The Washington herald., 1907-08-04
CARNIVAL OF SPORT
Worlds Best Athletes in the
Olympic Games.
EXPECT AMERICANS TO WIN
Representative Team, Picked from
Colleges and Clubs OF This COun-
try, VIII be Sent to England to
Compete in CInssIc Meet-C0mpeti-
tive Methods May Prove POpuIaP.

Lovers of amateur track and field ath-
letics may congratulate themselves over
tho treat In store for those of their num-
ael who are fortunate enough to take a
TIP to England next July TO witness the
fi.,h renewal of the ancient Olympic
games.
From the plans which have been made
for this meet, and from what we know
of Engand's ability to manage such, the
conclusion may be accepted that this viii
be the greatest OF its kind in the worlds
meets, with the exception Of that in St
Louis in 1894 that has been properly
managed.
But the principal factors in making this
great meet will be the method Of select
ing the teams to represent the different
countries and the fact that the very best
from all sections VIII strive for honors in
the London arena. In not one OF the four
previous meetings have the picked men
from all countries met. At the first re-
ncwal in Athens. in 1895 the United States
sent a small team, which in the absence
Of a representative team from England.
had no trouble in romping away with the
championship. This country had a much
better team at the Olympic games during
the Worlds Fair at Paris. in 1900. and viz
tually swept the Geld. Here, again, Eng
land was som swhat poorly represented,
but the wholesale victories OF the Ameri-
can athletes at the English championships
the month previous probably had some
thing 10 do with the absence Of the Brit
Ons. The same conditions prevailed at
st. Louis In 1904. and at Athens in 1896
The American athletes have won the
lions share Of the honors in all four
meets. Every time American writers
have reminded England of this, the
Britons have retorted that they were not
represented with their strongest team.
For this reason the athletes from this
side have been much pleased that Eng
land was given the sanction for conducting
the 1905 meet Now, England must have on
hand her very strongest team. and as this
country will be better represented than
ever, there viii be a lest between the
athletes Of the two countries from which
there can be no escape on the part of
England. II the United States repeats its
former victories John Bull must take of
his hat 10 Uncle Sam.
10 College Teams.
The latest deliberations of the commit
Tee U charge Of the games mean that all
our universities which have been plan
ming 20 send individual teams abroad will
be disappointed. II has been decided that
in track and field sports no country can
enter more than twelve men in a single
event. Furthermore. the selection Of the
American team will be in the hands
of the American committee, and no en-
tries can be accepted unless they are
made through the American committee
The University OF Pennsylvania. as well
as Harvard and Yale. had been formulat-
iug plans TO send their teams TO these
games irrespective of the plans made by
the American committee. The Pennsyl-
vanians wanted 10 repeat their success of
1900. when their team won about every
thing on the other side. Yole and Har-
ward had been planning to hold dual
meet with oxford and Cambridge pre-
vious to the Olympic games, and then to
enter their teams in the Olympic meet.
The method Of selecting the American
team changes all this. This American
committee has not announced its complete
plans as yet, but from what II has an
nUunced we know that the American team
is 10 be ncked only after an exhaustive
series Of elimination tests. II is planned
10 hold sectional meets throughout the
country, at which all bOna-fide amateurs
may compete and then TO have the point
winners OF these games meet in national
set Of games. at which the whole team
may be selected on q competitive basis.
After the unfortunate manner in which
the American team was selected for the
Athens meet last year this plan will meet
with unqualified approval It will be re-
memhered that In 1896 the American team
was made up for the most part of the then
A. A. L. champions, and there was no
competition for the selection of other
candidates. This worked a very great in
justice TO several American athletes who
ought to have been placed on the team.
One of these was Melvin Sheppard, the
fastest middle-dstance runner in Amer
lea at the time. OF course, there were
hardly an! college men or the team. this
being due to the fact that the games were
held during the college year. when it
was impossible for undergraduates to get
away.
Best Team ObtatnabIe.