Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-28
OUROLYMPIC GAMES CHANCES
Opposition American Athletes Are
Likely to Meet.
DOPE ON THE BIG LONDON EVENTS
yankees strong in Pole Vault, Six
teen-POund shot, Hammer and
Hurdles-EnEland's strength
in the Distance Runs.

NEW YORK, June 25.-America's chances
Of victory in the Olympic games look rosy
just now, and II the prospective competi-
tors from the European countries are only
as good as their paper performances would
indicate Uncle Sans representatives will
easily annex the point bonors Of the events
in the English Stadium. But whether or
not the Yankees will come out on top. the
team by its apparently all around ability
IS already doped a sure winner. 4 good
deal Of this confidence has sprung from the
way the boys acquitted themselves at
Athens two years ago, when they scored
nearly as many points as any two other
countries Put together, but it is as well
TO admit now that the opposing forces the
fext time will be vastly different.
IN the first place Great Britain and Ire
land was poorly represented in 19O6-there
being but a few Enslishmen, fewer Irish
men and only a couple of Scotchmen. This
time the very best Of the Englishmen will
be there bv the hundreds, as well rs the
flower Of Ireland galore and the bonnie
pick Of Scotland. Along with this array
France and Sweden will be on hand with
big teams liable to upset all calculations.
especially the Swedes, who have lately
grown ambitious to wrest the worlds
championship title from America.
A few other things in connection with the
American team have to b. reckoned here
and they arc Of vital Importance. That
is. there condition IN the STADIUM will
largely depend on how they will be affected
by change Of climate and an eight day
pecan trip so close upon the hour Of action,
which traveller and the tough. hardened
fellow will show up to advantage at the
--.s-t .-..-. W. anaNla- Y,1ffny IN ha
thought of is that twenty-four nations will
have men in each event, therefore the
number Of trial heats in the sprints and
shorter distance must necessarily be very
numerous. so that only the prime repeater
and the man Of stamina will be of use to
bis team.
where Yankees stand.
lust now to size up the American team
In a few words, II is strongest in the
hurdles. sixteen pounds shot, hammer. pole
Fault and standing jumps, weak in the
distance runs and only middling in the
sprints. middle distances, discus and run
ming jumps, and with not the slightest
chance in the spear throwing or walking
races.
Taking the events in rotation the sprints
come first. America has no wonder for
the 100 meters nowadays, that is a man
who like wefers could give yards to his OPP
ponents and who could at once be put down
as a dead sure thing for the hundred
border on the phenom class and at their
very best have only a fighting chance 10
score. Calculating the possibilities from a
speed test seemingly the foremost man on
the team is w. w. May, Illinois uni
Versity, with his record Of nine and four
fifths seconds for the 100 yards. his figures
- -. 800 ,,,o4ors hafnq oply conjecture
1t is true that Rector, with his record of
ten and four-fifths seconds for the
meters. looms up, but then he showed
that he is no repeater. that he knows
nothing of starting, and into the bargain
is a nervous fellow, liable to go wrong
at any moment. Still men like Rector
very often do the opposite of what their
temperament would convey and the Vir-
Einian may maintain his speed right
through to the final.
on his last outing Robertson of the irish
American Athletic club was beaten in poor
time. and in order to be at all within hail
ing distance OF the front rank he will have
10 improve yards before July 10. II Sher-
man Of Dartmouth should round back into
his form of early spring he will show well
and in much the same box are Huff
Chicago, and Whitman, Pennsylvania.
After all things have been sized up Cart
nell Of Pennsylvania is the most likely to
pull through the two rounds of trials, the
semi-final and final, without having his
rolors lowered. He is a seasoned cam
paigner. is accustomed to the English
weather and the change of atmosphere
should not bother him as much as the
others.
Climate and Time.
IN - -. 49, - e1rg,tar
has recorded as fast time in England as in
America. the conclusion being that there
Is at least a fifth of a second between the
zwo countries. Cartmell's visit to the other
side last year is the most recent illustration
of the theory. The Pennsylvania man left
this shore in great fettle and able at any
time to reel off the hundred in nine and
four-fifths seconds, yet singularly enough
he was beaten by ]. w. Morton, the Eng,
lish champion, in the ridiculously slow
time of ten and four-fifths seconds
Several times afterward Morton beat the
Quaker. but toward the close of the season
Cartmell won a race when IT was said tina
the Britisher had gone stale. Report from
the land Of the Saxon has It that Morton 4
away off his old form. II Morton shoul'
fail the Englishmen will fall back on J. p
George, the furlong champion, who is cap
able or anouI ten ana one-tlttn Tor TN
hundred.
From Ireland there is word of a new
wonder by the name of X. j. Roche, tn
younger brother of p. j. Roche. the Iris
champion Splinter. Last year the younge
had a few airings and on each occasion ex
hibited a rare turn of speed, but this yea
It seems he is still faster. His latest ap
pearsnce was at the spring meet Of tn
Queens college. Cork. where he wa
credited with nine and three-fifths second
for the 100 yards. There was no mentio
made Of the weather conditions. but per
haps Roche had the aid OF a breeze. Tn
older Roche has done ten and one-fift
seconds for the 100 yards. and as bot
will be in the 100 meters at the Olympia
the visitors will have ample opportunity I
get a line on the Irishman.
On paper the really fastest s%printer n
Americans will meet is Knut Lindberg, Ii
Swedish champion and holder of the world
record for the 100 meters of ten and tire,
fifths seconds, made at Stockholm last fal
That the performance was genuine there
little doubt, for soon afterward in the ii
ternational meet, Lindberg easily beat
w. Morton in eleven and one-nfth second
Lindberg is also speedy for the 300 meter
having done twenty-five and three-hfth
but the best man here is Cartmell, WI