New-York tribune., 1908-06-14

NOU THE OLYMPL4D.
american .fthlefcs' Chances Of Nm
p;ng IN London ROseate.

American brain, hrawn and muscle VIII hs
matched against the world in the giant staul"ii
:: London on July IS and on succeeding oeEs
10 ,ho .,rao- eet contest in the history of sports
the OIvlnpiad of 1905. Thousands ana 'l"uSf'i''
of lovers of track and field &thletcS VIII ''oN
this immense arena, with IT'S hefs upon 'i'i
soIia concrete. while down on the cinder path
the greatest runners from all parts OF 'ile "o'iu
will strain every muscle and snew to WIN glory
and honor King Edwards interest III sports Is
well known. and he has the success OF 'h's
athletic meeting directly at heart
Uncle sam as is shown by the list "I men
selected last week will invade England WIN tiic
best and largest body of athletes ever sent '''
hv any country to capture the chahP"ii9'''p -
the world. The success of the American team
OF Athens tvyo ,.ear; ago surprised even its most
ardent supporters The victory was cieah t"'
and decisive That team was not the best th's
oo,,,.,.,,, could nroducc 4 new system of select
in, mon has been tried this year, and the stars
and Stripes will be carried by the cream ol this
ccuntry's athletes. on the American team VIII
be champions in nearly every event Oh 'iie
Olympic programme. and some Of them hoid
worlds records as well.
There never before was a time when America
could boast of such athletes as she has at present
Now almost every one, from the primary sthooi-
hoy to the college senior is interested IN athletcS'
and consequently rapid strides have peei "ifne
jn running jumping and weight throwing Inc
Canadians SwedeS. Britons and AustrallahS
have also improved. SO naturally the hght lo1
the title Of the world will he keener than ever.
Iycrythinn will favor the English athletes
They will be on their own soil, climatic coho'-
tions will he in their favor and they VIII escape
a Ions. ard possibly rough ocean voyage ana
week IN which training will be carried on uhdef
great disadvantages. The Americans must meet
and overcome all these handcaps
VIII America win the olympic championship:
Nearly every one who has followed track ana
field athletics at all closely in this country VIII
reply in the affirmative and Immediately ASK
"yybo can beat us?'' More than scventy-fve men
will compose the American team. They Will
come from all parts Of the country-NoTth'
South East and West Nearly dozen nation
a1fties will be represented. an Indian from the
government school, Greek, Germans, plenty o.
Irish 4 Syvede. some French and Italian de-
sccndants and a negro. The majority OF the team
will lie native born Americans. Americas great
est athletes seem to be of Irish descent, and
glance at the names of the members VIII prove
tbis Here are a few Of them: Flanagan, Sheri-
dan. McCirath, OComclI, Morrsscy End Hayes,
And nearly all of these viii be point winners.
AT the head of the team will he the greatest
phvsicaI trainer in this country, if not the world,
mike" Murphy, who now handles the athletes
Of the University of Pennsylvania. lie has
spent a lifetime in this work and is 4 wizard in
d.yeIorjng and determining the ability Of run
nor or Jumper. Mike as he is known, VIII
have big job attending to sevcnty-fve high
strung human thoroughbreds, but there is no
man more capable of sending them to the ma:h
in the pink Of condition than he.
Many of the members of the team arc college