Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-09
OIL YMPIC GAMES
ARE TO BE NOVEL
COMMITTEE JUST COMPLETED
PLANS FOR MEET
Americans Prominent in Every Event
of Greek Style Sports-coIleees
TO Derive Direct Benefit
from the Contests

CHICAGO, Feb. S.-Track and field
athletes of colleges and clubs through
out the country will compete In the
most unique meets in the history of
American sports this winter and spring
as the result of arrangements just
completed by the members of the
Olympic games committee. All impor-
tant athletic meets held prior| to the
great London games this summer will
include numerous Olympic events to-
tally strange to American athletes and
spectators.
The decision Of the Olympic officials
TO prepare the candidates for the
American Olympic team for the try
outs to be held at Marshall field this
spring by working the actual Olympic
events into the regular programs Of
intercollegiate and A. A. u. meets was
made known by the Chicago members
of the American committee.
Everett c. Brown of the c. A. A.,
DIR. George X. Herman. president of
the Central A. A. u, and Coach A. A.
Stage of the University of Chicago are
in charge of the plans for this section.
DR.. j. E. Raycroft is working with the
committee in the absence of Coach
Stage.
Under the present plans such events
as the 5avelin throw, Greek style dis
Gus t1row, ten-mile walk and 3200-
meter steeplechase will come into use
in American athetlics for the first time
through the concerted recommended
lions of the various committees. Be-
fore the London finals take place 1t is
planned to familiarize all American
athletes with every event on the Olym-
pic lists.
The plan will see its first spectacular
trial when the athletes get into the
open on the cinder path. Athletic en-
thusiasts In Chicago will see two of
the more familiar Olympic events at
Bartlett gymnasium when the maroons
meet the First regiment team in the
first big local meet of the season. The
standing high jump and the triple"
standing broad jump, both obsolete in
this country. have been seleced for this
occasion.
According to Everett C. Brown of the
c. A. A. the unique events will be feat
ured in all the meets preliminary to the
western tryout at Marshall field. The
Chicago members of the American COM
mittee believe the plan will serve to
strengthen the American team greatly
in addition to assuring a highly inter-
esting track season.
Novelties in Meets
Olympic events will be run off in all
the illdIODH ilib IL AASi iA'eh -
heartily in favor of introducing them
into all A. A. u. contests. Among the
meets already scheduled which will be
run under this arrangement will be the
First Regiment handicap meet Febru-
airy IS, the Central Y. NJ. C. A.-Evans-
ton Y. M. c. A. meet February 20, and
the A. A. u. championships.
The entire Olympic games program
will be used at the western tryouts at
AT al rho ia 70 this event
las not been definitely decided upon,
hut in all probability it viii be held
either May 30 or June 13. Tryouts for
the eastern candidates and for the Pa
cjf1c coast athletes will be held stimuli
taneously in the widely separated sec"
tons.
The Olympic program includes the
100-meter DASH 200-meter dash, 4OO-
meter run, S00-meter run, 1lO-meter
high hurdles, 400-meter low hurdles,
3200-meter steeplechase, five-mile run,
standing broad jump, standing high
tulnp, standing three broad jumps run
ming broad jump, running high jump,
hop, step and jump, pole vault nam
mer throw, shot put, three mile team
race, discus throw in free and Greek
styles, javelin throw and ten-mile walk.
Americans In Every Event
"Our plan is to introduce these events
Just as far as we can do So said Mr..
Brown. college athletes all over the
country are figuring on competing in
the various tryouts and they VIII be
given every opportunity to famlliarlze
themselves with the events before the
trvouts. 1t is our plan to begin with
some of them this winter and carry the
scheme still further i'm the spring.
College athletes and all athletes of
clubs and Y. NJ c. A. teams will thus
get a chance to know these events.
There is no reason why all of them
should not be tried. There Is no reason
why an American cannot throw jaVe-
lin as far as a Greek. We want the
Americans to go into every event at
London.
I'VE cannot order athletic organiza-
tions to hold these events in their meets
IL they don't care to, but we recommend
that they do" said Or. Herman. There
will be considerable difficulty in holding
some of the jumping events indoors be-
cause we will have to use mats, and
marking will not be exactly accurate.
However, these difficulties will not be
with us in tho spring, and we can go
ahead satisfactorily"
DIR. Raycroft announced that the ma
rooms would push the Olympic events
i'm all their meets. The Midway ath-
ietes are planning to enter the western
tryouts in force and are anxious tol
experiment with the new events. Sew
eral of the events I'm addition to the
jumps will be put on In maroon indoor
events.
The committee wishes to cooperate
with the conference meet and Coach
Stages interscholastic meet in such
way as to get the greatest number of
participants for the tryouts. As the
conference date has been set for June
6, 1t is likely that the committee VIII
decide on May 30 as the tryout date.
POMONA HOPES TO
REAT OCCIDENTAL