El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-13
ROW OVER DISQUALIFICATION OF
An AMERICAN OLYMPIC CONTESTANT
Amherst Man Finished First in the 400 Meters Rum but
German Finishing Second Is Awarded Contest; Foul
Is Charged by Judges; Noted American Train
ers Give Expressions Regarding Incident

Stockholm, Sweden, July IA col
lision between German and an Amer
lean runner in the last heat OF the 400
meters semi-finals yesterday afternoon
has caused some i'll feeling and great
deal of argument at the OIympiad. An
Amherst divinity student, Donald B.
Young, running under the colors Of the
Boston A a, finished two yards in
the lead in this race but was dis4uali-
fled. and the heat given to his fast
Teutonic rival, Braun, who crossed the
line second. The circumstance led the
spectators TO think the United States
might protest, but the Americans. while
considering the judges decision in err
Tor, accepted it gracefully.
The alleged foul occurred on the last
turn OF the so yards from the start.
The race was for blood, and there was
leans, Young and Ira y. Davenport, uni
Versity Of Chicago, and the German,
Braun Young took the lead on the
first jump. The German attempted TO
pass him on the outside at the turn and
was elbOwed by Young. The judges
made an attempt to stop Young at the
next turn but without success The
incident caused great excitement, the
Germans hOOted the Americans, and
manager HAHN argued with the judges.
When the miXup occurred, Young,
Braun and a Swedish contestants were
punched. Young had the pole, the
Swede was as close as posi- bic behind
on the inside, with Braun on the out
side. They were so close together that
they seemed to rub shoulders The Ger
man sprinted into the lead and then
apparently slowed I'd
Young gave him a push with his right
arm With that the runners straight
enec out, and after an inspiring con-
test came up the home stretch at a ter
rifle pace with Young in the lead
The Amherst boy, who is considered
b. all who know him clean runner,
takes the matter much to heart In eN-
planning he said. Braun was pushing
me back. The only thing 1 could do
was what I did or be pushed into the
Swede. If they disquallfy me they GER
tainly should disqualify Braun"
Braun claimed he was fouled but did
not assert that the foul was Intentional
He said: Young pushed me. 1 could
have won the race if l had not been
touched Davenport also got too close
to me on the last turn and rubbed me
In a short race like that man gets
so tired that the smallest push may
make him lose two yards"
Nike Murphy, trainer of the Amer
lean team. said: The German tried to
cross in front and Young showed him
back Young had perfect right to do
what he did Y GU can't cross in front
of a man that way and jostle him"
SuIIivan's Opinion.
James E. Sullivan, the American com
missioner, and Everett J. wendell, OF
the international Olypmnic committee,
explained last night that in the COM
mittee's opinion it was the business OF
the judges to govern such matters and
that protests should not be made eX-
cept in the case of a palpable violation
of the rules. The Americans thought
the ruling of the judges in this case
was mistaken and that Braun obvious
" was the runner who should have
been disqualified, although they did not
question the Judges good faith
The jury 10 consider protests. Of
which Mr.. Sullivan is the American
member, in refusing Germans protest
against the disqualification of her re-
lay team, decided that the jury's func-
tion was TO pass upon the interpreta-