The San Francisco call., 1908-09-01
Athletes Are Guests Of
the President
Roosevelt Compliments the Men
Who Composed Americas
Olympic Team

OYSTER BAY. Aug. with a gun
from the local yacht club booming a
rousiag welcome. the American olym-
pie team. vietors in The recent events
an London steamed into oyster bay
today for their visit TO President Roose-
velt When they left their boat and
reached the top of Sycamore hill,
svlg6renpon is Derched The miner
home of the nation,s head. Roosevelt,
was on his broad N-eranda, where ne naq
hecn scanning them eagerly Tor sew
cral minutes as they approached Two
abreast. whistling "A Hot Time ia me
0io Fown Tonigai-
The offerine or the FIRST presidential
courtesjes extended 10 the atheltes iell
40 the lot Of the president yachl
Sylph. Their steamer. me Sycamore,
had no sooner dropped anchor. than II
dispatched two launches. the Dart ana
Jile. CLEAN; 10 assist in trans Lerrlng the
visitors 10 tile private pier OF w kmlen
ftoDScvclt. cousin of the president The
march Gp through the WOODS 10 inc
summit of Sagamore hin was begun as
soon as t}e last man was eh shore.
The glorious weather and tue eNpecla-
tion of the pl esidentlal &FfetlhS 3 20
supplement- and crown. the popular
nlaudits foi tEeir work in London OK
hilaiateG the ineD. and they burst into
singing. which was changed TO Whist.
ling by the time the presidents s house.
came into view
GRASPs HAND OF EACH
james i. sullivan The. American.
commissioner was the first 20 be re
-ceixcd bN the president. Ihey tnen
entered the reception room WIN the
president were Mrs. Roosevelt. ana lheiF
son Kermit C0mmisst ton-er- sullivan
acted as master Of cere monies, pre-.
Spntfnss- each one Of his brawnX charges
.i6 tlssn-. The president graSpeG each
by.thc hand and spoke. a few wQr6S OF
mingled greeting and coIa1nendatlon-
John j. HAYES. the Marathon hero.
had the distinction of being tne HrsJ 10
De presented. e. Fl.
Il am proud of YOU said. the presi-
cent as hc gave him .a-Nlgor0us hand
sha lle.. ..Y our feat was marvellous. y on
WON i gFcat race and ] am glad Of IT,
Before Hayes had realized boW warm
was tile presidents greeting. Ro0se-
Nelt had swung him around and turned
him over to Mrs. Roosevelt It.. and. she
and Kermit then entertained him la
conversation ~
AIeEin Sheppard next came. The wine
acr of the b09 meter race beaTned all
oyer when the president assured MIN
that I'd was a bully victory when ne
.ipd tbe boys had won in. London.
INHIAN RUNNER PRAISED
rewanin. the Indian. who came in
ninth in the Marathon race, pleased the
president immensely. =
II am glad. indeed" said the president
To him, shat real American Indian
represented this country abroad. II
was a fine showing that You made =
+ SOFT was with each and every one OF
tlle team that had made the trip and
'ANhen the last man had been grasped by
Ihe hand and his heart cheered by the
presidents words and he had passed
into The dining room and parta1en@ OF
refreshments. AIr. Roosevelt followed IN
and then had 10 listen 10 soIae. cheers
for himself.
some one proposed three cheers for
. the greatest president the. United
81 ates ever had. Theodore. Roosevelt:
. and everybody responded - Kermit
Roosevelt confirmed the statement that
never before had the house on Saga
more hill resounded with such volume
Of sound.
SPEECH TO THE ATHLETES
Mr.. Roosevelt checked an effort 10 re-
peat the cheers and addressed the ath-
lctes as follows;
(4enticmcn: ] just want TO say one word of
greeting 20 you. j am sure You feel that every
oue is proud Of you. don't want TO speak IN
lr,r,er,sie ever but I think il IS the literal
truth ar sullivan. 10 say that the feat that
this team performed has never been dupllcated
fn tie history OF athletics ] think u Is the
biggest feat that has ever been performed by
ann team. Of any nation, and 1 congra tuiate all
af roll There is not man on the team who
docs not deserve his share in the total credit
il Is not only the man who won the nrsts-
bur ID Is every man on the team who did his
duty. they all did. who deserves ms snare
of the credit. I congratulate you All ana /
Vs,13f n, say. Mr.. sullivan. a word of espe-
ciai thanks and acknowledgment 70 you. With
ont vorr we could never have got together and
sent over such team; and our eratituoe, gen
flegen is due not to those who were 50 glad
IL se. You come back vietor-yEe nave piehty OF
fhose-but TO those who IN any way contrIb<
sTfed to- send YOU abroad IN such shape that
luu could BE victorious / think l could come
nretfy near passing 8 competitive examination
On the records and fests OF you.
Vow. that we are here we must not ioTgst
how proud we are Of the American rlhemen and
revolver1nen. You know believe in straight
shooting for the battleships or Tor private eiu-
zcns-eifhcr one.
MEDALS FOR THE PRESIDENT
Mr.. Roosevelt sat with Sullivan in the
dining room during the rest Of the visit
and appeared. to be greatly interested ia
the first hand reports which Sullivan
was able. to give him Of the great con-
tests ia London. Some OF the talk was
eonhdendial. The president 1t is known.
expressed to Sullivan great pleasure
over the Overwhelming victory of the
American. team over the teams Of all
other competing nations, and then
.'It was infinitely better TO beat them
on their own ground than If they had
come over here
John T. Flanagan. the weight thrower,
scented the president with their medals.
Mr. Roosevelt protested that he could
not accept. but 1t was explained to him
that both. Flanagan and Sheppard had
others exactly like those which they
were Offering him and thereupon he
consented TO keep them as souvenirs of
the Olympiad ef.l90S.
Before the group dispersed Mr..
Roosevelt announced he would like 10
shake hands again with every member
Of the party. and this farewell over.
Tic athletes gathered on the lawn in
front Of the house and gave rousiTg &
cheers for the president and members
Of his family. Departing. they sang