Blond Ben Eastman, Stanford's big bertha of the track, fired his opening blast at the world's 440-yard record yesterday at the Olympic Stadium and scaled the throne previously occupied only by Ted Meredith of Pennsylvania.

Combining the speed of a frightened gazelle with the smooth-striding form of a champion, Blond Ben tied Meredith's mark of 47 2-5s. in the greatest quarter-mile race ever staged on the Pacific Coast.

Vic Williams of Southern California, national A.A.U. champion, pushed Blond Ben to his sensational feat, trailing his northern foe by slightly more than a yard in a spectacular finis which saw the great Trojan runner expending every ounce of energy in a futile effort to nip Eastman at the tape.

BLOND BEN STEALS SHOW

Eastman's feat was the outstanding feature of the California Intercollegiate which sparkled with so many brilliant performances that a separate story could well be devoted to each of the record-breaking events of which there were no less than ten.

Dean Cromwell's powerful University of Southern California team won the meet in a gallop, with every Trojan performing in heroic fashion.  The men of Troy outdid themselves yesterday, every man on the team coming through in his specialty.

The score was so lopsided it was funny.  Southern California, 93; Stanford 49; California 19; and U.C.L.A., 2.  That's how they finished.

In amassing this staggering point total the Trojans won nine first places and broke six of the ten meet records set, tying one other.  In the events the Trojans didn't win, six, they placed second, and grabbed all but three second places during the day.  Paste that in your hat for something to shoot at!

The new meet records, two of which tied world marks were as follows:

Quarter-mile--Ben Eastman, Stanford, 47 2-5s, tying world mark held by Ted Meredith and made in 1916.  Old meet mark, 48 2-5s, by Johnny Morrison, Stanford, in 1929.

100-Yard dash--Frank Wykoff, S. C., 9.5s, tying accepted world mark set by Eddie Tolan last year.  Old meet mark, 9.7s, by Wykoff last year.

Mile run--Cliff Halstead, S.C., 4m 23-45s.  Old record, 4m. 29.9s., by Halstead last year.

Two-mile run--Spud Mossman, California, 9m, 39 2-5s.  Old record 9m. 57 3-5s., by Ray Smith, U.C.L.A., last year.

Half-mile run--Vic Fitzmaurice, S. C., 1m. 55 2-5s.  Old record, 1m. 57s., by Bill McGeagh, S. C., last year.

220-yard dash--Frank Wykoff, S. C., 20 4-5s.  Old record, 21 2-5s., by Hec Dyer, Stanford in 1929.

Low hurdles--Capt. Ernie Payne, S.C., 23 2-5s.  Old record, 23 3-5s, by Jimmy Payne, S.C. in 1929.

Mile Relay--Stanford, 3m. 15 1-5s.  Old record, 3m. 17 3-5s., by Southern California last year.

Javelin--Kenneth Churchill, California 212ft 1in.  Old record, 200ft 9 3-4in., by Emery Curtice, California, last year.  

Broad Jump--Dick Barber., S.C., 24ft. 9 1-4in.  Old record, 24ft 1in., by Jess Hill, S. C., in 1929.

Pole vault--Bill Graber, S. C., 13ft. 6in.  Ties old record held jointly by Ward Edmonds, Stanford, and Jack Williams, S. C., in 1929.

THRILLING RACE

If that isn't something to write about then I'm an all-American, all-European, all-Siberian halfback.

The 440 was run in lanes for the first 220 yards. (Ben) Eastman had the pole and kept it throughout the entire race.  (Vic) Williams in lane two, starting slowly as usual, found not only Eastman, but also Al Hables ahead of him when the men broke away from the lanes midway on the back stretch.

Eastman had a lead of four yards over Hables, who in turn was three yards ahead of Williams.  As they stormed into the next to last turn Williams began to pull up, as is his custom.  Slowly but surely he gained on Hables, finally drawing abreast and then passing the Stanford boy.  With the fans yelling and standing on their hoofs, Vic raced into the final curve, his shoulders hunched and his goal the overtaking of Eastman.

But in the meantime Blond Ben had been going on his merry way.  Staid old track followers marveled at the consummate ease with which Templeton's ace ate up the yardage.  No effort, no quickening of the pace, no wild swinging on the arms -- just that same old space-annihilating stride which appeared to float Blond Ben around the arena. 

But Williams wasn't licked yet and as they flew into the final turn he gave 'er the gun.  down the home stretch they came, Troy's national champion in furious pursuit of Stanford's sensational sophomore.  Slowly Williams gained inch by inch with that battling finish which has made him famous.

Just as it appeared as if Vic were going to draw alongside of his greatest rival, Blond Ben floated a little faster.  There was no apparent effort even then, just an eerie-like drawing away by the Stanford star.  And thus they came to the tape -- Eastman floating along and Williams digging in for all he was worth.  Slightly more than a yard separated them at the finish and that represents the difference in the running ability of the two at least it did yesterday and it will be hard to make any who saw the race believe that Williams, stout-hearted as he is, can ever beat Blond Ben Eastman.

WYKOFF BEST 

(Frank) Wykoff's sensational sprinting settled definitely the question of his superiority over Hec Dyer.  Frank is the best man in the 100 and had Dyer run the furlong yesterday he undoubtedly would have been licked there also, for Wykoff's time of 20 4-5s. has never been equaled on the Pacific Coast by any runner other than that old campaigner of years ago, Charles William Paddock.

Frank had a margin of almost three yards in the 100, with Les Hables given third over Milt Mauer of S.C., who looked to be entitled to no less than a tie for that spot.  Maurer is unfortunate in being so small.

Dyer due to a pulled muscle, did (? -- content cut away)....

...worthy while the two-mile produced the most thrills in the way of red-hot competition.

Long-legged Ernie (Payne)  fairly skimmed over the abbreviated barriers and his mark of 23 2-5s. entitles him to the distinction of being one of the very best, if not the best, in the country.

The two-mile was a three-cornered fight between Spud Mossman, Earl Callahan and Ches Unruh for first place and a dog-eat-dog battle between Aebersold of Stanford and Gardner of S. C. for fourth.

Mossman led until the next to last lap when Callahan went out in front by two yards.  Then as they raced into the first turn of the final lap, Mossman took the lead, but held it only briefly for up came Unruh with a rush from the rear, passing the pack and taking the pole.  No Trojan has any more "guts" than Unruh and the crowd was pulling for him to win, but Mossman had something in reserve and 20 yards from the tape he turned it loose and Unruh, in a last effort to stay with the California star, lurched forward but couldn't make his legs move any faster.  Callahan, in the meantime, had faded to third, well back of the other two.

In the meantime Aebersold, who has been ill, and Gardner jockeyed back and forth, first one leading and then the other.  Gardner had more left at the finish and annexed a fourth which nobody had expected him to win.

Nothing was more surprising yesterday than Vic Fitzmaurice finishing first in the 880.  Tagging along behind the entire pack during the first lap, Vic put on that furious finish of his and passed Bill McGeagh on the final turn to win in a great rally.  His showing yesterday earned him a trip to the I.C.4-A meet at Philadelphia.

UPSET IN HURDLES

The high hurdles brought about an upset, as had been suspected.  Nesbit of Stanford, the favorite, hit two hurdles early in the race and found himself running well to the rear with Stokes.  Berry and Bills of S.C. out in front.  Just when it appeared that the Trojans were going to take the three first places, Bills hit the next to last barrier and then stumbled completely over the final hurdle to allow Brugman of Stanford to take third and Crawford of California fourth.  It was discovered that Nesbit had in reality kicked over three hurdles, so his finishing fourth did no good.  The time was 15.1s., this being the only track race in which a record did not fall.

Bob Hall's steady improvement in the shot put and discus featured the field events. The tall, quiet Trojan bettered 48ft. for the first time this year to take second and then whirled the discus 151ft. for his best effort of the season in this event, earning second here also.

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