Alton High School - Tatler Yearbook (Alton, IL)

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“T1IE TATLER.” i9 The fifth event was the hundred yard dash. This event was won by Dial, of Granite City, an old timer, and Iiat’s the way lie ran. Dial’s relationship to time of course gave him an advantage and let him come in a fraction of second before Allen. About this time we heard rumors that Ed. Enos had decided to take some exercise in jumping. Ed. would like umping all right, but for the inconvenience of having to walk back each time to the starting point; this takes time nd lal)or. He jumped 9 feet 11 inches in the standing broad jump. We may say to the credit of one of his rivals, hat he would have been close to Ed., if his toes had counted. When the broad jump was over, the hurdles had been put in position for the 120-yard low hurdle race.This is inch like going over a low fence and we had forgotten that our man Allen’s house had no fence about it on which ie might practice. This handicap proved his undoing. In the case of our rivals from Granite City, Upper Alton or Ldwardsville, it was possible for them to go to the pasture fence, watch brindle go over a few times, and imitate, iranite City’s man had taken notice, imitated successfully, and won this event in 16 3 5 seconds. The next performance was the high jump. High water had trained the Granite City boys to jump for high places;—you well know that the Mississippi occasionally sends an extra supply of II2 () to Granite City, to keep them from drying up. As soon as the stranger saw the pond at the side of the hill on which he was jumping, there was no use trying other means of stopping him than by raising and stretching the standards. This event was not over until 5 feet 3 inches were cleared and recorded. In the half-mile, Goudie of Alton, deserved great credit. The Granite City coach seemed to respect Goudie and 'to have lost confidence in his own man, for lie ran with the runners and coached his man around the track. This act should have disqualified Granite City, but for some reason as yet unsolved, perhaps lack of knowledge of the rules, jit was allowed. At 50 yards from the finish Goudie was in the lead, but fell back, and Granite City barely won. Two minutes and thirteen seconds was the time. When the hammer throw was called, all knew what to expect. After Neininger had thrown the hammer once, he was sized up by some; the second time bv more; and the third time by all. The lads that would have liked to beat him lx re a look that meant, when translated for us, about the same as the first part of the Alton man’s name. Of

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18 “THE T A T L E R.’ ’ brought into strenuous service and judging from the noise that continued during the noon hour some musically in dined individuals must have liked to blow better than to eat. y At 1130 all were on deck for the athletic events. Some novices among the spectators couldn’t understand hov. the athletes could run their best so soon after lunch, hut they were told by those who knew, that at 6 p. m. th athletes would eat their first scjuarc meal since training began. They certainly could run. as was shown when the 50 yard dash was called. Mathews, of Alton, had such an easy time over his opponents in the preliminary event, tha an over anxious longing to show them up in the final caused him to start too soon, and as a penalty he was set bad, three yards. A three-yard handicap in a fifty-yard sprint is a big one, hut Marry left all his competitors hut one behind, and the time was 5 3 5 seconds. The next event was the shot put. Just before this event, a made to order on the large scale sort of a fellow, came round one of the buildings on the grounds, carrying a spy glass. He was the Granite City shot putter a a used the spy glass in order to locate the shot; it looked like a B. B. to him. When the measure showed that he ha-put the 12-lh. shot 38 ft. 9 in., Degenhardt smiled and felt bigger than ever, after having come so close to so large, man. This big fellow was labled I lowe of Granite City—maybe because he knew how. The excitement was increasing and when we heard a noise like a gun, we thought someone had become ovet excited and had decided to bombard Upper Alton. We were mistaken,—it was the beginning of the 440; everyol hustled to windward, for all knew Ed. would stir up some dust. Ed. has a watch fob made of medals and he mu. have intended to give this medal first place, for the event didn’t look much like a race; one incredulous person sai something about “a loose brick” when told it was a race, but afterward apologized. Ed. liked it so well that he ran . few seconds longer than usual; 56 seconds being the time. Next on the program came an event in which the men appeared as knights with 14 and 15-foot spears. SonK of them, in performing their feats, made horrible faces—faces that Wolf’s sensitive nature could not endure. He resigned and quit this mediaeval sort of game; he couldn’t make that kind of face and didn’t want to look pleasant alone. Varnum, of Granite City, won at 9 ft. 4 in.

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20 ‘ T H E T A T L E R.’ ’ course it wasn’t very nice of Alonzo to take the biggest piece of pie, but we have forgiven him long ago. One hundred and twenty-five feet was enough to win. The calls for the 220 sounded to all like the tolling of funeral bells. Alton was going to see Ed. run the last time for Alton High; our competitors for the county pennant were going to see their man disappear in a cloud of dust; Again, we were happy because we were going to win the event, while our competitors were happy because they were going to say good bye to an athlete who, in a way. never did look good to them, but in a bigger way always did. In 24 3 5 seconds it was all over. We had won the last two events and were not worrying much when the running broad jump was called. Besides it was growing dark, and Mathews had arranged to go to the circus in the evening and had most of his mind fixed on the sights he was to see there. The Granite City man knew that honors would be the only happiness corn-j ing his way for the evening and used all his powers. He jumped 19 feet 2 inches and won the event; Mathews was second best man. The Alton team had decided not to let the Granite City boys leave feeling conceited, and had resolved to win the last five |X)ints and the honors for the relay race. They only waited for the rest to get ready and then mighj have waited longer for them to catch up. The relay team only made us wait 1 minute and 31 seconds for result and we departed with the sun. So in the history of the Madison County High School Association this meet, held or the 5th of May, 1906, is recorded as ending with the Granite City school successful. Alton second. Collinsville third and Upper Alton. Edwardsville, Madison and Highland following in order. Although we met defeat and rcgrettec it bitterly, we extend to the victors the hand of friendship and good will, hoping them success in all future undertakings.—excepting the High School meets. E. F. P. H. C.—Oh. look at the put shot! Oh. no, I mean shooting the put.