New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-16
ENGLISH OLYMPIC MEN
NOT Up TO THE MARK
Severe Criticism OF the Team
Made by London Sporting
Authorities.
NO SYSTEMATIC TRAINING
Realized That Great Improve
ment Must Be Made if Amer
ica's Supremacy Is To
Be Overcome.

London. June 1J.-Therc is n great
deal of complaint Of the lack Of any
systematic training of the English team
which will compete at the Olympic
| games at Stockholm, and it is recognized
that there is small chance Of the English
capturing many firsts in the present con-
dition of the team. Apparently little or
no effort is being made TO improve the
situation, and special attention in this
respect is called to the work OF the
Americans.
Nothing has been done here since the
English trials to get the men together or
to supervise their work. either in prac-
tice or in racing. and nobody need he
surprised. English sporting writer's say,
to find if some Of the selected candidates
tail 10 reproduce the even fair to mod
crate form by which they gained their
places on the team.
The men should practice together. but
the relay team and the 'cross-country
Marathon team are allowed and even
compelled to work separately. Vet the
IOlll IUl'Nltt- l'tll' l'l'N ~ ON 49,. '-
practise together. and the 'cross-country
team, has not trained i'm cross country
work
The Amateur Athletic Association has
been accused Of stinGiness. Members Of
one or two of the leading clubs are said
to be raising subscriptions to train rep
resentatives Of the team, hut attention
is called to the regulation i'm the by Jaws
not TO permit clubs to pay the training
expenses Of individuals.
Athletic writer's say: We are assured
Of enc thing. only after the most thor
ouch preparation have our athletes
ghost Of a chance against tho talent
which will he pitted against them at
stockholm The 1908 games are not I'm
il with 1912 as regards class. Take the
American team. There is no Rector, but
r. G. Craig Is quite az great Splinter
and more consistent than Rector. Then
there Is the Syracuse marvel, Reidpath,
and J. =. Jones for the half and the
mile; Abe Kiviat. the twenty-year-old
lad. with wonderful record; Berua for
the two miles. and Sheppard still show
ing form AS world heater at distances
from a quarter to a mile. The 1905
American team had no men with such
records.
The advance of the continental ma
tions in athletics is marvellous. and I'm
comparison America has improved only
;rne. but the American standing was
so high in 1905 that every fraction Of its
Improvement needs q lot Of finding and
where have We improved?
In sprinting. We have no record beat
ers but a man Of great possibilities Is
y. Macmillan. If he finds his best form
he has shadow Of hop. The same APP
piles ~ &. y. Secdhouse, who. however
needs the most careful attention. j !.
Soutter may run a great half, but not
if he - running i'm the sprnts. W. Com
rill is the only miller who seems capable
Of improving g. w. IIutson IS our
greatest nope. IN the distance events
there are men who may improve, men
like w. Haley, =. j Baker, D. +. Nc
Nicol. +. owen and W. Scott. They will
do well if they run M TO their reputa-
tion. but will have 10 do something better
thar they have done If they hope to beat
those they 60 against. g. r. l.. Ander-
son has a big chance I'm the hurdles II
ne is not asked 10 run too many quarters
and halves