The Washington herald., 1914-08-30
OFFICIALS Want
GAMESNSWEDEN
European Olympiad Commit
tee Desires Big Meet at
Stockholm.
REVIVE WALKING RACES
James E. Sullivan. of American Com
mission. Enthusiastic About Hikes.
To Boost 400-Meter Hurdle.

Olympiad officials in Europe are show
ing a praiseworthy unwiningness to let
the 1916 0lympiad 20 by default should
Germany be unable to carry out its plans
to hold the games in Berlin two years
hence. 4 prominent English Official has
made a suggestion similar to that ad-
vanced by the writer recently, namely.
that the games be given 10 Stockholm IL
Germany should decline. This presup-
poses that Sweden will be able to main
tain its present neutrality, and there
doesn't seem much doubt about this
Sweden is admirably fitted to manage
the games. The Swedes held them in
1872. they have a magnificent stadium,
their officials are trained. and under their
management the games should be better
than they were in 1872 The United
States. Of course. would be willing TO
take them. and the chances are that
many Of the delegates would prefer. to
send their representatives to this coun-
Try than run risks Of death in the North
Sea. provided the war Is still on at that
time.
II the neutral countries Of Europe do
their part the track and field games Of
the Panama Exposition in San Francisco
next fall will be sufficiently International
Fortunately Sweden and Finland. next
to England the most highly efficient
athletic countries in Europe, will be able
to send their best men. and that means
that the United States will have to hustle
to win a majority Of the first places.
As result OF the International ANA
teur Athletic Federation and the OIym-
pic Council approving walking contests
in such decisive fashion. the A. A U.
of this country Is devoting more atten-
tion than ever before to walking races.
This event at one mile is now on the
A. A L. program and will be on nearly
all the district programs
II Is the hope Of a great many OF
Americas leading athletic authorities
that walking races should become more
popular. The sport was discontinued in
this country about fifteen years ago, and
since then has never aroused much en-
thusiasm- II was once on the inter
collegiate program. but the l. c. A. A.
A. A. discontinued IL and took up the
two-mile run instead. As a result the
schoolboys gave II up and the United
states Is now in the predicament Of hay-
Ing to start at the very bottom to de-
yelop this sport. But It is one which
must be developed il the United States
Is to hold its own in the Olympic Eames.
In this sport We have never sent cana
Bile representative to the games deyeI-
oped in this country. In 1905 in the spe-
ctal games at Athens. George BonhaE,
OF the lrish-Amertcan A. c., New York.
won the l,SO meters walk. But BonhaK
was an Englishman. and, in fact, learned
to walk and run abroad
James E. Sullivan, the American COM
missioner, Is very enthusiastic about
walking, and in his younger days was a
good walker himself. The late Mike
Murphy. coach of the American teams
in 1905 and 1872 also was an enthusiast
and frequently declared that more phy-
sical good could be accomplished through
training for walking than in any other
way. II the A. A. L. and American
Olympic authorities really desire TO make
America supreme in walking. as in the
other track events. walking should be
added to the intercollegiate programs.
Another event which will be taken up
in this country Is the 4OO-meter
hurdle race which has been added to the
Olympic program. Il was on the Paris
program OF 1900 and the London program
OF 1905, but was not a part OF the Stock
holm meet. In this race the hurdles are
only feet inches in height. Il Is an
event which requires a great deal Of
strength and win probably attract more
quarter and half mile runners than short
distance hurdlers.
One OF the greatest indoor meets In
Americas athletic history promises to
be the set of games which the Inter-
collegiate A. A. A. A. will hold in Madi-
son Square Garden. y. Y. the first Sat
urday in March. Entries will be received
from the colleges within the
association. and most Of the events will
be relay races.