The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-06-24
TEAM OF 300
FOR OLYMPICS
Great Britain to Select Athletes to
Represent Nation at Coming
Big Contest to Be Held
at Antwerp.
IBY United PreSs.l

LONDON-(By MaiD Assured of
adequate financial support after
months Of anxiety, the British Olym-
pic association has begun selection
Of team of 800 for the Antwerp
games. 1a
Meetings of British sportsmen and
sports followers have resulted IN
guarantees that funds sufficient TO
take the team to the games Will be
forthcoming. The Olympic associa-
ton has begun plans for, final selec-
ton OF the team early in July.
Elimination tests are being con-
Quoted throughout England by vari-
Gus sports asSociaGons--the amateur
swimming, boxing, wrestling and
gymnastic associations, the National
Cyclists union and the Clay Bird
Shooting association.
Under the auspices Of the Olympic
association preliminary general Olym-
pic tests will be held during the first
two weeks in June. Then, on July
9 and 8, there will be general cham.
pionships, followed by international
contests between England, Ireland
and Scotland on July 10.
With the army and navy cooper
ating actively in the formation OF
the team, the Olympic association
hopes to send team to Antwerp
that will put up fight as stiff as
| those of the pre-war teams.
The gap Of eight years since the
last Olympic games has left Britain
about where other nations are
somewhat in doubt as to the calibre
of it's team. But with plenty OF
money assured, there Is every hope
of a successful showing
One of the big problems Of the
British was to find accommodations
, for the team. At first it was pro-
posed to obtain a camp in the vicini-
! ty. When landowners learned what
! the ground was to be used for, how
ever, prices skied and it was neces-
sary to make other arrangements.
| Through a British sportsman well
! known in Antwerp, accommodations
! finally were found and the Olympic
association now is trying to help the
clay-bird shooters to find rooms for
] their prospective American oppo-
nents, who applied to them as being
! nearer the scene Of action.
! BY putting the preliminary events
into the hands Of branch organiza-
lions, the Olympic association has
made an excellent start in selecting
contestants. The Amateur Swimming
association is conducting trials among
swimming clubs all over England.
Winners Of these events will be
! formed into a team of eighty men, to
compete in the July finals. A water
polo match is planned between teams
! from north and south England, from
which the English team will be
nd q
will select a joint team to play the
English team, and players who snow
I'D best in the match will go to Ant
werp.
Boxers and wrestlers will handle
their own sections Of the big team.
The Amateur Boxing association held
a competition late in March for the
amateur championship. There were
public school championships in April
Amateurs of merit not entered in any
of the preliminaries will be named
for the Olympic team if boxing ex-
perts think them good noush. The
Amateur Wrestling association has
districted England and Wales for
preliminary matches. In these dis
tricts, north, midland, western, south
and London-there will be sub-dis-
trict trials. A final elimination match
is to be staged in London late this
month. Winners will be put on the
Antwerp team.
Tommy Hall, veteran professional,
has taken charge Of cyclists FOR the
National Cyclists union. AS most OF
the best riders are well known, they
are being invited to join the team
There will be matches at which I'M
knowns as well as knownS will COM
pete. At present, preliminary to the
finals. there are road matches at
OLYMPIC distances every weekend
throughout all cycling centers.
George Whitaker, captain Of the
1912 cIay-bird shooting team that
won the silver medal at Stockholm,
is in charge Of trials for the pigeon
s]aughterers. Both training and
shooting practices are proceeding,
but as there is only a limited field
from which to choose, there will be
no real elimination tests.
Captain Whitworth Jones, secre-
tarv Of the Olympic association, told
The United Press there was every
chance to believe the final Olympic
team will represent the best in Brit
ish athletics.
eve were months in getting start
ed" he added, because OF finan cial
troubles These have been dispelled
this week and we have adequate as,
surance Of support that will permit
us to send a representative team.