Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-24

series of disputes which has
= arisen since the opening Of the
Olympic games, not only between the
Americans and officers of the Amateur
Athletic association, but between the
athletes of other nations and the same
officials. eliminated this afternoon In
an occurrence which threatened to
wreck the inter-Olympic meeting.
The trouble arose in the final heat
Of the 400-meter race, for which J. G.
Carpenter of Cornell university, J. B.
G. Robbins, Cambridge, and Lieutenant
Wyndham Halsewell, United Kingdom,
qualified. With the exception of Tay-
lor the men got off quickly on the FIR
ing of the pistol and Robbins sprinted
in front, taking the pole from Carpen-
ter, who was just behind. with Halse-
well trailing along beside him. 1t
looked like anybody's race as they APP
preached the last turn, the three lead
ers being punched. Their squirt for the
final hundred yards was begun, when
suddenly one of the officials rushed on
to the track, the tape across the finish
was torn down and the race was de-
clared void.
It was difficult for a time to under
stand what had occurred, but the Of
fetal announcement was that Carpen-
ter had fouled Halsewell at the turn.
Everybody close to this spot had mo-
ticed that the three men had swerved
toward the outside of the track as they
came around the bend at terrific
pace. but there was no sign of a DELHI
crate foul visible to those In the press
stands.
An uproar followed such as seldom or
never was witnessed on an athletic
field. Officials of the Amateur Athletic
association, with which the arena had
been filled since the opening of the
gates, ran along the edges of the track
shouting Foul" and appeared even
more excited than the runners, who,
with the exception of Taylor, continued
the race to the finish, Carpenter pass
ing the post first, Robbins second and
Halsewell third Taylor, who was
considerable distance in the rear; was
dragged off the track by one of the
excited officials, who shouted all the
while that it was no race.
The American contingent set up
veil of delight as their man apparently
had captured the race, which had been
predicted for the Britisher. while the
vast audience filling the other stands
sat silent, not knowing the cause or
the excitement in the arena. Then the
announcer made g. brief statement
through a megaphone that the race
had been declared void, but no reason
was given. Stil not knowing why,
great British cheer broke out and con-
ffnued for several minutes, when those
who could not under any circumstances
have seen the incident, crying Foul"
louder than those sitting opposite the
spot where the alleged foul was said
10 have taken place, and who, seeing
Halsewell taking a wide turn. thought
It a mistake in judgment, as he mad
lots of room to pass Carpenter on
either side.
The uproar continued for nearly nal1
an hour, and as the people poured out
of the stands the arguments were taken
up in the aisles and gateways by excit-
ed thousands, and the race is still the
subject of bitterest wrangling every
where.
Matthew p. Halpin, manager OF the
American team, who was in the arena,
Immediately entered protest, claiming
the race for Carpenter, who had done
the distance, according to unornclai
watches, in the remarkable time OF
AZ 2-5 seconds, some watches making Il
even less.
A COMMITTEES meeting Of the Amateur
Afhletic association, the details of
which have not been made public, was
called, and the judge who rendered the
decision and Halsewell were called to
state their case. Neither any mem
her of the American committee, nor
any one of three American runners,
however. was called on to make any
statement, and the committee, after
more than two hours consideration,
rendered the following decision: Tho
Judges decided the race void and or
dered the same to be run over again
on Saturday at noon. Carpenter is dis
qualified"
When they heard the decision, the
members of the American committee
met and passed a resolution ordering
the men not to run on Saturday. James
e. Sullivan, the American commission
er to the games, and Barlow S. Weeks,
]. B. McCabe. Gustave Kirby, Everett
c. Brown and Alonzo Stage, members
of the American committee, sat in a
room in their hotel this evening, the
most disguised lot of Americans ever
gathered in England. Commissioners
Sullivan was the spokesman, and the
others upheld what he said.
Let us, In the first place" said Mr..
Sullivan, discuss the arrangement of
the track. 1t was unfair, especially
to Taylor and apparently the arrang-
ing was done by man who did not
want all the contestants to get fair
start Taylor's position caused him to
get away yards behind, which he never
could regain.
Nov, for the race. Carpenter, at
the crack of the pistol, took the lead
and did the only thing he could do and
win, and that was to take all the run
ming out of Halsewell in the first 300
yards. AS a. result he gave the spec
fatcrs the fastest 300 yards ever seen
in a stadium. The 220 yards he covered
in twenty-three seconds, and at 300
yards he had Halsewell out. Carpenter
had the pole, but he did not run close
to 1t. He ran we'll out at the first
bend, and coming to the second bend,
leading to the straightaway, he ran
wide, as he had a perfect right to do.
"Halsewell instead of taking advan-
fage of the chance and cutting into the
post, remained in his old position. At
that point, probably Ito yards from
home, Carpenter turned his head to see
who was there and then, swinging up
the stretch, gave the English public a
no yards they had not seen equaled
fore the stretch was reached and had
found In Carpenter wonder at this
distance.
Never in my life. and have been
attending athletic meetings for thirty
one years, have l witnessed a scene
that struck me as being so unsports-
naanlfke and unfair as that in which
the OFFICIALS participated
when Carpenter started to leave
HalseweIl behind, the officials cried
foul in unison and raised their hands