The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-12-08

modelled closely after the ancient
styles Of architecture. The Greeks try
to live up to their traditions in every.
thing. So it is not at all strange that
they even try to copy the old manners
Of training and living.
A couple Of thousand years ago a
great Greek sculptor named Myron
made a great statue Of discus throw
er. 1t Is now in the museum at Naples.
Myron was the first sculptor to put
real action into figures. His statues
were snapshots in marble.
In tho National Museum at Athens
there is small bronze statuette show
ing a discus thrower standing erect
with the discus held i'll both hands.
the arms extended straight over his
head. The Greeks take this as an
other starting position. Students of
ancient writings and inscriptions have
decided that these positions at least
were used in the ancient throwing,
SO from the compiled data, the Greeks
have evolved d curious style, which is
supposed to be correct like white
ties with evening dress
Martin, then, began throwing the
discus from the little raised square
(nlodelled like the base upon w11icl,
the Discobolus stands) and Georgantas
threw with him. Martin threw with
his left foot i'll advance. He beat
Georgantas that way. Immediately the
Greek told him he must have the right
foot forward like the statue Martin
tried it, still took q, good swing and
equalled the Greeks throw. Then
Georgantas explained that he must
first stand with arms raised over head
squarely in front, with his right arm
straight and his left crooked slightly.
From this pose he must carefully dou-
ble up into the position Of that snap
shot in marble, the Discobolus, hold
that for a, moment, looking as much
like the statue as possible, and then
straighten up and throw. Sheridan
tried it. The Greek beat him twenty
feet. or more, .Georsantas smiled. The
people in; the. stadion clapped their
hands.
But Martin was NOT to- be whipped
withot a struggle. He threw time and
again. The awkward position made it
impossible for him to SCALE the dis
Gus, that is, throw it fatty so that it
would sail through the air. Time af-
ter time it wabbled and fell short.
Georgantas smiled more broadly. Bu:
suddenly-pop-out sailed the plate
shaped missile, flying high like a gull
on outspread wings, and fell fully ten
feet over Georgantas' best. The Greek
| looked at the throw with an expression
Of amazement. The crowd clapped it's
hands.
Sheridan tried again with the same
result And again. After that Georg-
antas retired gracefully from the field.
The next day a Greek paper came out
with a long story about 1t saying that
Georgantas had made Sheridan change
his style time after time, but that at
every different point the 1rishman had
come out victorious. After that "Sher-
i-dan" was heard everywhere---on the
streets, in the cafes, at the round
tables in the Place Of the Constitution.
And everywhere the Greeks politely
took off their hats to the great ath-
lete.
A Wonderful Throw.
A few days later came the first real
trial. 1t was the "free style" Of discus
throwing-from circle. just as
thrown in America and Europe. Sher-
idan met the Greek before the event
Georgantas, smiling and confident
shook hands with us all and talked to
Martin in broken English. Martin
stood over at one side while waiting
for his turn. 1t was a. nervous moment
Our champion sat down in the shade
of a. palm tree and laid a sweater
across his knees to keep warm. while
the others took their first throws
Georgantas threw but stepped over the
mark. Then Sheridan threw. The dis
Gus sailed out across the field in q
great, graceful arc, to fall in the run.
ming track on the other side, yards
and yards ahead Of anything else.
!, There was a wall there (the throw
ing was done in an athletic field neal
the Stadion, because the officials We're
!. afraid a crooked throw might go into
; the crowd If the event was held in the
Stadion ITSELF across the running
. track. Martin wanted to throw ovel
the wall into the 1llysus. Prince George
} wanted to see him perform that fea:
, which would have become historic
} Before Sheridans secoEd throw Primo,
George stepped up and said jokingly
ar VIM don't throw the discus into tn,