Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day had reached the half mile in about 2 mins. 3 secs. he would cer– tainly have been inside 4 mins. ro secs. for the whole distance. The world's amateur record of 4 mins. r2i secs. established by N. S. Taber, U.S.A., in rgr5, I cannot discuss, since it was made in a handicap specially framed in order to draw the runner all out. The following analysis of six of the fastest miles ever run is of great interest: rSS6 rgog I9I3 rgrs 1921 1923 W.G. W. C. J. P. N. S. A. G. P. George Paull ]ones Taber Hill Nurmi secs. secs. secs. secs. secs. secs. rst 440 yds. sst 57 6rt ss 1 59! ss 6 2nd 440 yds. 63! :. 66 67% 67 ' 64i 63 \- 3rd 440 yds. 66 :· 67! 66t 6S 67! 64-r%- 4th 440 yds. 65 . 67! sst 59i 62} 63_~ One Mile 4.I2f 4·I7t 4·I4f 4.I2i 4.13! 4.IOj One of the most amazing races ever seen was the Olympic r,soo metres at Stockholm in rgr2. That year we sent over– seas what was probably the poorest Olympic team that has ever left these shores, and the last thing we expected was to win a middle distance event. For the r,soo metres, America had thr e sound men in J. P . ]ones, N. S. Taber and A. Kiviat, who had shown 4 mins. rsi secs., 4 mins. r6 secs., and 4 mins. rS secs. respectively for a mile. That A. N. S. Jackson, not long up at Oxford from Malvern, where he had strained his heart in ste plechasing, could br ak up that combination was unbelievable, but with the help of P . J. Baker, the Cambridge Blue, his long, rangy build, and tremendous springy stride, he did achieve the seemingly impossible, b cause both he and Baker ran one of the brainiest races that has ever been witnessed on any cinder path.