have enjoyed continued sue
cess. In 1888 and 1899 they won
eight races and suffered their first
loss this winter when Catholic High
of Philadelphia beat them at Catho-
lie University. This was made up
at the Maryland 5th Regiment
games at Baltimore, the Southern
Conference meet at Chapel Hill. N.
c., and the Duke races at Durham,
N. c. Central won two relays at
Durham, taking the sprint medley
and the mile. Hayden was anchor
man both times.
Captain of the present team,
Hayden has quite record. He's
outstanding at the 44O but some
times runs the half mile.
Breaks Interhigh Mark.
Last year AL broke the interhigh
44o record in helping Central win
the meet and also won at this dis
tance at the &C" Club games as
we'll as The Star A. A. U. scholastic
events at College Park. Last week
ne helped Central beat Episcopal by
taking his speciality.
Last year Norris, whose father
once starred on the cinderpath for
Central, ran the half, but has i'm
proved since going in for the 44o
Besides track, Bredbenner also has
made his mark in football Thomas
father, incidentally, was a former
Central grid coach.
The draw for positions in the
Penn games has Pearce a bit wor-
rled. Some % teams will compete
and 1t depends on how they are
divided whether his teams Is posi-
ton is bad or good. "If they sep
arate the teams, as they sometimes
do, it might mean my team will
start from third place in the third
neat" Pearce said But If they
don't work it that Way it will he had
indeed"
Nearby Virginians Active.
Those three halls of knowledge
across the river, Washington-Lee.
George Washington High and Epis-
copal, are busy these days with
track as we'll as baseball.
Today Episcopal was to invade
Tech High for dual meet, and while
Coach Thompkins says he has the
greenest squad he's had in 20 years.
there is hope for first here and
there. Friday his team will engage
Washington-Lee and Eastern at
home, starting at 3:15.
Probably the best runner on the
Episcopal team is Bill Willis. who
won both the 100 and 22O against
Central last week. Two other win
ners against Central were Dave
March, who took the half mile, and
Motley Lee, pole vaulter, who cleared
10 feet, but has done II.
Legg, Carr Lead WI.
Johnny Baker, Wsshington-r,ee
coach, has two of the best athletes
IN this sector in Wally Legg and Bill
Carr. Legg, dash and hurdle artist,
won the 100 and high hurdle at the
recent Central District meet at
Richmond and also against Central
High. Carr, who last year tied the
half-mile record in the &C" Club
meet, won the 440 and the half at
Richmond.
Three other promising boys on this
team ere Merrill Hoover, the football
star who last fall kicked 30 out of 80
extra point tries and who now is
trying his luck at putting the shot
and tossing the discus. He took Sec
ond IN the latter event at Richmond.
Deem lee, a better than average
nan miller, and Buddy Clark, 44O
Richmond.
George Washington, coached by
Willis Brenner, has several capable
Youngsters in Harvey Bourn, AL
Block, Leo Grammar and Eddie Will
hams. All are readying for a home
meet Wednesday with Montgomery
Blair and Woodrow Wilson. Bourn is
miller, Block a discus man and
Williams and Gauman are good half
milers.