ATHLETICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2475, 14 April 1909, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

WHY SHRUBB LOST TO LONGBOAT TOBACCO SMOKE AND CHANGE OF SHOES. In a letter home to. Sussex friends, Alfred Shrubb states that in his race with Tom Longboat on sth February he was greatly distressed by the great volume of tobacco smoke which filled Madison Square Garden, and lie thinks he could beat Longboat in a race in the open. Some time ago Shrubb, through the New, York Press, asked spectators, of the race on sth February to refrain from smoking—at any' rate, until after the fifteenth mile—but apparently the appeal had no effect. Shrubb has plenty of American admirers and sympathisers, but that he is nob a Marathon runner is the unanimous opinion. A contributory to defeat is thought to have been the change of running shoes after covering twenty-one miles, and over-exertion consequent on the endeavor tii regain the advantage lost during the temporary stoppage. Other people, again, think that Shrubb made too much use of hhnsejf in the’ early miles of the race. Meanwhile, Longboat, who is now hailed, as the world’s champion longdistance runner, will not he permitted to rest on his laurels long, for Matt Maloney, who was tho best amateur Marathon runner in America, lias sent in his resignation as an amateur to President James Sullivan, of the A.A.XJ-, and in- a letter'to the press lie proceeded to challenge Longboat to a race at the M'arathon distanco for from £SOO to £IOOO a-side. John J. Hayes is also hot on tho trail of Longboat, and still another rival looms up in Fred Simpson, an Ojibway Indian, who ran well in the Olympic Marathon. The next 1 race between Shrubb and Longboat, distance fifteen miles, w'lll be decided at Buffalo on 25th February, while the third meeting will be at twenty miles.