Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-26
OUR ATHLETES IN LONDON
Heavyweight Division Astonishes the
Native British 0nlooker.
WAYS OF TRAINING NOT APPROVED
English Experts DO Not LIke the Per-
sonaI of the strong
Men who Won the Big
Events.

LONDON. July 25.-Of the eighty odd
American athletes who are taking part In
the olympic games none have attracted
so much attention and omment as the
heavyweight brigade made up OF the
weight, hammer and discus throwers.
Sheridan, Flanagan, Rose, McCrath, Dear
born, ellis and Talbot have had q remark
able effect OF bone and muscle. any ore is
capable OF beating the best English athlete
at their speciality.
Gillis, Of course, won the hammer throw
at the British championship games ten
days before the opening Of the Olympic
tournament, but the English public and
athletes interested, got a very good line
on the capacities Of all these men a week
before the games. When Manager Halpin
took the majority Of the American team
10 Brighton soon after they landed in Lon
dan, the "heavyweights' were left in Lon
don to do their own training. Every morn
ing they were to be found in the Stadium
breaking worlds records in practice to
the utter amazement of an admiring crowd
of athletes not only Of Englisa but Of all
nations represented in the games. Sheridan,
several times, surpassed his own figures
for the discus, and Ralph Rose, on one
occasion at least, put the shot further than
ne uhu tNtI uont DeIOIet Out II was JOnn
Flanagan who made the o~nlookers sit up
and take notice. OF all the hammer throw
ers he is the p~rettiest to watch and his
four lightning-like turns in the circle drew
hundreds to watch him. Dearborn's throw
ing of the discus was also a feature and
! there was keen rivalry between the heavy.
weight wrestler and Sheridan.
Two other Americans attracted a good
\ deal OF attention principally because Of
their extreme youth. They are Bob Foster
and George Gaidzlk, the Chicago Athletic
club swimmers, who were given a place on
the team because their time was better
than that Of the winners in the Easter try
outs. They also were left behind when
Mike Murphy and his charges were bundled
off to Brighton and they practiced every
day in the big Stadium tank.
The native athletes have not yet got
over their first establishment at the way in
which the American athletes trained. In
fact, real training, as 1t Is understood in
this country, was conspicuous by its en-
tire absence. When a local trainer asked
a member of the Yankee team about the
lack Of any hard and fast rules Of conduct
that six-foot-three, two-hundred-and TWEEN
ty-stripped Individual answered.:
There aren't any chickens on this team.
If there is any man with us that doesn't
know how to take care of himself and pre-
pare for a meet he never will know, no
matter how man. trainers are in attend
ance upon him. We keep off the pavements
as much as possible, taking cabs whenever
it it necessary to get about, go to bed
when we feel tired and not before. smoke
If we are in the habit OF doing so, .but with
moderation, take a little exercise every
day and lay off entirely three days before
our events are called"
But although the Canadians tell the Eng
lish that they do practically the same