Evening star., 1941-03-14
In Trim, haryIander
Should Make Stars
Step Tomorrow
Tommy Can Muster Speed
When Needed; Kehoe
Tuned for I 900
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

" d1lCI N4Cl1ls OCl1NlS -I1dll Gu lllllC1
from Wisconsin,, is the favorite in
the Presidents Mile" tomorrow
night at Uline Arena, where the
Washington A. A. will stage its first
annual indoor jamboree. But Walter
can't exactly figure himself home
until he slams the door on a crack
field that includes at least one new
conner Of note, Tommy Fields Of
Maryland.
Mehl, one up on Leslie MaCMltCh-
ell, his foremost rival, in seven races,
has turned in several notable VIC
tories this season and is anxious to
top off the campaign with another
in the gallop named for the Chief
Executive. He should win if form
counts at all because he is far and
away the most polished runner in
the field and has proved his ability
to 60 the distance consistently
around 4:1O, but form may not run
true this time.
Walter romped away with the
Killion Mile last Monday night in
the Catholic University games in
the record-SmaShing time of 4:185.
Numbered among his victims were
John Munski and Gene Venzke, who
also will oppose him tomorrow. The
same evening Fields turned in a
scintillating 2:121 to capture the
ReCtOr's 1000 and this, too, was an
other record. beating the old mark
Of PITS made by jim Kehoe.
Fields Fast Under Pressure.
Now you don't have to be an
EinStein to figure out that if
fellow can run 1000 yards in those
figures he can go the remaining 76O
yards in minutes to complete
full mile in approximately 4:l2 if
he's a top-flight miller. On paper,
this appears to be way over Tommys
head. He's never run that fast be-
fore, although he was clocked in
AIS anChoring Maryland's distance
medley relay team in the MillroSe
games at New York. Campbell Kane
OF Indiana beat him to the tape
that night, but only because of
tremendous lead handed him by
the No. HooSier
If Tommy can run back to that
performance it means Mehl will
have to increase his tempo several
seconds to lead the way home and
every indication points to faster time
for this race because both boys like
the track and are in the proverbial
pink. What makes it so difficult to
figure are the personalities of
Mehl and Fields. Walter has to
feel just so before he can do his
best He's got to know" he is right
or he doesn't come up to par re-
gardless of his physical condition.
Fields. on the other hand, adapts
himself to the company he's in, run
ming just fast enough to win on
previous occasions and only EXTEND
ing himself, as in the Millrose games,
when he's trying to recover lost
ground.
Gears Himself to Race.
He won both the Southern Con-
ference mile and 2-mile champion
ships in 4:221 and 9:435, respec-
tively-not even within shouting
distance of record time. In the
Maryland-5th Regiment games at
. Baltimore last week he captured
the Governors Mile in a fraction
over 4:24.
Not very impressive figures, to be
sure, but then Tommy was not hunt
ing records. but merely out to win
If he could have walked the dis
tances and still won it's a safe wager
he would have done so and if he can
beat Mehl in 4:56 or 10 minutes he'll
do it. But if MehI wants to travel
at his customary 4:10 pace you can
rest assured therell be a young, cot
ton-topped youngster by the name
of Fields treading on his heels and
pushing him every inch of the way.
That's the way he runs, gearing him.
self for the race at hand and not
worrying about time.
Munski and Venzke, of course, will
be in the thick of the fight and off
past performances rate higher than
Fields, who will be making his first
start in this sort of company. All
are better suited, physically, for the
gruelllng test, but none has stouter
heart or a more courageous COM
petitive spirit and these are impor-
tant factors.
Trio in Good Trim.
Nor will Tommy concede anything
TO any of them in the way Of fast
pace or Furnishing finishing kick. He
doesn't save much for the finish
when he's trying, just enough to
make last-lap sprint for the wire.
Mehl, Fields and Jimmy Kehoe
are ready for the test after a week
of training at Maryland. Mehl never
looked better and is ready for the
best his opponents have to offer.
That goes for Kehoe, too, who is
meeting up with Charley Beetham,
his perennial rival, in the 1,00O-yard
invitation. Beetham whipped Jim by
a nose in the Phi Kappa $50 last
EEo,dov ,oioht and the Washington