The Colorado statesman., 1908-07-25
BUT is BEATEN BY SOUTH AFRI-
CAN IN ONE HUNDRED
METER DASH.
BRIT0MS ARE SECOND
FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE RISE
TO CHEER VICTORIOUS
SPRINTER.

London.-The score in the field and
track events of the Olympic games in
which the American team came over
to participate, up to Wednesday night,
is as follows:
America, 75 United Kingdom, 5615;
Sweden, 12; Greece, 6; South Africa.
5; Canada, Norway, Italy, each;
France and Hungary, rs each; Aus.
tralia, Germany, Finland, l each.
But comparative gloom pervaded the
American camp Wednesday night. The
athletes from over the seas had strong
ly cherished hopes of repeating Tues
days grand record-making clean sweep
in the track events, but a dark horse
in the person of the South African
youth. R. E. Walker, upset the calcu-
lations Walker broke the tape in
what is considered the most important
event in the Olympic games, the 100
meters dash, a short two feet in front
of j. A. Rector, the University of Vir-
ginia crack, thereby putting an end to
the astonishing succession of American
triumphs which had begun to Sadden
tho Britons.
Still worlds record by c. J. Bacon
of the Irish-American Athletic club in
the 400 meters hurdle, which he won in
55 seconds an Olympic record of "a
feet 61a inches by F. c. Irons of the
Chicago Athletic Association in the run
ming broad jump, and the victory of g.
S. Dole of Yale in the featherweight
wrestling, out of seven finals, should
be satisfactory days performance.
Great Britain, as usual, came second
among the countries, with S. V. Bacon,
winning the middleweight wrestling,
and the English team defeating the Bel
gians in the water polo. The African
colonial flag was raised to the mast
head to signalize Walkers great sprint,
and Finland, whose representative,
Saarla, conquered all colors in the Gre
co-Roman wrestling bouts, having no
flag, brought forth the standard bear
ing the word Finland which the
Films carried in the open parade, and
it was elevated on the flag pole.
Walker achieved an ovation seen
only once in the lifetime on an ath-
letic field, when 40 900 people rose with
great cheer and filled the air with
hats, while the boy who in the morning
was unknown but whose name filled
London at night, was lifted on the
shoulders of enthusiastic friends.
No one accepted the national misfor-
tune more gracefully than Rector.
When spoken to regarding Walkers
victory, the Virginian said:
walker is faster runner than |,
and that is all there is to say"
The Olympic games are developing
into huge success. While the meeting
started discouragingly with the wealth
er and other conditions strongly
against, London is fast becoming ath-
letic mad. People everywhere talk of
nothing but the Olympian runners and
jumpers, and the women seem as much
interested as the men. Great crowds
gather around the ticket offices to
secure the best seats for the final days
and big attendance is certain from
this on.
1t would be hard to imagine finer
spectacle than the stadium presented
Wednesday. From athletic, social and
spectacular standpoints, it quite
equalled the expectations of the pro-
moters. Queen Alexandra and other
members of the royal family were pres
ent and congratulated the African run
ner on his victory The stands con-
tanned 10000 persons, of whom at
least one-half were women, whose
multi-colored costumes presented a fas-
cinating picture. The American sec
ticn was truly American with waving
flags and noise making instruments.
There was organized cheering by a
large band of collegians under the
leadership of frantic youth, brandish.
ing huge club and shouting, "Rah,
rah, rah, Bacon" which was heartily
taken up by the others. when the first
American victory OF the day was pro
claimed. This caught the fancy of the
crowd Immediately as did the Ameri-
cans cheering for Walker, who, al
though ne defeated their favorite, was
as cordially greeted as their own coun-
tryman.