Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-31
SMITHSON IS COMING BACK
Champion Hurdler Already Training
for the Stockholm Events.
YANKEES HAVE BEEN IN DOUBT
Canadians Have Plan TO Form ALI
british Team to Represent Par
cnt Country ms Well ms
PossesaiOns.


NEW YORK, Dec. 3O-For some time
past a doubt existed in the minds of the
American Olympic committee whether the
Yankee team at Stockholm would be as
strong over the timbers as It was in the
1905 festival at London, especially as It
was the belief that none of the men who
upheld the Stars and Stripes then would
be available again. Garrels and Rand
have gone out of the game for good,
Shaw has lost form and Smithson has not
been seen carrying silk for nearly two
years. There was hope that Smlthson
would come back, for ia any kind of fair
fettle he would be a pillar of strength In
the high stick event. For nearly year
nothing has been heard of the hurdler,
and frequent inquiries We're made about
him, and only when he was quoted as
throwing doubt on the 100 yard record OF
Dan Kelly was IL known that he was I'm
the land of the living at all.
Smithson was located a short time ago,
and still more satisfactory TO the athletic
followers is the news that he has started
to prepare himself for the trip to Sweden.
He is now In business at Los Angeles,
Cal, and the method he has adopted for
getting into trim is to take long walks
every evening before going to bed. lie
is of the opinion that there is no sore
beneficial exercise than good, long
stroll after the sun goes down, when the
roads and streets are partially clear OF
vehicles and pedestrians and when man
has freedom enough to swing along at a
nice gait, The practice beats every other
known method for building up a sub
stratum OF muscular energy, which Is alb
solutely necessary afterward in the exact
ing spell of strict training once or
twice week Smlthson takes turn over
the hurdles. just to keep a proper meas
urement Of his strides, so that by spring
time, when he begins work in real earn
est, he viii only have to race over the
sticks daily.
Great Performance.
Smithson won the high hurdles at Lon
don I'm the world record time OF cas-,
and by the old world experts It was re-
garded as the greatest performance OF
the whole Olympic games. The distance
was 1909 yards, and to have covered this
over the obstacles. 3 feet 6 inches high.
In the time stated was a feat never be-
fore approached, nor IS II likely 10 be
unless Smithson duplicates It himself.
-Four Americans figured In the final OF
the race at London-Garrels OF Michigan.
who had equalled the previous worlds
mark of o:l5h: Shaw OF the Chicago Ath-
letic association, supposed TO be a shade
slower than the Wolverine: Rand OF Har-
ward. able to do a fraction worse than
O:l5 and Smithson. They got away 10
perfectly fair start. but smithson was
leading at the first flight and from thence
onward he improved his position at every
obstacle. He took the hurdles as clean as
whistle and won by fully five yards
from Garrels. with Shaw half yard be-
hind. In third place. smithson was then
% years OF age, 80 that he will not be
too old TO duplicate the feat next year.
A visitor from Canada during tho last
week told the story OF how tho Canadians
have planned an all-British team. that Ia,
II the Engiishmsn at home are willing
The proposal il to be made by the Can
adams that Australia and Canada go In
with England on the olympic team,
proceeding which would be permissible,