The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
Tommy Burns Views Oh Our
Athletic Superiority.
TRAINING METHODS A FACTOR
Fistic Champion of the World on
Eve of Sailing from England to
Australia States I'm Interview that
the Stars and Stripes VIII Win
Olympic Games and Cites Reasons.

article. under the caption, why America
Leads in Sports. as follows:
When ] claim the supremacy OF sport
for America It will be thought an either
merely making the bald-headed eagle
scream or talking through my hat. as so
many men from across the water have the
reputation Of doing.
But such is not the case at all, for /
base my opinion on foundation OF solid
fact, and, therefore, ! may say that
have the greatest confidence that at the
international Olympic sports, American
athletes will carry Off the leading events
IN everything. with the exception of the
long-distauce races. which should GER
tAInly fall TO England
need scarcely say that in The category
OF sport naturally do not include
American with English players in cricket
because on this side you play cricket.
whore on the other side We play base
ball Neither. FROM al I have heard. can
we. ] think. compare with English play
ers a. football. fog there can be little
doubt that England has by lar the clever
est football players iu the world. This
fact. by the way. was impressed upon me
IN rather a graphic manner By a friend
Of mine who is good enough TO hold some
sort OF an opinion of my ability as
boxer. l trust ! shall not be thought
egotistical if I quote the words he used.
English footballcrs, he said, ARE as
clever with their feet as you are Tommy.
with your hands" And those two parts
OF my anatomy have brought me safely
through nearly sixty contests. so that l
have every reason for being able 10 ap-
preciate the simile
Some Promising Competitors.
But TO return 10 the particular events in
which America Is justified in claiming
supremacy. Not long before I left tho
other side ! was having a chat with Mr
James r. Sullivan, the president Of the
Amateur Athletic Union. OF the L. 5. A.,
and. in expressing himself in agreement
with me- he was kind enough TO supply
me with a list Of the probable competi-
tors az the next International olympic
sports.
Now, In the half mile and quarter mile
We have besides Paul Pilgrim. who won
the double event at Athens. a colored man
named j. b. TAYLOR. with a record OF
IS IS seconds. Harry HHman. with Guy
Haskius. Of the Pennsylvania University
who is both the best half miller and miller
in America to-day; his record is 4.20 20
Sullivan and LightbOdv are also good
mile runners, while in the sprint we have
Dan Kelly the holder of the worlds
record of 3-5 seconds for the 100 yards.
Archie Hahn. the winner at Athens. Ans
Ter. Of the University OF Pennsylvania:
Rector. OF the University Of Virginia. and
Shick. Of Harvard. who could. II their
host ho tnl-
guide. defeat the best men I'm Great
Britain. In the hurdles Hilman. Of the
New York Athletic Club will almost Ger
tainly hold his Own-with Il bit to spare
and English sporting enthusiasts may be
interested TO learn that the colleges have
man-for the moment l cannot rccol-
lect his name-who is said to be veri-
table scorcher.
"Dend Cinches" for America.
So far so good I think you VIII agree
with me that on these figures America
is not doing so badly. but i'm other events
as well as she has ample justification for
claiming supremacy. The discus event is
surely walk-oyer for Martin Sheridan.
the all-around champion OF America and
the winner at Athens. while the pole
vault is likewise a dead cinch for us. as
We have number OF men who can beat
eleven feet six inches For the sixteen
pound shot, Ralph Rose and W. w. Coe
viii. undoubtedly. be able 20 come of on
top. as each has succeeded In doing over
forty-nine feet.
With regard 10 the long-distance events
these. as / have said, should faI 20 Eng
land-in fact. they are almost certain 70
fall 10 England but as can be seen at
a glance, America has on records n very
nice substantial winning balance indeed
which surely justifes my contention that
AZ the present time she leads I'm sport
To the fstic art I viii NOT refer excopt
20 say that here also America-and when
] say America 7 include Canada. as
must confess 7 have never succeeded in
seeing any difference between a Canadian
and an American-has proved. beyond all
manner of doubt that she has now the
superior men,
Sounder Principles of Training.
In every branch OF sport. ms in p,oqt
businesses. there comes a period of uns
and downs. and. apparently. II is the lat
ter patch which England has struck lust
now At first sight Il IS not altogether
easy to find sufficiently convincing rea-
son for the present undoubted slump in
eA'iiA'tt-f iii w '~AA AAt'Hllls DII COM
pairing the English with tie American
methods OF training. 1 think no unbiased
critic viii disagree with me when 7 say
that the latter are generally speaking
based on sounder principles Of common
sense
On The other side athletes suit their
trimming to their own particular physique
and constitution. For example. a man
would no more think of following the
same regime day after day regardless OF
how It affected him than would 4 trainer
give thoroughbred horse a two-mtle
stripped gallop daily If he found that his
charge was becoming dry and stale. Ap-
parentiy. however, in England many
trainers map out certain programme for
those whose welfare they are supposed
70 be looking after. and follow that pro-
gramme with unfailing fidelity But II
IS well 90 remember that a man Is not a
machine. no matter how carefully he
may regulate his life. no matter how
faithfully he may follow his system of
training, there must inevitably be DAYS
In a long period OF it when he feels OF
color.
When the time arrives he should be able
10 tell for himself whether or not IL is
wise for him 10 work as hard as usual.
Personally-and / am intensely enthusias-
tic over every form Of sport-when l do
not feel quite up % the mark | take
81 easy 10 prevent me from becoming
stale. An overturned athlete Is like an
overtrained horse. He inevitably loses his
dash and fire and becomes duh and slug
gsh I'm which case obviously. he is not
I'm a condition TO do himself thorough
justice.
Superiority of circumstances.