Lovelock Over Bonthron

When Jack Lovelock of Oxford and Bill Bonthron of Princeton ran a mile race at Princeton a year ago, Lovelock set a world's record and won by seven strides. When they met again for the same distance at Shepherd's Bush, England, in a Cornell & Princeton v. Oxford & Cambridge meet last week, there seemed scant justification for the British belief that Lovelock would repeat his victory. An operation on his knee last winter, which doctors feared might end his track career, had apparently slowed him down. In two starts this year he had not come within ten seconds of his best time. Bonthron, in a year of running against the best milers in the U. S., had broken the record for 1,500 meters, learned exactly how to time his finishing sprint.

Bonthron's customary strategy is to stay close behind a rival he fears, scare him into running fast, cut him down in the last 200 yards. But, says Lovelock, "I always run as slowly as I can." Last week, on the rough clay track, cut up by a touring rodeo and softened by rain, these two great milers let their second string men&151;Leach of Oxford, Vipond of Cornell&151;set the pace for the first two laps. Then Lovelock took the lead with Bonthron close behind. Knowing Bonthron wanted him to set a fast pace, Lovelock set a slow one. When. 130 yards from the tape, Bonthron started his sprint, Lovelock was ready for him. He sprinted too, turned his head at the finish to watch Bonthron cross the line a good yard and a half behind him. Said Bonthron: "I didn't run as fast as I planned to. I just didn't feel like it." In the half mile, Bonthron still did not feel like running as fast as he has, lost to J. C. Stothard of Cambridge. Score of the meet for Oxford & Cambridge: 7 events to 5.

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