Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-27
WEST WILL MEET
EAST AT SEATTLE
ATHLETIC CONTESTS WILL BE
HELD IN AUGUST
TRACK MEN WILL GATHER FROM
ALL QUARTERS
Irish=Ameriean Club of New York Has
Signlfied intention of Sending Run-
ners and Field Men to Compete
in Exposition Stadium

SEATTLE, June 26.-For the first
time in the history of American ath-
letics the best track men of the west
will compete on western field against
the east in the great American ANA
teur Athletic union track meet at the
stadium of the Alaska -Yukon-Pacific
exposition Friday and Saturday, Au-
gust 12 and 10.
Although western athletes have ofen
made good in the east, no strictly
western team has ever competed sue
cessfully against the eastern stars. 1t
has been complained that this is on
account of the fact that few western
men have been entered in the eastern
meets and because of the change of
conditions.
From the records that have been
made in Pacific coast athletics in the
past few years this should be one of
the greatest track meets in the history
of the country. Against the experience
and number which the east has at its
command the western athletes will
have as an offset the fact that the
meet is held on a western field and
amid familiar conditions.
Intense interest over the outcome of
this meet has been exhibited all over
the Pacific coast. The records that
have been made on western tracks
have always been held in doubt by the
critics of the east This meet will de-
eide whether or not the western track
men are the equals of those from the
east.
East Will Meet West
The entries for the me- will include
many of the most prominent athletes
in the United States. Practically all
of the college stars of the large east
ern colleges will compete and many
of the men who achieved fame in the
O1x-Y1 mir car at I will al IA
seen.
From the west there will be large
representation. The men will come
from all parts of the Pacific coast.
nearly all of the athletic clubs having
signified their intention to enter teams.
The list of contestants will also In
cude many western college stars.
Huston of oregon and Nelson of Wash
ington State college are sprinters who
are counted on to make a good show
ing. Huston has run the hundred
yard dash in 09 As and Nelson is
credited with the worlds record time
of ;O9 3-5. This record has been pre-
sented to the intercollegiate record
committee. but the matter has no
been settled.
Forest Smithson, the worlds cham
pion hurdler, who won his events
handily in the London Olympic games
is counted on to win the hurdles for
the west. Gerhardt of the Olympic
club will be a prominent figure in TIL
dashes. Gilbert, the former Yale sta
in the pole vault, who tied for thu
first place i'm the London games, wi
also add to the strength of the west
ern team. Both Smithson and GilbeTi
| will enter with the Multnomah club
team of Portland, Ore
The track at the stadium of tn
exposition is one of the fastest on tn
coast and it is being constantly worked
to put it in condition for the great
meet.
New Workers Will Enter
The Irish-American Athletic club of
New York, which made such wonder
full clean up in the Olympic games st
London, will enter a team of it's best
men.
This is the substance of notice
that has been received by William
Inglis. director of athletics at the ex-
position from j. e. Sullivan, president
of the A. A. u. The Irish-American
club has entered heartily into the
spirit of the meet, according to Mr..
Sullivan.
Just what pen will be sent by the
club has not been definitely settled.
From adVices received by Mr.. Inglis
the list will include practically the en-
tire number of irish American victors
in the Olympic games at London.
Sheridan, the greatest all round ath-
lete in the world and veteran of both
the Athens and the London games,
will be seen for the first time In the
west. He is counted on by his club 70
win in several of the events of the
meet IT has not yet been definitely
settled whether Shepard, the great
Irish-American distance runner will be
able to compete After his victories at
the London games his physicians pre-
dicted that he would never be able to
run again, on account of a heart af-
fection.
The list of Irish-American athletes
will also include several of the famous
weight men of the club. They will be
contested against a number of the
best men in the country, including the
famous Ralph Rose of the Olympic
club of San Francisco, who holds the
record for the shot put,