The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-22

New York. September 21.--Although
three years will elapse before the sixth
revival of olympic games to be held
at Berlin during the summer of 1916.
the meet has already assumed propor-
tions far surprising any previous strug-
gle for worlds amateur track and field
championships. The games. their pre-
liminaries and preparations are topics
of national and International comment
and discussion throughout the old and
new world In the midst of all these
preparations the United States athletic
authorities continue to lead the way.
American prospects for the 1916
Olympic games are brighter than al
any time since the revival of this ath-
letic classic, owing to the work of the
new international Athletic federation
lust organized at Berlin by delegates
! from 16 leading athletic countries of
the world.
| AS a controlling international au-
thority for amateur track and field
sports its suggestions to the Olympic
games committee will carry great
weight. The proposed l. A. +. standard
programme of track and Held events
! is made up almost entirely ,of events
on the programmes of American college
and athletic club events and the rules
are largely those to which the American
athletes are accustomed. The victory
of the American views at the congress
| German sport critics ascribed to the
fact that the events proposed by the
United States are practiced everywhere
and are devoid of freakishness; the
superiority of the results produced un-
der the American rules and in no small
measure to the ability of the American
delegates and the prestige of Ameri-
can athletes.
Americans Well Versed
| IT was the concensus of opinion
among the delegates that the American
representatives of the Amateur Athletic
union were by far the best versed In the
| theory and technique OF athletics
When they advocated changes in the
rules they advanced excellent reasons
| in support of their contention and won
many victories and supporters to theii
| ideas. Some of the rules advocated al
| the suggestion of the United States
delegates were: Toe-board circles fol
| the shotput; penalties for false starts
| and a rule to prevent the drawing o1
several entrants all representing one
country In preliminary heats of races
| On a few points American ideas were
rejected, as, for instance. In adopting
16-pound shot made of iron instead OF
| the smaller American lead shot. and
in providing for a dug-out take-off fol
the broad Jump, against the United
States argument that the take-of joist
sunk flush with the ground was fal
| safer.
English Determined to Win
While the International Athletic fed
| Grafton was smoothing out wrinkles II
the programme to be offered as mode
for the Berlin games. the Olympic con
troversy that has held the attention OF
English athletic followers since tn.
| Stockholm meet of year ago attained
fresh prominence. The proposal to rails,
a fund of s5O0.0OO rather staggered thu
average subject of George v. Although
| there were few early subscribers to thu
| fund there were hundreds of inquiries a;
Ito what was to be done with this enor-
| nous sum Of money.
| The Duke of Westminster In publ,
letter calls attention to the long list q
sporting trophies and Championship
.