Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-15
TRACK ATHLETE IS
SIGHTED IN OMAHA
Gate City Should Be Center of
Field Activities, Declares
Bud Kearns.
MANY GOOD MEN LIVE HERE
By KARL LEE.


senior track and field athletics was be-
rated by Bud" Kearns, physical d.
rector Of the Young Mems Christian
association, yesterday. Twenty men,
in training and in the prime of condi-
tion,, capable of challenging the best
rangers in the country, are facing a
season devoid of competition. At
neither of the three colleges in the
city has the least effort to organize
a city collegiate meet been exerted,
even though the 1917 track season in
Nebraska bids fair to be the brightest
in history.
1--WE have men in this institution
who, with al title training, could hold
their, own in any collegiate or ANA
teur Athletic union meet in the coun-
try" Kearns said yesterday. Il could
take hold and organize team that
would take Nebraska university to a
trimming right now. Our boys are
no lead pile, and it is high time Oma-
ha was waking up to this fact"
Aside from the Missouri Valley in
terscholastic meet, which will be held
at Creighton field in the latter part of
May, no other important event has
been staged here. Kearns harks back
to the days when the track movement
fourished about Omaha and some of
the best schools in the country, in
GLIDING Minnesota, Missouri, Nebras-
ka, Drake and Creighton, entered
their best teams. That local athletes
were fairly starving for competition,
he cited the interest shown by at least
a dozen of the best "Y" runners in
the relay held at the Auditorium under
the auspices of the civic centers few
weeks ago. =
Athletic Club an Aid.
Under the active leadership OF the
Omaha Athletic club next year, it is
hoped, Omaha will become center of
middle western athletic union, COL
legiate and scholastic competition. Its
leadership has already been recog-
nized in the latter field. There is lit
tie reason why it should not follow
in the other two circles. Those in
charge of the new club have already
intimated that it will be at their option
to authorize an annual middle west
track meet. 1t was openly stated by
enc in authority at Chicago that Oma-
ha could have had the national ANA
teur basket ball championship tourna-
ment this year for the asking.
Competition to lead up to these
great festivities is all that athletic
leaders ask this year. An intercol-
legiate meet between Creighton uni
versity, Bellevue college, University
of Omaha and Young Mems Christian
association, to be held about the time
the state track meet is held, is sug-
gested by Kearns. Central and South
High schools, University of Nebraska
and York, Wesleyan and Doane COL
leges and other state institutions
could enter good teams, Kearns sug-
gests. The meet could be held at
Creighton field.
Material at "Y."
At the "Y" the material is fairly
overlooking. A dozen sprinters OF
no mean, rank stand ready to enter,
besides three long-distance men,
Three high jumpers, four broad jump
ers, two pole vaulters and three
weight men are also included in
Kearns' clique.
Leading this aggregation is NJ. l..
Frederick, former Dartmouth man,
who holds a broad jump record at
that college. The sprinters include
Vern Moore, c. E. Seeley, R. c. Flu
rios, Art butcher, Stangle and Haines,
who will take part in the 100, 220 and
40 yard dashes. L. D. Griffith, John
Filler and Bart Kane pan in as long
distance men. The latter gained con-
siderable prominence as winner of the
"Y" cross-country Thanksgiving re-
lay from this section. High jump
men are A. Anscow, F. c. Drews and
J. A. Stevenson. All jump better
than 5 feet inches, which is some
height. The weight men include Van
Ordstrom, Drews and Barneby. They
handle the shot better than the ham
n1er