The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-29
HAS STRONG TEAM
OF HIGH JUMPERS
UNCLE SAM SHOULD SHOW UP
WE'LL IN THIS EVENT AT
OLYMPIC GAMES.

Hardly In any other event of the
Olympic list can the United States
muster such string OF high class
performers as In the running high
Jump, and II the stars and stripes
does not capture alt the points 1t Will
take nothing short OF "A world d record
to gain the premier prize. Six men
could be selected who are capable OF
equaiiing the height that won the
olympic contest of 1908. when Porter
gained the first honors with leap
of s feet. inches. These arc Sam
Lawrence of the Boston A. A.. who
has bounded over feet Ia inches.
Sargent, of Michigan University; Bur-
dick, OF the University OF Pennsyl.
vania; Grumpelt, OF the New York
A. c., and Horne and Johnson, OF Cal
ifornia. HORNE. who cleared feet
inches last fall, was said to be suf-
fering from a bad knee for while
this winter. but the injury must have
worked out All right. for In the dual
meet between Leland Stanford UNI
versity and the University of Cali
fornia, he crossed feet 8 lie inches.
johnson 10 also q pole vaulter with
record something like IL feet. with
promise OF doing better this season
when he gets fairly going.
Undoubtedly the most dangerous
opponent OF the Americans in the Old
World will be @. II. Passaman. holder
OF the present English and German
titles. and regarded as the best all
around jumper alive today. Last fall
he did s feet 3 l-2 inches in the run
ming high at Berlin, and ne Is said to
be better this year, The German has
beaten IL feet in the pole vault and
% feet IN the running broad jump.
Heretofore two continental jumpers
figured well In Or. Steven Somody. OF
the Koiocsyar University A. c.. Hun
gary, and G. Andre. OF Paris. France.
both OF whom tied with Con Leaby
for second place In the Olympics OF
1908 Mt the height OF feet inches.
Andre was then the most promising.
as he was only 10 years of age, and
Of great powers as jumper, but
lacking In the real scientific finish OF
twisting himself over the bar. 1t Is
not known what shape these men are
In 1ust now. but with the incentive Of
the Olympic games to spur them In
their training, they may turn up at
Stockholm able to take n fall out OF
the worlds record.
There is not the slightest doubt but
that the talk OF the American team
for their games. their training. thf
tryouts and the discussion on their
chances 10 DElnk HoHie tuC poIHt
championship from Stockholm will
create a wonderful stir In athletics on
this side of the Atlantic this spring.
Already a number Of cx-champions
and old timers are reported to be In
training with the idea OF having a
crack at the .tryouts. 1t If not GER
tain that Eli b. Parsons. the former
Yale half miller and ex-holder Of the
intercollegiate record. has his eye on
place on the team. but II Is said
he will sport skill again and as a
member OF the Columbia A. c., OF
Sch enectady Parsons VIII be re-
as a brilliant performer
at his favorite distance and his in
door record OF ! minute 81 SIS Sec
onds for the half mile ought to re-
main on the books for some time to
come. All the wonderful runners have
taken trial at the record. but the
best effort did not even come within
seconds of the mark. Parsons was a
member OF the American team that /
went 10 Athens in 1906, but failed to
score In the 500 meters. On his way to
Naples he was stricken. as well as
other members of the team. with an
affection of the tonsils. and he was i
only about rid of the ailment the day t
ri the event. So he WAS minus the |
yie