New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-08
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Good Start In Olympic Games
Points 10 Another Victory.
TEAM IN FINE CONDITION
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

duu EIUACSoLOhnls
Judging by the news that comes from
tAr-oR Stockholm, tho American athletes
are IN primo condition for tho Olympic
games which will be the centre OF IN
terest for the next ten days IN Sweden
Never, perhaps, IN the history OF track
and Geld sport has such a strong ana rep
resentative team gone forth from any
country to PIT its strength and speed and
sldll against all nations as was the one
which sailed away on the Finland some
three weeks ago. At that time q seemed
20 be only q question OF the men holding
their form while journeyng across the
seas and going into new cMnes TO bring
their sequence OF victories in the Olympic
series up 70 Eve; and now that the sprint
ers and raiddle distance men have proved
their speed and condition IN the trial heats
on Saturday hardly q doubt exists that
success VIII crown their efforts. Com
PARSONS are not easy TO make when the
best athletes Of all nations gather IN one
place for the tests OF running, Jumping
weight throwing, hurdling and pole vault
ing, but such comparisons as are possible
point 80 clearly to another victory for the
United States that one must be pessimisuc
indeed even TO suggest defeat
This confidence Is born in oneIwonderfUl
performance after another which carried
followers Of the sport through the most
remarkable season ever known, from May
1 TO June To- New records were estao-
lished. first by one athlete and then by
another in the most amazing way. Hard
" a meeting was held without the smash
ing of some old mark, as the chance for
a TIP 10 Sweden to represent this country
at the now famous games seemed to have
q most stimulating effect The task OF
picking out the men best qualified to make
the tourney was not an easy one, but the
team selection committee, Of which James
z. Sullivan was chairman. did its work
In q way to command respect and few
athletes were left at home who would
have improved the chances Of victory
abroad.
It's quite possible that some Of the stars
of whom much is expected will fail TO run,
to Jump, to hurdle or to handle the weights
In q way TO earn more athletic fame, but
IN almost every case the second string
man are quite capable, on their best per-
formances, of defeating the leaders from
other nations. Everything else being equal,
however, It is quite likely that those ath-
ietes who stood out IN this country will
be- the ones to shine abroad. Among these
may be mentioned John Paul Jones, OF
Cornell holder of the worlds amateur rec
ord of AIS 2-5 for one mile; Abel Nvtat,
the national one-mile champion whose run
ming 1ust before leaving this country was
a constant menace 70 Father Time; Mel
Sheppard, ranked by many as the greatest
middle distance runner in the history OF
track and field sports O. d. Reidpath OF
Syracuse q ouarter-miler who has few, IL
any equals and whose running at the In
tsrcoilegiate games this year WG5 the talk
of the dayI George Bonhas and Tel BernA
who rank at the top over @ distance OF
around George L HORNE, whose amazing
high Jumping has been the wonder OF the
season when II IS recalled that he cleared
the bar In practice at 9 feet IA inches
and holds the worlds high jump record OF
a feet 7 inches Marc Wright, Of Dart
mouth, who Just before sailing established
g worlds record for the pole vault at IL
fest 2 Ia inchesi Jim Duncan, who has
besn hurting the discus to distances never
Known beforej Ralph Rose, the giant shot
putten and 4. I. Gutterson, Vermont's re-
tnarkable broad jumper These are only
few Of those who win strive 20 bring AN
other Olympic championship back to the
United States, but II will be surprising II
they are not the ones who win be most writ
tan Of and most talked Of before the week
"a over. To these must Be added after Sat
rrdaybs performances the name of D. r.
IApptncott, Of the University Of Peunsyi-
yania, who edua1Ied the worlds record for
tbs Ioo-netre dash Of 30 s-5 seconds IN
sensational heat
ina TtdsmSn and trap shooters already
have set the pace for the athletes at the
biz earnsA and the lust Of victory grows
with each success that y flashed over the
oabieA Chiot interest here, Of course,
centres IA the track and held sports, ano
II WIN bubble over this week. more particu-
larry as the Ulited states has made such
a good start The change In the distribu-
tiou Of points from Ave, three and ono to
three two and one for first, second and
third places, respectively will not operate
IN eny way against the team from this
country, although, IN my opinion the
values are not so fair The decision or
the committee 70 avoid clashing OF the
representatives Of the same country in the
preliminary heats viii DO to the advantage
Of the American athletes and at the came
time provide truer test.
go much has been written and said con-
corning Rube Vanguard and his wonderful
string Of victories that littls else can be
added at this time II IS a satisfaction,
however, to congratulate him for eQualing
the record OF nineteen games In row
established far back In u3S by TIN Keefe,
who also pitched for the Giants Opinions
seam 70 ditter as 10 iust what the oldtne
record was, but after exhausting all sources
Of information am satisfied that Keefe's
record Of nineteen straight was the only
one MarQuard had to beat to establish a
rev mark. Other strings, Of which there
are two or three, were carried 70 greater
Isngths, but under conditions that do not
make them worthy Of comparison with the
strings OF Reefe ana Marquard. As mat
tar Of TACT. there Is no comparison between
TIA records Of the two last named. Is IN
tie days OF Keefe far less depended upon
ths pitcher, and the work was less strenu-
Gus and exacting, while baseball had not
b.an developed TO such an exact science.
In truth Marquard Is now IN class
~ himself 90 far as consecutive victories
a concerned, and II Is hoped that he will
yin his next game and so establish mark
A which other pitchers may shoot for
years 70 come. II win be years, too, no
do,bt. before the performance Is duplicated,
az Il Is seldom given for pitcher with
~. wonderful skill. effectiveness and re-