The sun., 1900-08-09
SUNDAY GAMES AT PARIS.
A. G. sPALDTNG TELLS NOW AMERI'
CAN ATHLETES WE.E SHUT OUT.

ssN tHhLE W D"AS
French OniciaIs Granted Concessions Wh'ch
Were Afterward Ignored-Csrroli. keming-
ton, johnson and Dvorack Lost Sood
Prizes Through Consultations scruples.
A. q. Spalding. the American direosos OF
sports at the recent international games, has
sent an explanation of the trouble over the
Sunday competitions and other matters TO
his Office In this city. He gives the following
record OF the victories scored by the American
teams in the events at London and Paris:
"Out OF the thirteen English championships
in London. July 7. our American athletes won
eight; out OF the twenty-four scratch and champ
ionshp events In Paris. America won seventeen.
England won four. Hungary won one. Scan
dinavia won one and France won one. Tho
Americans established eighteen new French
records, all OF which demonstrates the athletic
supremacy OF the United States"
Mr.. Spalding In his communication goes
exhaustively into the difficulties arising out Of
the vacilatory action of the French officials
regarding the sunday games. Though many
statements have been made on the subject the
following personal explanation from the man
IN charge il the only one to throw light on the
situation.
Il was disturbed and surprised at the final
decision rendered so far as II pertained to the
holding OF some of the games on Sunday. when
last visited Paris In the interests of American
athletes In May the question OF holding worlds
championship events on Sunday was freely
discussed with the French authorities. and
when left for America in the latter part OF
May was 10 certain extent convin ed that
Sunday games would have to be held. Upon
my arrival IN America was shown the follow
ing cable from my assistant. MIR. de Garmendla:
Athletic official da e, u. H. 10 July, Mara
at 900 francs: Standing jumps added TO tie
programme FIRST prizes, cups $50 francs each
international team rae. July lDr =; q .rxryn,..
AT conference In New York early In June
with Mr.. q. I. Kirby. representing the Inter
collegiate Association, l explained fully the
conditions as found them in France relative
gram from De Garmenda as official and final.
ON June % Mr., Merillon, French Drector
Of Sports. informed my representative that,
while the races would begin on Saturday they
would go on on consecutive days. Sunday and
Monday. giving as IA reason that the pressure
brought TO bear upon him against the elimi-
mating OF Sunday. the 18th. from the programme
was too great and that he had 10 give In. This
news. coming as il did al that late date. did
not receive and. in fact. all the teams inter
before the change back TO sunday was ne 10.
Immediately upon the arrival Of the Amer
lean contingent in Parir when II was RoSit.cy
would be held on Saturday, SUNDAY and Now
day. a conference was held with the French
officials, at which the following American
representatives were present
IF. b. Fills, manager OF the Pennsylvania
team: Charles Markell. manager Of the George
VeTsty STh SeS Of chicago ea j. % Jameson U ' man
ager Of the Princeton team; John Farley. man
ager of the Syracuse team; J. F. Sullivan. Sec
rotary of the Amateur Athletic Union II, s.
de Garpendia, Assistant United States Direc-
tor Of Sports.
The conference was necessarily conducted
were made 10 Americans. A i am Informed,
It was agreed to run the l00-metre final and
llO hurdles on Saturday and the Soo-metrs
on the part Of the French association that
in the field events the men could take their
tries on Sunday or Monday and the best per-
broad jump. throwing Of the discus and putting
of the shot were on the programme and the
preIiminaries and not wishing to compete on on
Sunday were taken on Saturday and accepted.
Al a meeting held SATURDAY night by the French
i twas was d decided t that the champion
,hfowns f usR Should pV take 'fi place % on sundsy
isnofnS oEI the hey previous % cohference % agreement ]
and thus Messrs. Carroll OF Princeton, Rem&ng
ton Of Pennsylvania johnson Of the New York
owing 10 conscientious scruples, did not enter
these events on Sunday, and on Monday, when
the American DOys appeared on the GROUNDS,
they were informed that they could not COM
pete the French official claiming that no such
concession had been granted to them. Mr..
Fabens Secretary Of the French Society, while
admitting the agreement, said II applied only
to the events In which there were prellminares.
This explanation, Of course, was not NJ all
satisfactory, as the understanding Of all present
was that the French authorities would see
that all these championship field events would
have premnaries, in order that all might
be able TO compete. II was an unfortunate
mix-up and certainly lost several Of our men
the chance 10 score In some OF the championship
events"
In his letter TO his home Office Mr.. Spadng
made many comments on the management Of tho
games. most OF which were favorable. In
conclusion he saws:
Il have had some correspondence With Baron
de Coubertin, who represents the Intrrna-
tional Committee on Olympian Games ne
Is heartily In favor Of America having this
meeting In 1904, and upon my return TO New
York ] will cali together those Interested In
athletics and see II something cannot b. done
whereby we can extend ap invitation to for
eigners TO be with us in that year
That this was the greatest athletic inter
national reunion ever held in the world can
not be galnsaid Delegations and entries
were received from England, Germany. Switzer-
land. Norway, Sweden, Denmark. Belgium.
Hungary and America"