Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-07
AMERICAN ATHLETES WILL
LEAD ALL OTHERS IN THE
1920 OLYMPIC CONTESTS

The United States will lead the
world in athletic competition in the
seventh modern Olympic games in
Antwerp, Belgium, next August.
This is the belief Of Samuel j.
Dallas. president of the Amateur
Athletic Union, and a member Of
the American Olympic games COM
mittee.
While every phrase Of sporting
activity will take place in war
torn, historic Belgium, it is toward
track and field sports. swimming
and boxing that President Dallas is
directing his efforts. He has start
ed a campaign on the cinder path,
in swimming and the roped arena
for this winter and next spring
which will have its elimination i'll
tho gathering together of the great
eet aggregation Of athletes that has
ever worn the stars and stripes in
international competition.
1t is to the track and field phase
of athletic endeavor that the Athen-
ians and Grecians first turned their
attention. Track and field sports
have always been the attraction and
will be next summer when athletes
from every part OF the world gather
together to strive for the laurel
wreath Of victory.
Philadelphia or Boston will stage
an athletic meet on July II. which
while not having an internationrl
touch, will be almost on psf with
the set of sports which will come
of a month later in Antwerp. The
meet will be the junior and senior
championships and will bring to-
gether a host Of athletes who pre-
viorsly will have won honors in the
IA sectional meets and the various
intercollegiate championships.
An effort will be made by Pres;-
dent Dallas to obtain the use OF
Franklin Field to stage the final
try-outs for the team. The national
outdoor title meets were held al
the Penn stadium last fall. 1t i.
thought the athletic authorities Ol
Penn will permit of the games be-
ing held on the Red and Blue ath'
letic field. Franklin Field Is tht
best place in the east to hold thu
sports, being in close proximity tt
New York, where the athletes will
depart for Belgium.
! Boston has also been named as :
possible place to hold the set o
games.
Track Sports in Mid.August.
| According to the announcement
made by the Belgians, the tract
ami field sports will take place a
Antwerp between Aug. Is and 22
III previous years, when the Unit
ed States participated in thu
Olympiads. series of try-outs wer,
held to decide the wearers of tn,
stars and stripes.
Heretofore it has been the cus
tom for the American Olympi
committee to pick the athletes il
June. The June date for selectio,
timed with the various interco.
legiate meets, held in the east, tn
middle west and the far west.
The candidates were then in tn
best Of shape and they did not hav
much trouble keeping in conditio
for the international sports.
The lateness in the date of tn
sports in Belgium has necessitate
a complete change of plans TO
holding the trials. The IA distric
championship meets Of the A. A. I
will be held as soon as the colleg
athletes can be gotten together, i
, the early part of June. At the fou
previous set of Olympic game.
hello in Paris. St Louis, London an
Stockholm, the track and fiel
sports were held during the Las
week Of June andthe first thre
weeks Of July.
President Dallas stated that def
: mite dates will be decided upon tn
> latter part Of this week. Particu
lar attention will be paid by tn
ACWUcAo VI tu0 CUA0ultlco 10 IN
performances Of the athletes in tn
, two indoor meets which will be hel
in Buffalo and New York in Febr,l
airy and March.
The competition in the Penn Re
lay Carnival, the middle states It'll
meet, the intercollegiate conferenc
meet, the Pacific Coast Intercolles
late sports and the 42d annual In
tercollegiates at either Cambrids
or Franklin field will also be close
ly followed in order to pick out tn
bes. Of the bunch to represent tn.
country.
l Arrangements are being made b
the committee. unless the plans Al
ready made by the Belgians a.
changed, to take the athletic team
to Belgium In two sections. This i
, due to the holding of the swimmin
and rowing contests q month ate
: the track and field sports and tn
boxing. :
i Tale to Meet Harvard,
I There is q possibility thar ri
Yale and Harvard track teams Vii
compete In . dual meet with II