Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-29

ing which is being sent to this coun-
try by every one who has made a
close and intelligent study Of the
systematic way the kaiser's athletic
officials are going about the business
of getting together a team which will
properly represent their country in
the sixth Olympic meet, which is
to be staged at Berlin in July, 1916.
Most persons do not realize the ex-
tent to which Germany is planning to
break up Americas monopoly of
Olympic championships. A little I'M
written history will probably illus
trate this. In 1908. the year the
games we're held in London, the In
ternational Olympic council offered
Germany the games in 1912. The
Germans refused, after a careful
study of the local situation, to take
them. For several years previously
their athletic officials had been plan
ming to entertain the athletes of the
world in 1912. To that end they had
secured a location for the stadium
and could have had it ready for 1912
had they not decided after careful
canvass that interest in track and
field athletics throughout the empire
had not been sufficiently aroused to
enable Germany to do herself Justice.
For that reason Germany allowed the
games to go to Stockholm.
Works to Prepare Olympic Team.
But in the meantime Germany went
vigorously to work to prepare a. team
which would make a much better
showing at Stockholm than its prede-
cessors had done at London in 1908.
On the foundation then laid, Germany
has been building ever since and now
has an athletic system which its
sponsors feel will make Germany
willing to compete with the United
States hereafter.
Germany makes no secret of the
fact that the ideal system for the de-
velopment of athletic teams is that
followed in the United States. To
that end Germany has been adopting
American methods wherever possible
since 1908 and has even utilized the
coaching of several American ath-'
letes, notably James Lightbody, for
merly Of Chicago university, and a
three times Olympic champion in
1904. Lightbody was very keen to be
made the German Olympic coast to
fill Q position created much like that
Of Ernest Hjertberg in Sweden.
The German authorities apparently
had other ideas, not being ready at
that time to engage coach. Before
committing themselves they decided
TO send d commission to the United
States to make a most exhaustive
study Of the athletic system in force
at all OF our large universities and
athletic clubs. SThe commission
sailed few weeks ago and will at
once begin the study OF how America
does it.
Expects to Take Back Contract.
In addition to its Investigations the
German committee expects to take
back with it the signed contract of
some American to coach German ath-
letes. When the commission left Ber-
lin it was cabled to this country that
they had decided to offer the position
to Alvin G. Kraenzlein, the former
University of Pennsylvania and world
champion hurdler. Kraenzlein visited
German last winter shortly after he
had resigned as coach of the Univer-
sity of Michigan, position ne gave
I'D on account of his wife's illness.
Kraenzlein returned to this country
without getting the position and APP
parently without much encouragement.
This, however. may have been due to
the fact that the Germans were not
then ready to change a coach and
wanted to look over the list of avail
able candidates first.
There is no doubt that Kraenzleip
would make an ideal man for the posi-
ton. He is q German by birth and
speaks the language fluently. Like
wise he has been in Germany several
times and is well acquainted with COM
Editions there. In this country he was
trained and developed by Michael c..
Murphy, the most famous of all ath
|letic coaches. Since his graduation
from Pennsylvania he has coached at
Mfrcersberg academy, the Universe
| ties of Wisconsin and Michigan. Thus
he not only knows the Murphy system
perfectly, but has gained much exper-
fence on his own account. He is prob.
ebly better fitted for the position than
Hjertberg was to coach Sweden.
Will Study U. s. School System.
While here the German commission
intends to study exhaustively how We
develop athletes. They will, begin