Reprint of a newspaper article -- date? / newspaper ? / year 1931 --

FOR SAKE OF SPORT

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Frank Wykoff Recalls Fastest Race; Comments on other

Timely Events in Sports World

By: GEORGE T. DAVIS

Frank Wykoff says the fastest race he ever ran was at Lincoln, Nebraska, in winning the national championship of 1931.

Although credited with 9.5 for 100 yards one-tenth second over his own world's record, the former Trojan is convinced that this was his greatest race.  He finished five feet ahead of Emmett Toppino, Edie Tolan and Ralph Metcalfe - one of the greatest fields ever assembled.

Father O'Connor, head timer of the A. A. U. for years, caught Wykoff in 9.3 and put in a record claim for the sprint ace. Conservative officials, however, refused to allow it -- on the short sighted policy of saying it was "impossible."

The slowest watch of the day registered 9.5 seconds, and this is the time that finally was accorded to Wykoff.  Eddie Tolan, Olympic winner who finished in Frank's wake that day, admits that he ran as best as ever in his career but was no match for the Trojan.

Every great athlete has ONE DAY when he is HOT and this was Wykoff's.  It's a pity that he wouldn't have been given his justly earned record of 9.3 seconds -- which would have given the boys something to "shoot at" of years to come.

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Note -- the sportswriter didn't realize that Wykoff's established World Record Time (9.4)  in the 100-yard dash (5-10-30)  would stand undefeated for 17 years -- until in 1947 Mel Patton supplanted Wykoff's 9.4 with his 9.3 Record in the 100-Yard Dash.