The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-04
Western Experts Meet
Eastern At Seattle Fair

Seattle, July ESPECIAL )-For the first
time in the history of American athletics
the best track men of the west will COM
pete on western field against the east in
the great American Amateur Athletic
Union track meet at the stadium of the
Alaska Yukon-Pacific exposition Friday
and Saturday, August Il and ID
Although western athletes have often
made good in the east no strictly west
ern team has ever competed success
fully 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 numbers
which the east has at its command tho
western athletes will have 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 al
ways been held in doubt by the critics
of the east. This meet will decide wheth-
er or not the western track men are
the equals of those from the east
The entries for the meet will include
many of the most prominent athletes
in the United States. Practically all of
the college stars of the large eastern
colleges will compete and many of the
men who achieved fame In the Olympic
games at London will also be seen
From the west there will be a large rep
resentation. 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 include many west
ern college stars. Huston of Oregon and
Nelson of Washington State college are
sprinters who are counted on to make
a good showing. Huston has run the
1OO-yard dash in 4-5 seconds and Nelson
Is credited with the worlds record of
3-5 seconds This record has been pre-
scented to the intercollegiate record COM
mittee, but the matter has not been set
tied.
Forest Smithson, the worlds champion
hurdler, who won his events handily in
the London Olypmic games, is counted on
to win the hurdles for the west. Ger
hardt of the Olympic club will be prom
inent figure in the dashes. Gilbert, the
former Yale star, in the pole vault, who
tied for the first place in the London
games, will also add to the strength of
the western team. Both SmithSon and
Gilbert will enter with the Multnomah
club of Portland, Orc.
The track at the stadium Of the EXPOSE
ton is one of the fastest on the coast
and it is being constantly worked to put
1t in condition for the great meet.
The Irish-Americap Athletic club of
New York, which made such wonderful
cleanup in the Olympic games at London
will enter a team of it's best men In
the huge American Amateur Athletic
Union track and field meet at the stadium
of the Alaska Y ukon-Pacif1c exposition
at Seattle in August
This is the substance of a notice that
has been received by William Inglis, di-
rector of athletics at the exposition, from
J. e. Sullivan, president of the A. A. u.
The Irish American club has entered heart
fly into the spirit of the meet, accord
ing to Mr.. Sullivan The contest is the
first great track meet that the west has
ever held.
Just what men will be sent by the