Omaha daily bee., 1912-07-07
AMERICANS GET
FINE LEAD IN THE
OLYMPIC GAMES
Eight Men from United States Win
Places in Finals for Eight Hun.
dred Meters Race.
LIPPMCoTT LOWERS RECORD
Pennsylvania Goes Hundred Meters
in Ten and Three Fifths.
JOHN PAUL JONES QUALITIES
Cornell Man is Not Pushed in Any
Way in His Heat.
OPENING Is GREAT SPECTACLE
Ceremonies Begin with Parade of
Athletes Of All Nations.
CHEERS FOR THE UNITED STATES
II Has Largest and Finest Body of
Men In Procession, Aside from
Norway and Sweden-King
Cornell Man is Not Pushed in Any
Way in His Heat.
OPENING Is GREAT SPECTACLE
Ceremonies Begin with Parade of
Athletes of All Nations.
CHEERS FOR THE UNITED STATES
II Has Largest and Finest Body of
Men I'm Procession, Aside from
Norway and Sweden--King
and Queen Present.

STOCKHOLM, July 6.-American ath-
letes got off we'll In the lead in the
opening track events of the Olympic
games here today. Thirty thousand
spectators. among them the Swedish
royal family. cheered their respective
favorites to victory while United States
entries annexed large share Of the
firsts in the initial heats or the 100 and
soo-meter events. Eight Americans.
four Englishmen and two Canadians won
places In the finals of the s00-meter racs.
Donald +. Lippincoet of the University
Of Pennsylvania lowered the olympic
record by one-fifth of second wher he
won the sixteenth heat of the 100-meter
in 1o% seconds. Other Americans who
won firsts In these heats we're Ira
Courtney Of the Seattle Athletic club,
Ralph C. Craig of the Detroit Young
Mems Christian association. Howard
Drew. Springfield CMass) High school;
p. G. Gerhardt. Olympic Athletic club,
San Francisco. Clarence s. Edmundson,
Seattle Athletic association was among
the firsts IN the soo-meter event
In the soo-meter race preliminary
heats were won by five American athletes
and three others also qualified for further
competition by winning second places. II
Is noteworthy that the heat won by
John Paul Jones OF Cornell was the slow
est Of ell. but he wis not pressed in any
way, a#if
Melvin W. Sheppard Irish-Ameri-
can Athletic club. was defeated by
]. G. soutter OF England in his event
but was qualified for the final by getting
second place. and the slow time in which
the heat was run. minutes as seconds.
indicated that he was reserving himself
for his later effort.
A startling performance today was the
creation of world record for javelin
throwing By e. Lemming of Sweden.
Spectacle Rarely EaualIed.
The inauguration of the Olympic games
provided q spectacle which probably
has never been equalled in all the his
tory of athletics from the days of an
cient Greece. 1t was not only beauti-
ful and memorable scene. but a solemn
ceremony, which moved the spectators
deeply
The day was perfect. There was a
clear. blue sky overhead. The great
stadium wac filled with $1,000 people of
all natonalitIes. The delicate colors OF
the women's costumes and the bright
uniforms OF the army officers in them
selves made a remarkable picture.
When the members of the Swedish
royal family entered their gaily decorated
box at II o'clock all present stood with
barred heads and gave loud cheer. while
q call blown by a corps of trumpeters
sounded far and wide and announced the
opening Of the games.
large group Of singers then started
the Swedish national hymn, which was
Joined In enthusiastically by many OF
the spectators.
The entry Of the athletic teams into the
arena gave the spectators an opportunity
for display of patriotism. which each
national delegation among them siezed
and gave voice to with all the power OF
their lungs.
Cheers for Uuited States.
After the delegation OF Sweden, Nor,
way and Denmark. the team representing
the United States showed the largest and
finest body Of men fn the procession ana
the Stars and Stripes called forth by far
the heartiest welcome Of all the flags car
ried by the visitors.
The little file of three athletes follow