New-York tribune., 1908-08-11
MORE BRITISH COMMENT.
Mismanagement an Olympic Games
and Vori0us Remarks.

Illustrated
which ranks second TO no British authority IN a'h
Ietic matters comments conservavely in its latest
issue on the Olympic games 1t taxes the VIC"
that there was much regrettable mismanaselheh'
and has this say on the subject:
THE whole management OF the competitions
themselves should have been in the hands OF
small body of thoroughly competent and practlcal
officials Even allowing for running. cycling sW1hl-
ming and of the field events being III progress
at the same time. fifty of these would nave peen
ample to have attended to everything hsteau VI
which until matters improved owing to the eher-
getc protests OF the press and public, as many as
five hundred people allowed to wander apout
in the centre Of the course getting in each other
way and snoiling the view of thousands VINO hau
paid high prices for their seats. Such state Oh
affairs is not allowed to exist nowadays at the
sports of a little school,"
The loss of British supremacy is frankly admit
ted but the suggestion that the javelin and discus
events distinctly Grecian in origin, be omitted Will
perhaps provoke smile from admirers OF those
colossal policemen, Lemmng, OF Sweden ana
Martin Sheridan, of New York. This is the way
it is put:
Before the next Olympic games are decided III
1912 it might he advisable to thoroughly overhaul
the proeramme which strikes one as being some
what unwieIdy The interest generally taken In
throwing the hammer and putting the weight Is
by means great, but it would be nara upon the
strong men of the world to abolish these compe-
titiOnS. surely however, lHrONIHS tIiS Jaw S-
the discus might be quickly dropped Both are
simply relics of a bygone age, and seem utterly
of place in these days
THE results of the sports as whole are by no
means fattering to Britons. Sprinting appears to
be a lost art among them. Our representatives
made poor show indeed in the 100 metres. anG
but for Lieutenant Halswell would have been hope
essly out of all the short distance races. In walk
ing we still thoroughly maintain our pre-eminence,
it is a branch of sport which is compara-
lively little practised in America, and there is no
telling what that remarkable people would not ac-
conapIish were they TO make specially of it,
THE greatest disappointment of all. so far as
this country was concerned, the much talked
of Marathon race. Distance running has always
been the strong point of Britons, yet we did not
have in the first twelve, our best representa-
tive taking 3 hrs 17l2 min. to cover little less
than twenty-six and a quarter miles This seems
be inexplicable until the time of each mile ac-
complished by the leaders is carefully examined.
Two miles were run in 10 min. II sec. and ten in
IS min. 53 sec If men who have more than
twenty-sx miles go will try to cover eleven
miles in the first hour there be only one re-
suit. Walter George, the greatest runner from one
mile TO ten that the world has ever seen,' never
took part in a race over a distance of ground
without sketching a schedule of times of each
mile and running as nearly possible to it. Any
old and experienced long distance runner will
easily understand that there were at least dozen
men taking part in the Marathon race who were
they kept strictly schedule time for each mile.
would easily beat the time made by Dorando. and
vet finish the distance without any undue distress.
Il is emphatcally the pace which kills, and even
in a quarter of a mile with judg
meDt can run himself completely to a stand
Still that he cannot even stagger past the tape
Probably the British point of view in respect TO
two much discussed incidents of the games has
not been better put anywhere than in the fol-
lowing:
A GREAT deal has been written as to the beneficial
effects of the Olympic games in cemeuting inter
national friendship and good will Do they really
doubt The actions of the American contingent
viii scarcely serve to strengthen the good feeling
existing between them and the athletes of tins
country. Nothing need be written TO the sue
cessfu protest of Hayes against Dorando in the
Marathon race The Italian probably lost the prize
through the judged action of officials and others
in the Stadium. He might or might not have been
able to finish the last hundred yards without
sisted. and Hayes was well within his rights in
protesting No doubt it w3uld & ,, have Sd been more
did. and decline to take chance of getting the
prize unless he could finish first for It, but this
was a matter of personal feeling, and has
a right question the action of Hayes
The final heat of the 40o-metTes another
probably come in for sweeping condemna-
ton than they really deserve. 1t should be
forgotten that British and american ideas and
which would not be tolerated in London for
ment, are simply considt red smart in New York.
and what American athletes regard as justifable
tactics" in a stigmatiZe deliberate foul
ing II is thousand pities that the incident ever
il doubtful if these meetings every four years are
by any unmixed blessing
There seems to be sneer at Hayes in the fore
going and il is only fair to the pucky winner of
the race to say that he had nothing to do with the
protest which apparecily. should never have been
made necessary.