BASCOM JOHNSON,
Worcester Academy.
A. N. RICE,
Noble's School, Boston.
An unusually small crowd turned out to witness the New England Interscholastics on Holmes Field a week ago Friday. The meeting, however, proved an exceptionally good one, and although but few records were broken, the general standard of performance was uniformly excellent. The figures were changed in the mile bicycle, half-mile run, and pole vault, and those equalled were the 120-yard hurdle and the 320-yard flat.
Worcester Academy won the meet, with English High second, and Andover third. Worcester High, last year's champions, landed in eighth place. The day was warm and still, without being sultry; just an ideal day for record-breaking. The track was in excellent condition. The standards set by the Executive Committee of the N.E.I.S.A.A., which must be attained by the athletes who are to be sent to the National Games, Saturday, were equalled or excelled in all but two events—the mile walk and the shot—and as it is well known that the winners of both these events are capable of at least equalling those standards, it was determined by special vote to send them to New York. It will be seen, too, that in every event in which the conditions are similar to those obtaining at the recent New York Interscholastics, with the exceptions of the hammer and the quarter, the New England records are superior. Verily these New England boys will be a hard crowd to beat!
The first event on the programme was the 100-yard dash. Jones of Andover won, in 10-2/5 sec., with Robinson of W. A. second, and Kane of E. H.-S. third. Jones tied the record, 22-2/5 sec., in the 220. Robinson and Kane drew second and third places. The half-mile was the best performance of the day. About fifteen started, and ran in a bunch for a lap. Then Hanson, E.H.-S., let himself out, followed closely by Albertson, W. H., and Gaskill, P. A. A. Hanson's pace proved too much for the others, and when he turned into the homestretch he was leading by twenty yards, and seemed to be adding a little with every stride. He finished in excellent form, having lowered the record from 2 m. 5-1/5 sec. to 2 m. 1-1/5 sec. There was a pretty race for second place. Albertson, last year's champion, finally got it by a narrow margin over Gaskill.
A big field started in the mile run. Mills of Berkeley took the pole and held it throughout. He gave a fine exhibition of running, and won in the fast time of 4 m. 33-4/5 sec.; but he was so far superior to the others that as a race the event was a failure. Sullivan of W. H. was second, and Palmer of Andover a good third. When the time was announced, it was thought that the record had been broken, as Laing's time was down on the score-card as 4 m. 34-2/5 sec., but on investigation it was found that Laing's record was 4 m. 32-2/5 sec.
The best race of the meet was in the final heat of the 440. Bascom Johnson, W. A., took the lead, followed by Warren, C. H. and L., and Whitcomb, P. E. A. They held this order until the turn into the homestretch. Then Johnson let out a little, and won by a scant five yards. Warren was plugging along, trying to save second place from the smaller Whitcomb, but Whitcomb gained surely, step by step, and plunged across the line second.