The Irish standard., 1908-08-01
ENGLISH sPoRTsMANsHIP.

ENGLISH sPoRTsMANsHIP.
Our English cousins" have once
more shown their love for Americans
and especially Irish Americans. Filled,
doubtless, with "the hands across the
sea" spirit. they were so overcome
with love for such Anglo Saxon broth
ers as Hayes, Flanagan and Sheridan,
that they would not allow an English
man to come within a mile Of winning.
And just to show their unselflshness,
apparently afraid that an Englishman
might win in the Marathon race. they
carried an Italian. exhausted. across
the line, so that if the American cou-
sins could not win, it might not be said
that an Englishnan had won. But it
eurned out that in this Marathon race,
the leading Englishman was twelfth
in reaching the goal and that four Of
the first ten men were Americans, and
that it was not at all necessary for the
judges to break all the rules Of sport
in order to prevent an Englishman
from winning. Finally. when nothing
else appeared possible. they decided
that Hayes. the man who ran his race
alone and crossed the line without be-
ing dragged across. was the real win
ner Of the great race.
There are some Of US in America
who have suepicioned that the English
really preferred to see the italian, Do
rando, get the palm Of victory in
stead Of their Anglo-saxon cousin.
Hayes. Far be it from us to deride
the gallant effort made by the Italian
runner. He fought to the last, show
ing a courage that is worthy of all
praise and had he an ounce more OF
strength, he would have won the race.
But what can be said that will suf-
flciently express the unsportsmanlika
conduct of the English judges who, in
order to defeat the oncoming Ameri-
cans, grabbed up the fallen Italian and
helped him. across the line? OF course.
the victory Of Hayes was so unexpect-
ed and SO overwhelming over the Eng
lish runners that there might be some
excuse for the crowd, in the exciting
moment at the finish. attempting to
do anything that would beat the
Americans. but for the Judges and
other officials to do what they did
proves that John Bull still has the
same old feeling for Americans that
he has shown on many occasions.
OF course. there are still sycophants
in this country who will talk about
the hands across the sea" spirit Of
our English cousins. and the superior.
ity Of the Anglo Saxon race. and the
universality Of the English language,
and the conquering march Of English
civilization, but there are at least fif-
teen millions of people in this country
in whose veins run the same kind OF
blood that runs in the veins Of Hayes,
Sheridan and Flanagan. who know
that the English have no use for
Americans in general and no use at
all for Irish Americans.
Now that the great athletic contest
is over. where would England have
been In the contest were It not for the
Irish that came from her colonies,
Canada nd ia t.
English did win some Of the events,
but they were events in which only
the English entered. 50 Of course it
was inevitable that. when the English
compete among themselves. that there
should be an English victory. No ma
ton sent men to these games to play
tennis to shoot clay pigeons. etc. The
world participated in running, pole
vaulting. hammer throwing. hurdling
and Jumping. In all these. Americans
won the first place
When the contest was first arranged,
England proposed to compete with all
the world, but finding that she had
no chance whatever. she summoned
to her aid the colonies ana called them
English
When the British star was beaten
IN the 400 meter race. the Judges de-
clared that he was fouled by the
American competitor without any
hearing: without chance for the ac-
cused one to present his case. A new
race was declared and the American.
withdrew. leaving the held to the Eng
lish, and Of course they won