Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-07-18
THEIR SHOES WERE TOO BIS
In the Tug Of War Contest Ameri-
cans Withdrew from the Field Be.
cause they Said English !ook an
Unfair Advantage and Were Up
held by Game Officials.

I.oNiR'N, July l,.-A SERIOUS con-
irov"rSy has arisen between the Am
rIiCan athletes and the British Oiym-
pie AsSocia ion The American
dir, Ssine rooms at the Stadium have
t""n turned into a camp of discomfort
and there are other competitors IN
@luiins the Canadians and French
men. who are none too satisfied with
hr way In which the events of the
fifth OIympiad are being carried out.
Americas chief Causc o. complaint
Is the arbitrary manner In which their
protest against the fiagarantly unfair
means OF conducting the tug Of war
was dismissed.
The Tug Of War.
The United Kingdom had three
teams entered in the tug of war. made
up OF the police of the city OF London.
Liverpool and the Metropolitan forces.
The drawings brought the Anne rican
and Liverpool teams into the arena
first. When the stalwart Americans
neatly dressed in their athletic COS
tunes. maze their appearance they
received great applause from all sec
tiops of the stands. They all wore
ordinary street shoes. complying with
the rule which says: mo competitor
shall wear prepared boots or shoes. or
boots or shoes with any projecting
nails. tips. springs. points. holiows,
or projections of any kind. No com
petifOr shall make any hole in the
ground with his feet or in any other
way before the start
Policemen Wore Big Shoes.
When me Liverpool police appeared
IL was noticed that they were wearing
enormous shoes. so heavy in fact that
Ii was with great effort they could
lift their feet from the ground. The
shoes. or boots were enormous calf
affairs thai could not by any stretch
of Imagination ne called ordinary
shoes. Heavy boots are worn In the
British navy but these were greatly
exceeded in weigh, by the fOo;gear
OF the Liverpool athletes. who In adj
ditto had steel rims around the heel.
Matte " Halpin. the manager Of the
American team. when he saw the
shoes. entered a protest to the game
officials but he was told that the shoes
W. re those ordinarily worn by Liver
pool policemen. Mr.. Ha!pin decided
to 90 on with the first pull in order
to show how unfairly the americans
were being treated.
Victory an Unfair One.
The decision was wise one FOR
he spectators IN The stands nearby
no. he mi
Kingdom team put their weigh: down.
the heels of their shoes cut through
the turf and gave them hold that
was almost impossible to break. The
Americans made no effort. Rose, the
anchGrman not even winding the rope
around his body. and were promptly
Dull..d across the line.
Mr.. Ha!pin then announced the Am
-rican team would not continu" un-
less the rule was aih' AIRED TO and hiS
protcs, Icing ignored. the men march
cd on The grounds. an official proclaim
ing through a megaphone that tn
|"Amrricans retired because they haN"
had enough Of ia
James r. Sullivan. the American,
Inferred a formal protes; to tn" Brit-
ish Olympic Association. who turned
Il over 10 the officials q: the Amateur
Athletic Association. As the ono
ials already decided in favor Of their
osn team the protest Of course wa
not allowed.
TIL members of the American team.
the American a;hI"tes are thoroughly
disguised and almoS; dish"ari"n"d,
hat they are going Ia fight II ont to
the end
EneIishmen are PrejudiceS.
The whole truth" said an EnEhsh
sport Snan tonighr. arises throaSh
Tho DIvmpic Association having n.
signed the management cf the van
Gus spcrts 20 the officials ~ the ioca
associations. Tho associations nat
uraIIy are pro judiced in favor of their
ncrnbcr- = Of tho United Kingdom
team with whom they have re"n as
saciaind for years u would have
brrn far hotter had IN" events 81 the
Olympir Association. At least the
:; album sports themselves. for win
few m~n such as Lord DcSboTongh
in charge. there never voHid haV"
100, an. ostezt.on of fairness In fhH