The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-20
AMERICA NOT DISHEARTENED Athletes May Show Bet ter This Week. MR. SULLIVAN INTERVIEWED Commissioner Talks of. the
 Ruling. Little xftention was Paid By The of- Acers of the Amateur Athletic
 AssocIstion To His Ener-
 gefic Protests.


 dom. winch before the opening of the Olympic games at the Stadium had a big lead over all other nations in the number of wins in the contest for su- premacy in all sports. most of which, however. were scored in competition in which no other nation took part. all most doubled that lead during the past week, and furthermore, overlook the American team in the count for track and field events.
 But this has not served to disheart- en the American athletes and tliose of their countrymen who accompanied them to England.
 James E. Sullivan, the commissioner representing the United States, said to the Associated Press tlis evening:
 we have come here to win the championship In Eeld sports ana we are going to do it despite the handi- cap from which we are suffering. This handicap has been twofoid. In the first place, the men came to a country hay- ing the worst possible climate for those unused to 1t and this affected them very seriously.
 aThe other handicap Is the manner in which the heat drawings have been conducted. The drawings have gone against us In the i.50o meters race. when our best men, Sheppard and Hal-
  and the same thing occurred in the 800 meters event. the heats Of which wiff be run off tomorrow. Sheppard and Eaistead were drawn against each other for second time. Bromtiow and Ramey also have been put into q heat together in this event while in two other heats of the 800 meters not a single American has been drawn
 aIt Is either extraordinary bad luck or the manner In which the drawings have been made that has resulted in such unfavorablc conditions for the Americans. We have tried to ind out how the drawings are conducted. bnt have not been able to get anything from the Amateur Athletic Association olacIals except the reply:
 I The arawgngs hsss been maas n sDs ssAs "a, coon as N saw the drawings Iasl evening r went after the Secretary oi the Amateur Athletic Association ;t.l poIftted out the injustice of these and inc matter ts to come before the com mission We do not care what repre- sentatives of other nations our men have to run against. but 1t is unfair to put them against each other In the heats"
 E Mir. Sullivan concluded by saying;
 .The United Kingdom has had its innings la the distance events last week; tlYe Americans will have their turn this eek in the sprints. hurdles and jumps
 The men who are to upheld the su- premacy ef America in these sports have been training at Brightona. They came up to London this evening, and although suffering from the effects of the climate, still they are determined to gathe CT in the great majority ot the prizes. It will be impossible to sur pass the United Kingdom's total of wins in all sports. but the Americans expect very early In the week to wipe out the lead of fourteen points in the score of field sports which the repre- sentatives of the United Kingdom at the present time hold over them"
 The figures up to Sunday night. counting by the American method In the tield and track events, are:
 United Kingdom, 64 America, 70. Eleven events still remain to be con- tested, exclusive of the marathon race, in all of which the American team will add to their score.
 These events are:
 Standing broad jump; running broad jump; high jump; pole vault: 100. 900. 400 and 800 metres fiat races. 110 and 400 metres hurdle races and the relay race.
 While. of course. the Americans re- alize that none of these will be walk over, they don't fear the European com- petitors as much as they do the two Canadians, Kerr. the sprlnter. who has easily beaten every one he has met in England. and Archibald. the clever pole vaulter.
 If the Indian, Longboat. is allowed to run in the Marathon, which 1t Is be- Iieved he will the committee having already decided not to allow the pro- test filed against him by the American committee, 1t Is likely that the prize in this event again. will go to Canada.
 The Americans who will compete In the Marathon are: Joseph Forshaw, Missouri Athletic Club: Sidney H. Hatch. 1st Regiment Athletic As- Irish-American Athletic Club; T. P. Morrisey. Mercury Athletic Club; M. J. Ryan, Irish American Athletic Club; Lewis Tewanina. Carlisle Indian School and A. R. Welton, Young Mems Christian Association. Tewanina is thought to have a good chance of win ming.
 The race will bring together the most cosmopolitan lot of competitors of the start three men; South Africa, four; Greece. Finland, Russia, Belgium. Aus tria, Bohemia and Hungary, one each; Holland and Italy. i've each: Germany. three; Denmark. two; America, seven. and the United Kingdom and Canada the full dozen allowed by the rules.
 The course is exactly twenty-six miles. 3s5 yards.
 The Marathon will be run on July 24. The prizes are to be distributed on July 25. Queen Alexandra is to preside over the affair and If the King should attend, he will take no part in the proceedings fin any way.
 The Olympic exhibition committees tonight agreed to make a reduction of fifty per cent. in the prices of most of the seats in the Stadium beginning to-morrow. Other concessions were made with a view to attracting pub lie support.