The third annual indoor meeting of the Boston Athletic Association held in Mechanics Hall Saturday night was thoroughly successful and gratifying from the B. A. A. as well as a Harvard point of view. Harvard men brought honor to themselves and the college by the excellent showing they made. Out of the thirteen events, 5 first, 3 second and 6 third prizes were credited to Harvard men, making a total of 40 points, counting first prizes five points, seconds three points, and thirds one point. By the same reckoning the B. A. A. scored 4 first prizes, 2 seconds and 3 thirds, making a total of 29 points. Fifteen of these were won by Harvard athletes who are members of the B. A. A. The above figures do not include the team race between the Boston Athletics picked four and a similar team from the Worcester Club. This event was one of the most exciting contests of the evening. Thompson '93 and Batchelder '92 were on the winning Boston team. The latter did some very pretty running. The management of the meeting was well planned and carried out and the events passed off with little or no unnecessary delay. The raised corners proved a great help and doubtless had much to do with the good time that was made in many cases but there was some doubt expressed as to the correct measurement of the track, many believing that it was short.
The first ten heats of the novice 40 yard dash brought out six Harvard winners, McNear '95, Jameson '95, Priest '95, Johnson Sp., Aurade '92; and Ladd '94. It the semi-finals, McNear, Priest, Andrade and Hurd, B. A. A. won places, while in the final heat Andrade won in 5 seconds, Hurd, B. A. A., second and Priest, third.
Wells '94, Guerin '93, and Worman Sp., won three of the five preliminary heats of the 440 yards dash, novice. The decisive heat from the start lay between Wells and Worman. Both ran in good form, Worman taking the lead and finishing first in 57 1-5 sec., with Wells a yard or two behind.
The next event was the 40 yards dash, handicap, and it brought forth the most enthusiasm from the spectators. Trial heats gave Harvard four places which were won by Bloss '94, scratch; Andrade '92, 3 ft.; Hawes '92, 1 ft.; and Shead '93, 2 ft. All but Hawes succeeded in getting into the semi-finals, and in the finals Bloss and Harding of Columbia ran a dead heat while Andrade took third place. The greatest interest was expressed when Harvard and Columbia represented by Bloss and Harding strove to down each other in the deciding sprint, and when Bloss shot ahead, winning in 4 3-4 seconds and making by this a new world's record, both Harvard and B. A. A. men were most cordial in mutual congratulations.
Harvard failed to do anything in putting the 16 lb. shot but had better success in the novice high jump, Richardson Dn. taking second place with a jump of 5 ft. 4 1-2 in, with Wheelwright '94, third at 5 3 1-2 in. The event was won by a Cambridge man who cleared the bar at 5 ft. 5 1-2 in.
The one mile walk was a very interesting race to watch, Sherman, M. A. C., the scratch man walked in beautiful form and in spite of his handicaps, crossed the line first, covering the distance in 6 m. 44 3-5 s. Bardeen '93, (20 sec.) and Endicott '94, (10 sec.), made a stubborn fight for third prize. Bardeen won by a few feet.
The 440 yards handicap was run in one heat. There were altogether too many men in it to make it perfectly fair for all. At times the men were so bunched that no amount of speed could bring a runner to the front. Merrill '94, with the limit handicap had the pole and took the lead at once. This he kept up running with much ease and speed and won in 53 4-5 sec. Stetson '93, with the same handicap of 20 yards captured the third prize.
None of the Harvard men succeeded in getting a place in either the handicap running high jump or the mile run. The latter was won by Hjertberg, N. J. A. C., (scratch) in 4 min. 28 sec., which considering the circumstances was a remarkable exhibition of running.
The next event was the 250 yards dash, handicap. The trial heats brought out as winners from Harvard, Jameson '95, 10 yds; T. Richardson '95, 6 yds.; A. L. Jackson '95, 10 yds.; Hollis '93, 10 yds. In the finals, A. L. Jackson, 10 yds., ran in very pretty style, running in 28 3-5 sec.; Richardson '95, second.
Harvard fared no better in the 880 yards handicap run than in the mile run. In the 300 yards hurdle, Allen '93, 10 yds., succeeded in coming in third.
The pole vault was the only event on the programme which was not finished. The bar was at 9 ft. 6 1-2 inches when the contest was postponed until Monday.
Read more in News
Special Notice.