Sport: Winning Ways

The University of Southern California’s newest candidate for “world’s fastest human” was just, beginning to warm up last week. Unlike the late Charlie Paddock, who was chunky, 23-year-old Mel Patton is tall (6 ft.) and frail (147 lbs.). In Los Angeles’ huge Coliseum, against a brisk breeze, Patton sped the 100 yards in 9.7 (three-tenths of a second off the world’s record which he shares with seven others).

Later in the day, he did better. His 20.7 time in the 220 was a new track record. But Patton, ex-G.L, father of one child and the big U.S. hope for the Olympics, barely heard the announcement. He was behind a stack of sawdust bags being sick, as he is after every race. “It’s a damn hard day’s work,” he said.

Other winning performances last week:

¶ The Toronto Maple Leafs blew down the supposedly robust Detroit Red Wings in four straight games, to win the Stanley Cup, hockey’s richest honor.

¶ Citation, mahogany-colored wonder horse, wanned up for the Kentucky Derby by winning Havre de Grace’s $25,000 Chesapeake Stakes. On his back was Eddie Arcaro, the nation’s No. 1 jockey, who hoped Citation would be his fourth Derby winner. The others: Lawrin (1938), Whirlaway (1941), Hoop Jr. (1945).