Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-13
ATHLETES GATHERING AT LONDON
All Nations Represented in Olympic
Contests.

LONDON. July 12.-Athletes from twenty
countries are gathering in and near Lohd,h
row, and It Is believed will prove the great
est games of modern times. The ,comPeti-
tors from the four corners OF the globe
constitute a small army in themselves, al
most every country following the example
of America and Great Britain, having en-
tered in the various events the tull quota
of men allowed by the rules, In most cases
a round dozen. AS there are twenty-five
events on the program, the number of ath-
letes taking Tart will total nearly 1000,
many of the men, of course, representing
their respective countries in more than one
event.
IRE iminaries all have been arranged for
the opening day. The original idea was
to devote this day entirely to the formal
letes before the king but the committee in
charge of the games eventually decided to
run off some of the preliminaries, and the
started as Eocn as possible after formaliti' IS
are ended. The parade, which will te the
largtst Of its kind ever held, is to be the
feature Of the ceremonies. The representa-
tiVes of the various countries will form into
rouPs divided according to the sports in
which they are competing, and will carry
their national Colors.
The preparations are on a gigantic scale.
The Stadium will seat 6S 600 SPECTATORS and
there is room for $500 more, hut no geats.
BY making use of a str p surround ng the
Stadium, standing room also can be found
for 5000 additional, but this probably will
not be necessary. The grounds within the
Stadium proper provide three a'h'e f.
tracks, a swimming bath and dressing
rooms for 1000 competitors, The turf track
for hurdle racing, the cinder path for run
ming and the concrete banked for cycling
have been tested and pronounced tie best
in England. Several records already have
been broken on the tracks and II may be
confidently. predicted that more will go
wien the chcs n athletes Of the world meet
AS was to be expected some little fric-
ton has arisen over the rules governing
some of the contests. The Americans have
contended that they have to be permitted
the privilege of digging a hole for the pole
In the yaulting competition, but the ANA
teur Athletic association, the rules of which
will govern the meeting, has decided against
this. To be compelled at the last moment
probably go hard against Gilbert, the
American ~vaIlter, who holds the worlds
championship and recently made a vault of
thirteen feet in practice. The association
also has decided against the protest in the
question of heat drawings, The American
committee pointed out that by the method
to be adopted II might happen that all the
athletes Of one country would be drawn for
the same heat, which would be manifestly
unfair, but the association held that the
possibility Of this was 50 remote that II
need not be taken into consideration Slips,
therefore, bearing the names OF the various
contestants viii be drawn from a hat with
the object of selecting the competitors in
The sports are to last a fortnight and will
occupy the morning and afternoon ot each
day, During the first DAYS OF the meeting
there will be a number Of events going on
simultaneously, but as the unsuccessful are
weeded out and the interest grows, only
one event OF Importance will be contested
at a time.
The prices OF seats have been fixed by
experts selected from athletic associations,
in consultation with two committees. They
range from % cents 10 s. for the afternoon
performances, and practically about nan
that amount for the morning.
The American team is attracting by Tar
the greatest attention. II Is realized that
II is the Americans that the Englishmen
have TO fear more than any other team,
and experts have already practically con-
coded them the shorter runs, the weight
putting and some OF the jumping events,
The Americans have been putting the fin
shing touches to their training al Brighton
and will come to London only as the events
in which they are entered call them in