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Show Flames Devour "Y" Relic Site Of Athletic Feats , Q The old "V stadium, historic wooden structure on University hill, was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin, at 9 o'clock, Friday evening. Th espectacular blaze which could be seen for miles enveloped the entire grand stand when the fire department arrived. Realizing that the ancient landmark land-mark was of little or no value, university uni-versity officials instructed Fire Chief Clyde Scott to "let. her burn." ' A watchman was kept at the fire most of the night to protect nearby property in case of a windstorm. Several motorists who ran their cars over the fire hose in the" hurry to get close to the scene of the blaze will appear in court Monday to answer complaints, according to officials. . ' ) r r By OHALNCY D. HARRIS She lived only twenty-eight years. But she lived well, for in that period per-iod was crowded many a page from the album of athletics in Utah. She was built in the spring of 1904, largely from money and work contributed; by students and townspeople. towns-people. During the many years that followed, she saw teams rise j and fall. And at night, lovers would come to whisper their secrets un- , der her shelter. She was still young when E. L. Roberts initiated the annual Invitational Invi-tational Track and Field Meet and Relay Carnival in 1911. Perhaps she has seen the development of more athletes than any other place 1 in the state, for each year all the l-Headinsr hish school stars wouK come to the Invitation meet. These same stars would return in later years as outstanding college performers. per-formers. Not only did all the outstanding men perform on her field, but many were developed and trained there. Alma Richards, Olympic champion in 1912; Clinton Larson, who held, the . world's unofficial high jump record ; Owen Rowe, premier- sprinter, hurdler, and all-around all-around man; and "Buck" Dixon, ail-conferenee football man and all-around all-around -athlete, , were all trained within the shadow of the old, structure. struc-ture. Her last big cleaning and painting paint-ing came just before the .Union Pccilic track and field meet in 1928, which wns he'r last ninjor meet. Just, as burning is -the only proper prop-er way to destroy a flag, so fate may have taken a hand to end the old "Y" grandstand in the same glorious way. |