The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-23
LONG RUNNING
IS ON A BOON
Olympic Races Are Cause of
Increasing Interest Taken
in. Variations

New York, Fob. 23.-Ioistance rum
ming is on the boom in every part of
America where athletics are fostcrcd.
More still. it is on h. boom in prac-
tically every country i'm the world.
France. Germany. England. Egypt,
AuStria- Hungary. Sweden. Greece.
Italy and even japan are all lin tho
game" doing their best to develop
runners who can negotiate several
miles in world beating time. For in
the Olympic games at Stockholm
tance races programed-5.O00 metres.
10000 metres and u Marathon. 1t
is the first of the modern ~OlympiadS
with more than two long races.
II any n nation rould anneN all
three of these events and thereby add
fifteen points to its score. it would be
greatly advanced toward capturing the
team trophy. as il is Il certainty that
the games will he moro closely fought
than ever before. The United States
is generally conceded superior to any
of the other countries in track and
field athletics. as a result of tho tri-
umphs in recent Olympiads. out there
is "A possibility of IL surprise being
sprung by apy one of three or four of
tho rival teams. 1t is a practical Ger
tainty that Uncle SANS men will not
win a majority of the points. as in
the past, eve though they do win u
plurality and thereby get the big
prize.
England Gets in Line.
England. for ono. is waking up. For
the last decade lcthargy has been
growing upon the athletes of the Unit
ed States. What training was done
was in d slopsllod. ~haphazard. don't
care manner the practice work being
looked upon more as a p~leasurablc
frolic than as q. means to AN end. But
the day has come when a change
must take place. and it has already
been brought about.
For some time past it had appeared
that the proverbial supremacy of Bril-
tain in the long distance vents was
due to become "a thing of vague and
remote memories. but John Bull is
coming back with n vengeance. Eng
lands Olympic tryouts are set for
May Is. at Stamford Bridge, and it
is assured tina there will be Il large
entry list of men worthy to fly the
union Jack.
f. w. Parker. coach of the London
Athletic club, according to word from
the other side, has volunteered his
services to every man on the island
who thinks he ear learn to run dis
tances. They say that England is Il
little island and every E~nglishman is
a little island in himself" Here is
n Englishman that is not n little
island" n he probably will prove
of great aid in giving England a team
that will not disgrace the country at
II Olympic games.
Parker Capable Coach.
Parker is one of the most capable
is we'll as one Of the best known
distance running authorities in the
pnl1ntrx, and nlnrnnH-nr lac nyhihitn1
an ability to impart his knowledge to
the few meu with whom he has en-
perimentcd, notably Lieut.. Halswelle,
who astounded the world by his great
quarter mile running several years
ago.. and W. Scott of the Broughton
barriers. who became one of tho best
in the world over tho four-milc route.
Probability is that he will experience
like successes with some of the young
steers whom he is taking under his
wing. particularly since he has such
a large number to draw from now.
Already over half a hundred have
SEM him their m as being I'M
bilious to- ga over the longer course
In the Olympic runs.
In France the distance game is also
growing into national interest. The
Frenchmen have turned out Il man
who is capable of running any ath-
lete in the world off his feet in the
five and ten mile distances in the per-
son Of Jean Bouin. This fellow has
smashed two worlds records into
smithereens-the One-hour run and
the half-hour run. In each he aver
aged close to five minutes per mile
and finished under wraps" apparent
~ Vi to have gone considerably
faster.
From all present indications Bouin
is the man the Americans will have
to beat to get away with a victory in
the 5000 and 10000 metre runs. He
has announced his intention of rum
ming both these races at Stockholm
and declares that he is confident he
can win both Of them. The 5000
metres is n little W. three miles and
the 10000 about six miles. Both will
be run or the stadium track at Stock.
holm. while the longer race. the Mar
athon, is as in former times sched-
nled over a road course.
BOnllaS Ia Worthy F0eman.
# Bouin could win both of these
races. lie would be heralded as the
marvel of all time, as there is just
n day for rest intervening between
two contests. But our own
George Bonhag has executed feats al
most as as that. and 1t is
possible that he will toe the scratch
it, both races again Bouin. Just Il
matter of Il few seconds separates the
hest records of the two in every race
at which both rave run. and they
should produce a great duel when
get together. There are several
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