The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-13
SWEDES Get BUSY
Are Going After Olympic Hon.
Ors Hard and Early.
Italians Have Hired American
to Coach Team.
YAhKS ARE SLOW ON START
"POOch" Donovan of Harvard
May Get Trainers Job.
Made Record With Grid Team
on Western Trip.
YAhkS ARE SLOW ON START

Ncw York, Jan. 13.-Smoke of
Olympic fires is drifting across the
Atlantic, but so far very little has
been done to kindle the fire under
Americas boiler of prospects.
No open moves have been made by
the American committee. A question
naire asking for enlightenment on
fifty points was sent to the Belgian
terieth, head of the Belgian military
committee. who recently visited this
country.
As soon as the answer is received
the committee will convene and start
work on definite basis.
Two countries-SWeden and Italy
planted their seeds several months ago
and have a good sized crop of posi-
biiities peeping above the ground.
The Swedes have raised fund cor
responding to 100000 and have
signed Ernie Bjertberg. famous thru
out the United States and Scandinavia
as an athletic tutor, as coach. He IS
operating thru committees in the vari-
Gus districts of the nation.
Get Yank Coach.
Wishing to inject some Yankee stuff
into their team. the Italians scored
what they think is ten stroke when
they engaged Platt Adams, American,
TO train their team. They have an
nounced that Georges Carpenter will
appear in an exhibition bout this
spring to boost their drive for funds.
Most of Olympic talk in America
centers around the selection of
coach. Lawson Robertson. Pennsyl-
valia; "Pooch' Donovan, Harvard;
Martin Delaney, Chicago. and Coach
Haywood. Oregon. have been named
as probable successors of the late Mike
Murphy.
Robertson looms up now as the fav-
orite owing to his familiarity with the
\ l.. Nv &C
forced to his bed at Stockholm, Rob
err son took hold of the American team
and proved a capable director. As a
competitor and coach. the Pennsyl-
vania mentor took part in the games
az St Louis in 1904. Athens in 1906,
at London in 1908 and at Stockholm
in 1912.
The greatest task facing the Ameri-
can trainer is to keep his charges in
condition during the long trip across
the water In this line. Donovan ap-
pears to have the edge.
Date Changes Possible.
His feat in taking Harvard's foot
baH team after it had broken training
several weeks, whipping it back into
shape again, keeping it in condition
during Il transcontinental jaunt or
three thousand miles and then putting
it on a field under July weather con-
dit.ons and having it fresher' at the
close of the game than the natives OF
that cline, proved him no ordinary
trainer.
"Pooch" has a reputation at Har-
ward of scoring his greatest success
with the most temperamental ath-
Totes. He has loads of personality
with tons OF ability, his friends say.
Some changes in the Olympic date
have been heard of unofficially by A.
A. L. headquarters here. According to
reports from L. j. Carey, Belgian Of
ficiai the swimming dates have been
moved up one month to August 1929
to circumvent the necessity of having
the American team sent over in two
sections Official announcement of
new dates with further information of
several points brought up by the
American committee, is expected soon.