Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-17
AMERICANS KICK
Say They Are Not Receiving Fair Treatment in the Olympic
 Games
SULLIVAN'S PROTEST

| eANSNANSN
 the officials of the Olympic games.
 The secrecy with which the drawings
 for track events was made and the re-
 suits of this system, whereby the best
 American runners were put .n the same heat, was bad enough, they say,
 but now the unfairness in the tug-of-
 war match to-day, has disheartened
 the American contestants. James
 Sullivan, the American commissioner to the games, has entered vigorous protest, and it is hoped that higher officials will do something to stop
 this unfairness.
 The Americans competing in the
 stadium games are simply going in fcr the championships in the field
 events and they are counting their
 points by the American method, five
 for firsts, three for seconds and one | for thirds.
 There were only three events on this mornings programme, the indi- vidual sabre competition and two archery contests. The first of the archery contests was the York round for gentlemen and the second the na- tional round for ladies. The bad
 weather again spoiled the sport, both
 the gentlemen and the ladies being repeatedly driven off the grounds by the heavy rains.
 The attendance to-day was even smaller than yesterday and persons interested in the matter are giving their serious consideration to the question of the slim attendance and making special efforts to bring out the crowds. There will be a reduc- tion in the price of admission next week to induce the Londoners to fill the stands. In the first round of the individual sabre competition the best performance was given by Flesch of Australia, in the first section. He scored five points to his opponents nothing. Three other sections were completed.
 The first heat of the semi-finals of the 100 metre back stroke swimming contest was won by Bieberstein, Ger many, in one minute 25 S-5 seconds. Dane, Denmark. was second. In the second heat. Haresnape, United King dom, was first, and Aurick, Germany. second. The winners time was 1 minute 2S 1-5 seconds.
 By the time the games opened this afternoon the weather had cleared up somewhat and there was a better at Gnunra1 contested at the same time. On the whole the scene was much more ani- mated than on any previous day. There was something going on in the part of the arena reserved for field events; the fencing ground adjoin- ing the stadium also was occupied: the men who had qualified for the final in the ten mile walk, all of them members of the United King dom team, with the exception of H. E. Kerr, Australia, were on the cin- der patch, and in the center of the arena the javelin throwers, eompet- ing in the contest with the javslin held in the middle, were attracting attention.
 A number. of Americans had been entered for this latter event, but none of them participated. In anotn- CT portion of the arena the big men of Greece, America. Germany, Swe- den and the United Kingdom, the last named having three teams entered, had congregated for the tug of war.
 The final in the ten mile walk was won easily by G. E. Larner, United Kingdom, in 1 hour, 1 minutes. 51 2-5 seconds. F. J. Webb, United Kingdom, was second.
 The American. protest regarding tug-of-war match was disallowed.
 The final in the one hundred me- tre back stroke swim was won by Dieberstein of Germany in 1 minute 24 3-5 seconds. Denmark was sec ond, and the United Kingdom third.
 Tug of War Protest.
 America has protested the tug-of- war. Greece and Germany withdrew l from this contest and the first pull | was between the American team and | the second team of the United King dom.
 The protest was made on the | ground that the United Kingdom | team, contrary to the regulations. | wore prepared shoes. The American | team lost the first pull.
 The American team had two more | pulls. the conditions being the best two out of three. but in view of the | cause for their protest they decided to retire. The American team was composed Of w. G. Burroughs. Chica- go A. A.; A. K. Dearborn, N. Y. A. C.; John J. Flanagan. Irish-American I A. C.. M. J. McGrath. x. Y. A. C.: Ralph Rose. Olympic A. C.. San Fran cisco: Lee ] Talbot. Irish-American A. C.. W. w. Coe. Jr. Boston A. C.; and NJ. F. Horr. Irish-American A. C.
 The English team. who are mem bers of the Liverpool police force. wore an immense shoe which could not under any circumstances be used for ordinary purposes. Tn addition to this every man had the heels of his shoes encased In steel which sank into the turf while the head man had spikes fastened to his shoes. When the Americans saw how the reguIa- lions were ignored. they made no ef- fort Rose. the anehorman. did not sven wind the rope around his body. When the United Kingdom team put their weight on the feet of the Ameri- rsns. shod with ordinary shoes. slip ped over the turf.
 Matthew P. HaIpin. manager of he Olympic team. who had already protested to the officials. reported the