The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-01
ATHLETES ON HIGH OLYMPUS
NO MORE TALK; WE WON, ROOSE'
WELT TELLS THEM.

A<0
LAke q Trainer to the Houe Team He
Talked and They warmed Do Toward
Him Thatsheppard and John Flanagan
Gave Him Their Olympic Medals.
OYSTER BAR, Aug. si.-You remainder
how tho homo team used TO come back
to the gym and gather around the trainer
to fight Il all over again and how the old
man would listen with q twinkle In his
eye. or maybe q bit OF a'frown, a. some
n recited the story Of o adirty deal
In the quarter mile or Of judges too blind
to zee q two yard steal In the hundred.
Well II was Just like that when the Olym-
pic visitors climbed Sycamore Hill to-day.
For the time being President Roosevelt
was the odd man. and the athletes
crowded around him, each eager to tell
his story Of victory or defeat, certain that
In the President he had an Interested and
sympathetic listener. And just as the
old trainer used to let the boys talk 1t
out before breaking in with Lots don't
do any kicking. We beat 'em. didn't wef
Well that's good enough . the Presi-
dent listened to the story OF trouble In
the 400 meter race and then-well first
he said some very emphatic things thai
would make mighty fine reading only
that the President made every n promise
not TO repeat 1t. and then he said;
We've won out. boys. and the less talk
now the better. We don't have 10 do any
talking now-we've won. And then. too.
IL vas q great deal better than beating
them over hereto beat them on their
own ground. We ought to be satisfied
From the minute the men appeared
oyer the brow Of the Hill marching along
10 the whistled tune Of "A Hot Time In the
Old Town there wasn't q bit OF stiffness
or ceremony about the affair. II was just
the track team from Uncle Sans college
coming home and in O hurry to tell Uncle
Sans trainer all about II. II thore had
been any shyness 10 begin with II could
not have lasted a second after the Presi-
dent appeared In hs doorway with ex-
tended hand and called out 'I'm mighty
glad to see you. By George. this 10 fnel
It's q little bit finer than silk
And then as somebody tried to intro
duoe Mike Murphy. the trainer. the Presi-
dent said: Il don't have TO be introduced
to Mike. Come along all Of you
James E. Sullivan got up In time to
stand next 10 the President and do the
introducing as tho men filed past into
the house. The President stood just
inside the hall after the first greeting
and as the team swarmed up b steps
Mrs. Roosevelt took her place beside
him and bad a part In the Handwriting.
Johnny Hayes. the big little man who
won the Marathon. was the first OF the
team to experience the Presidential
handmade. He got n grip that made
him vince. and the President exclaimed
I'm pleased to meet you. You're the
~topnotchsr OF them all. I'm pleased AZ
Punch"
But punch 10 English. MIR. President
sou,e one called out In protest. The Presi-
dant laughed. We'll then I'm q lot more
pleased than Punch he said.
After Hayes, came Gilbert. the Yale
pole vaulter, and then 'Tewanina, the
Indian contestant In the Marathon, whom
the President greeted as the only real,
original American The next one to
get special recognition amid the rapid
fire Of glad to meet you and pleased
to see you. was Melvin sheppard, winner
Of the 800 and 1900 meter races. who
the police surgeons once decided was not
physically At to become q member OF the
Finest The President hung on Shep-
pard's hand a moment longer than the
rest.
Well. I'm glad to SEQ you he said.
"You beat out the whole business and
you're on the New York police force, are
you not3'
mo. they threw me down. replied
Sheppard. and then Mr.. Roosevelt quit
handwriting 80 that he could use his FIST
for emphasis as he declared: Il just wish
I were still Police Commissioner There
was q pat word for every nj Of the sixty
men in the line. The President seemed
to have a good head for past performances
When the last hand had been shaken he
led his guests into the big living room a,
the end Of the hall and pointed out where
hung the flags Of his old regiment.
Il was never an athlete he sal. but
I used to ride and shoot. / noticed one
Of you is q member OF the National Guard,
That's good business. l Joined early,
for / made up my mind that no one else
should do my voting or my shooting for
me-"
As the men gathered about to look at
the flags or ask questions about the two
shaggy bison heads that look out from
either side Of the fireplace the President
made the only approach to q formal
speech during the visit. He said:
Gentlemen. I just want to say ONT word
Of greeting TO you. / am sure you fee
that every one In America Is proud Of you,
I,don't want to speak in hyperbole ever,
but l think it IL the literal truth. Mr..
Sullivan. to say that the feat that this
team has performed has Q been dupli-
Gated In tho history Of athletics. ! think
II Is the biggest feat that has ever been
performed by any team Of any nation.
and I congratulate all Of you. There Is
not a man on the team who does not
deserve his share in the total credit.
1t is not only the men vho won the firsts
but Il IL every man on the team who did
his duty, as they all did, who deserves
his share Of the credit.
Il congratulate you all and I thank you
all. want to say, MIR. Sullivan, a word
Of special thanks and acknowledgment to
got together and sent over such q
team; and our gratitude. gentlemen. 10
due not to those who were 90 glad to SEQ
YOU come back victors-there are plenty
Of those-but to those who In any way
contributed to send you abroad In such
shape that you could be ~viotors. I think