Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1920-10-13
HARDER FIGHT FOR
U. S. AT NEXT MEET
BY Henry l.. Farrell.

(U. P. Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Oct. s--"America
Is through. The athletic crown
worn so long by the United States
is destined for another head in
the Olympic games of 1924"
This boast was made in Antwerp
by the Films and the Swedes fol-
lowing the late Olympic contests
in which the Americans were ov-
erwhelmingly victorious.
The failure of the Americans to
'clean up" in the track events
above the sprints led the foreign
experts to draw the conclusion that
the new generation of Yankee
athletes lacks endurance and stam-
ina.
1t is a matter of record that the
Americans did fail to take any of
the distance events with the ex-
ception of the 3000-metre team
race, won the last day of the
games.
But the conclusion of the Eu-
ropean critics that the poor show
ing was the result of decline in
the physical powers of the new
school of American athletes is
wrong.
The American distance runners
did not sweep the track as did the
sprinters, because they had no OPP
portunity to train. The time was
so short before the opening of the
games, the conditions so disagree
able on their trip to Antwerp and
the weather so abominable that
they were the victims of unavoid-
able circumstances The Swedes
and the Firms, whose power was
noted in the long distance runs,
had the advantage OF two weeks
in Antwerp previous to the opening
of the games, during which they
were able to use the stadium track
daily and get acclimated to the
peculiar weather conditions.
1t is a fact that the Americans
had harder time to win the 1920
games than she ever had before
and 10 is a foregone conclusion
that she will have much stiffer
opposition in 1924
Selling upon the showing made
by the American distance men, the
foreign nations, especially Sweden,
Finland and England, are going to
set out to develop new talent in
the field and track events in which
the Americans were able to make
the cleanup that gave them vic
tory.
Americas task before the next
games will be to develop new
school of distance runners and to
find youngsters to take the place
of Pat Mcdonald, Paddy Ryan,
Matt McGrath, Dan Ahern, Mike
Devanney, Ted Meredith and some
others of the "old school" who I
showed in the last games that they /
are through.
England, strong in the running
events, will turn her attention to
the development of hurdlers and
field stars. The Swedes feel the t
necessity of developing a bunch ..
Of good sprinters. The Finns- +
superstars in the iGvelin, will set c
out to develop other field stars I
and sprinters to help balance a /.
team strong in long distance d,
power.
American athletic officials have
started a campaign to en-
athletics in high schools. :
Their hope is to have eventually C
4 skilled man in charge Of athlet-
cs who can discourage young ath- I
letes from burning themselves
)ut" in trying to win every event O
On the program. The Swedes, un- v
Ter the direction of Ernie Hjerts- v
,erg, have gone into "specializa-
ion" with the greatest success. a
They hold up the idea to the s
youngsters that it is better to ex- 1
,el in one event than to be half Y
good in a dozen.
The next Olympics probably will
20 held in Los Angeles. The In
ernational Olympic Committee
meets in Lucerne next spring and
will decide between the California
ity and Rome. which has been