Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-21
FLANAGAN Case ODD One
Big Weight Thrower May Represent
England or America.
FRESHMAN NOW IN TRAINING
Latest Report that lie VIII Wear
Colors of United Kingdom mt the
Olympic Games in stock
holm This Year.

NEW YORK. Jan. 2o.--The new rule OF
tIal uualiflcs tons OF intending competi-
tors has developed one OF the oldest sit
nations In the history Of international
athletics. At the Budapest conference
last spring II was decided that an athlete
could represent his native country any
time, even were he a naturalized citizens
Of another country. Just now the rule
applies to John Flanagan, the present
Olympic hammer champion. and who, IL
Is understood, will be a contender at
Stockholm. For several years Flanagan
was resident here and successfully rep
resented the United States in Paris In
1900 and at London four years ago Last
year he took a sudden notion and went
back TO his home IN ireland, where he
competed all through the season, one OF
HIS star engagements being the nterna.
tIonal match between Scotland and Ire
land.
All along It was well known that Fianna-
gan had his eye on the Swedish fixture,
and some OF his friends here volunteered
the information that he was to keep in
training through the entire winter so as
to be well rounded up by July. Various
rumors have been floating around about
his plans. one being that he was coming
back and would make one OF the Aneri-
can team once more. but this view was
set at rest IN letter which was received
by Ben sherman Of Harvard. fellow
hammer thrower The note directed sher-
man TO go 10 james r. sullivan seere-
tary OF the American Olympic commit
tee. and inquire II America would object
II Flanagan represented the old country
or, II he came back. was he eligible to
throw for America,
He Could Come Hack.
The reply was that the hammer thrower
could come hack and wear the Stars and
Stripes. or he could throw for England
without protest on the part OF America
In explaining the case Sullivan said
there was nothing In the Olympic rules
that could prevent Flanagan from pick
ing his choice OF the two countries. Were
he 20 decide In favor OF America he
would not even have to come back here.
He could stay In Ireland up to the last
minute when he could Join the Yankee
team at Stockholm. The only bother he
would meet were he to come back here
again for good would be that he would
have to walt full year before he could
represent an American club. but In the
meantime he could compete unattached
The latest report about Flanagan is
that he will represent the United King
dom, and the decision Is important In the
fact that he will surely take some points
from America in the weights. He will
have the advantage, too, OF knowing
more about the style Of missile used by
the Swedes, while the men from here
will be more or less in the dark until
they land on the scene Of action. That
will be the wrong time to be experiment.
ing with any new implements. When the
games were held in Paris In la0a II was
the initial introduction of the hammer,
and Flanagan won with a throw of 167
feet, 4 inches. He was 10 the fore at ST.
Louis in 1904 with q pitch OF lss feet.
| inch. and made his third win at London
in 1905 with 10 feet. ~ inches. which Is
now the Olympic record. Several times
last season Flanagan threw in the neigh
borhood Of $50 feet, so II Is safe TO assume
that he will be q most dangerous man at
Sweden.