Evening star., 1912-06-16
SELECT BEST SQUAD
Olympic Committee Chooses
Well Balanced Team.
DOUBTFUL IN sPRINTs
Other Events Will Be Well Taken
Care Of Though-Reliance
on Berna.
BY EDWARD r. BUSHNELL.

It is hardly conceivable that any COM
mfttee could have selected a better all
around team than that which sailed on
the steamship Finland Friday to repre-
sent the United States in the fifth revi-
val of the Olympic games at Stockholm
With the exception of a little uncertainty
In the sprints and hurdles the American
team does not seem to have a weak spot.
Without question it is a better all around
combination than represented this coun-
try in the 1908 meet in London. But
even in the events referred to there is a
possibility that some of the men selected
will spring surprises on the athletic
world.
1t is not surprising that there should
have been some criticism in certain quar-
ters because certain men thought sure of
place on the team were not taken
This would have been the result no mat
ter who picked the team. Primarily the
American committee was handicapped by
lack Of funds Had il been possible
the committee could have taken probably
fifty more athletes than it did, provid-
ing Of course 1t had the funds. with the
knowledge that most of the men in this
group would have almost an equal
chance with the first men selected
In 1908 there were a number of men
who paid their own expenses to the
games after having been left off the team
by the selection committee. Curiously
enough some Of these athletes scored
heavily, while others, who had been pick
ed before them and whose expenses were
paid by the American committee. failed
not be made too strong that absolutely
no partisanship was shown by the Ameri-
can committee in the selection Of its
team and that its members used the best
judgment they had.
Worried Over Sprinters.
AS was inttmated in the foregoing. the
events in which Americans will feel the
most uncertainty are the 100 and 200 me-
ters dashes. The writer has seen nearly
all of the men selected for these two
events in action this year, and at this
writing there is some occasion for alarm
over the outlook in these events. For in
stance, Ralph C. Craig, the former Mich
igan man and holder of the world record
for the 220-y ard dash, is not himself yet
He was beaten fairly while trying his
best in the 100 meters in the final try
outs at Boston June g. II. P. Drew. the
colored high school boy from Springfield,
Mass beat him a yard and half. To
good many persons the form shown by
Drew was a great surprise, not many
having heard of him before. He won the
junior A. A. U. championship at Pitts
burgh last summer, and at that time
Trainer Mike Murphy pointed him out as
coming champion. He has lots of
strength and speed. but is not a man who
can repeat in the 200 meters as Craig did.
If Craig can regain his 1911 form by
the time the games are held there will
not be man at Stockholm who can
beat him, unless it be Nc.Lillan, the
Cambridge University man. year ago
it would have been easy for Craig to have
done 10 So seconds for 100 meters, but
he gave up training after his graduation
from the University of Michigan, and did
not resume until six weeks ago. AT
Boston he gave the impression of not
having had enough practice. He will not
get an opportunity TO work into much
better condition at Stockholm though
there is a chance that he will round into
better form than he now Is.
As for the other American sprinters.
little is known of them. Wilson of Coe
College equaled the ;uJ-Iaeters record al