New-York tribune., 1920-12-26


thon at Antwerp, but he shattered the
worlds record for the distance, an ex-
hibition which towers above ali other
performances.
track and field have been hurled into
this short span of twelvemonth that
one would not be at loss for colorful
subjects even without the Olympic
games, which furnished more thrills
than any previous international meet
of modern times
To justify this statement il is only
necessary to note that in twenty-nine
track and field events six resulted in
new world records. Three of these
rev marks were made by Americans.
New Crop of Athletes
The remarkable, not to say unusual,
development Of athletics can largely
be attributed to the interruption of
the Olympiad, which carried the games
over an eight-year period. instead of
the usual four. With a few excep-
tions, it was an entirely new crop Of
athletes who won glory at Antwerp,
for this country at Stockholm re-
turned to their native heath wearing
the crown OF victory.
AS has been the case since our in
ltial participation in the international
contest in 1896, the keen competition
for representation on the team stirreu
clubs and other organizations in all
sections OF the country to the utmost,
with the result that the athletic
standard was raised with the subsc
quent increase OF participants of cx
traordinary ability
Every little hamlet and tank town
that boasted of q high school or en-
organization OF any kind announced
that it would hold try-oUts for the big
games. Likewise, the army and navy
sponsored elimination contests consist
ing of Olympic events in which more
than 100000 service men took part.
BY a gradual process, extending over
several months, the state try-outs were
reached, and then followed intersec-
tional competition and more elimina-
| tions.
Thus the spirit Of the Olympiad con-
tinued TO create athletic talent until
finally the nations best assembled at
Cambridge, Mass, last July, where our
yepresen tatives were selected after the
~,oatest set OF games ever held in
is country. Thus it was the lure Of
upholding our traditional worldwide
supremacy in sport that brought about
the most healthy year athletics has
ever experienced.
Nine American Records
The result of this stimulus is reflected
inthe large number of new American
records last January, no less than nine
new marks having been written into the
arnas of the A. A. U. In addition.
almost score of athletes have been
cited for noteworthy performances,
which constitutes an unofficial record
or a near-record exhibition. Verify
twas q tough year for those persons
intrusted with the compilation of rec
ords.
We now present the sextet respon
sble for the new world figures:
Frank Loomis, Chicago. 4Oo-meter hnr
frank X .oss, Chicago. pole vault. IS
Myrr., r. .s.and. javeln throw. 215.8 feet
II. i>olehmainen. Finland, marathon,
Earl Thomson, Canada. 110-meter hur-
dies, I44-5 seconds.
Paddock, Sholz, Murclsison and Kirksey,
America, l0u- meter relay, AZ 1-5 seconds.
Comment upon these makers OF his
( tory strikes us as being superfu US
/ The mere mention o. these epoch max
ing events at once 0lings to mind the
intense pride and qualification which
| the news of these accomplishments
brought TO our nation rs u whole. But,
where greatness lis rampant It must
be classified, and in point Of mag
! nitude the palm for the best indivi-
dual performance is handed TO Hannes
Kolehmainen, an American, who repre-
scented foreign country.
A Finander by birth, but an Amer
! lean by adoption, Kolehmainen received
| L l., hnf n q
! last Olympic games, but he had repre-
seated his native country in 1912, and
the rules of the big game compelled
him again to compete for Finland
Eight years ago Hannes startled the
world by winning three events at
Stockholm. Unheraldcd, this man from
/ the Land of Lakes met and defeated
the worlds best in the 'cross-country
race, the 5000 and 10 600 meter runs.
| Shortly thereafter he b.azed his name
in the forest of fame by coming to this
| country and shatterng fourteen world
records.
Then came the slump, and despite a
few flashes of the old form. when it was
announced last August that koiehmai-
non would compete in the Antwerp
] Marathon, there were few who belIeyed
he would be dominant factor. Hannes
not only won the long race, but, sup
posedly IN his declining years as &
runner. he broke al known marks for
the distance.
Foss Ranked Close Second
In point Of excellence the achieve
ment of Frank Foss, Of Chicago, ranks
close second. Under conditions far
removed from ideal, this youth bettered
his own world mark in the pole vault
with q leap of Is feet Is inches, I
mark that should stand the assault Of
time as sturdy oak endurcs the
winds of the storm. OF course, ulti-
mately this record will be erased, but
certainly it will not be soon, for Foss
did a good Job while ne was at it, and
added something Ike three inches 10
his old record.
Earl Thomson's victory IN the llo-
meter hurdles was another of the out
standing features of the year. Thom-
son. although Canadian, received his
athletic training at Dartmouth College.
In the trials ef the short hurdles both
Thomson and II. Z. Barron, Of Phila-
delphia, equaled the world record,
being clocked in fifteen seconds, and
in the final the next day the Canadian
won the event in Il AS, one-fifth Of a
second faster than the men had run
the distance before.
IL the longer hurdles evers Frank
Loomis. Of Chicago, stepped into the
spot light with sterling performance
which brought him INTO the record
| break .ng class, ind the .00-meter rela .