Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-20

| London, July 19.-The United King
| dom which before the opening of ths
| Olympic games at the Stadium had q
| big lead over all other nations in the
| number of wins in the contest for SUI
| premacy i'll all sports, most of which,
however were scored in competitions
in which no other nation took part, al
most doubled that lead during the past
week, and, furthermore took the
American team in the count for track
ad field events. But this has not served
to diShearten the American athletes
ami those of their cOuntrymen who
accompanied them to England. James
e. Sullivan, the commissioner repre-
senting the United States. said to The
Associated Press this evening:
I'VE have come here to win the
championship in field sports and we
are going to do it despite the handicap
from which we are suffering. This
handicap has been two fold In the
first place the men came to a country
having the worst possible climate for
those unused to it and this affected
them very seriously, more seriously
than those not engaged in the games
have any idea of. 1t is not only that
the men cannot get into their best
form but the weather conditions make
them low-spirited. They ought to get
little sunshine at Brighton, but it
has been as bad there as in London.
"rhc other handicap against which
we have had to contend is the manner
in which the heat drawings have been
conducted. The drawings have gone
against us in the 1500-mctres rae"
when our best men, Sheppard and Hal
stead. We're pitted against each other
and the same thing occurred in the
500 metre event, the heats of which
will be run off tomorrow. Sheppard
and Halstead having been drawn
against each other for a second time.
Bromide and Ramey also have been
put into heat together in this event.
while in two other heats of the 500
meres not a single American has been
drawn. 1t is either extraordinarily bad
luck of the manner in which the draw
nSs have been made that had resulted
in such unfavorable conditions for the
Americans. We have tried to find out
how the drawings are conducted but
have not been able to get anything
from the Amateur Athletic Association
except the reply the drawings have
been made in the usual way
CAS- soon as | saw the drawings last
evening / went after the secretary Of
the Amateur Athletic Association and
pointed out the injustice of this and
the matter is to come before the COM
mi-tee. We do not care what repre-
sentatives of other nations our men
have to run against, but it is unfair
to pit them against each other in the
heats" Mr.. Sullivan concluded by say
ing:
"Thc United Kingdom had it's in
nings in the distance events last week
The Americans will have their turn
this week in the sprints hurdles and
jumps.
The men who are to uphold the SUI
premacy of America in these sprints
have been training at Brighton. They
came up to London this evening and
although suffering from the effects of
the climate still they are determined
to gather in great majority of the
prizes. 1t will be impossible to surpass
the United Kingdom total of wins In
all sports. but the Americans expect
very early in the week to wipe out the
lead of II points in the score for field
sports which the representatives of the
United Kingdom at the present time
hold over them.
The figures up to Saturday night
counting by the American method in
tho field and track events, are:
United Kingdom 81. America 40. Eleven
events still remain to be contested ex-
elusive of the Marathon race, in all of
which the American team will add to it's
score. These events are: Standing broad
jump running broad jump, high jump,
pole vault 100, 200 400 and 800 metres fiat
racese, 10 and 400 metre hurdle races and
the relay race.
While of course the Americans realize
that none of these will be wllkover
they do not fear the European Compel
dians. Kerr, the sprinter, who has easily
beaten everyone he has met in England
and Archibald, the clever pole vaulter
If the Indian. Longtoat. is allowed to run
In the Marathon. which it is believed he
will. the committee having already decid-
ed not to allow the protest filed against
him by the American committee, it is
likely that the prize in this event again
will go to Canada. There have been re-
ports in circulation of accidents to the
Indian runner and also that he is not
well, but those who know the ways of
Longboat's manager do not give these