New-York tribune., 1921-07-31
British College
Athletes Sail
Soon for Home
Members of Oxford-Carn-
bridge Make No Excuses;
Blame the Hot Weather
By lack Masters

The combined Oxford Cambridge team
will sail shortly for England. The
honors which they sought remain here,
for the invaders were soundly trounced
by Yale and Harvard and barely man
aged to earn a draw with representatives
of Princeton and Cornell. The long
journey to this country has not been
fruitless, however, for these men, who
exemplify the highest type Of sportsman,
have strengthened the bonds of friend
ship between the two great English
speaking nations.
Ihere were no excuses offered a
week ago yesterday ct Harvard Stad-
ium when the Americans swept the
visitors out Of the picture with an 8 to
z victory, nor was there an alibi for
the wretched performance of at least
two of the Englishmen, who were
counted upon as point winners n week
ago yesterday. Yale and Harvard ath-
ietes won because they proved superior
in their specialties, and our wonder
fully we'll coached teams deserve all of
the praise that has been heaped upon
them.
In fairness to the Britons it must
be noted that they were handicapped
in more ways than one. For instance,
as Rudd told me last Saturday, the in
tense heat seemed to sap the vitality
of the Englishmen and they were actu-
ally afraid to train as hard as they
should for fear Of serious injury. The
Oxford leader did not cite this as an
excuse, but it is very apparent that
coming from a country where blankets
are comfortable evenings the athletes
were bound to be adversely affected.
Loss of McInnes Costly
Probably the most serious blow
which the visitors suffered was the
loss Of "Blondy" McInnes, the little
three-mile champion, who collapsed on
the Harvard track.
Then, too, I have a suspicion that
verentertained." 1t is known that
they did very little preparatory train
ing for the Yale-Harvard meet, and,
as Rudd says, the torrid weather
might have much to do with this, but
these Englishmen have peculiar ideas
of training.
Rudd never discontinues smoking
during. the training period, yet he IS
one of the worlds greatest runners.
Nokes, who shattered the International
intercollegiate hammer throw record
coaches on the day before his record
breaking throw by staying in the surf
three hours.
The trip to this country was in a
large measure pleasure iaunt fo~
these chaps, who had put in hard
siege on English tracks, and they were
good sports and found our men such
royal hosts that it is not hard 20
understand where the laxity in train
ing crept in.
Lourie and McKim Fail
The Princeton-C Cornell team took the
field Saturday hopeful of winning six
first places instead of the five which
they got: They would have taken seven
events had Lourie and McKim per
formed up to their usual standard.
Lourie. consistent 23-foot broad
Jumper. could do no better than 81
feet inches, and McKim, the metropol-
itan sprint champion, with a mark of
10 10, was badly beaten in 40 2-5.
Had these two men been in condition
the score would have been to 8 in
favor of America, for Princeton fur.
nished the big surprise Of the meet
when Don pipes" Foresman, runnins 9
three miles for the first time in fast
company, took the measure of Seagrove.
the Cambridge star.
With Rudd in thrse events, it was
expected that he would be beaten in
the 100" and that Bill Stevenson would
defeat the Oxford captain in the
quarter, and it was also believed that
Rudd would come into his own in the
half-mile race, which he did in brilliant
style.
Baker, of Princeton. was given
fighting chance in the hammer throw
but here again it was only question
OF condition, Nokes had thrown the
iron ITO feet in practice and If he
could approach this mark Baker would
be poor second. Nokes ran true ia
form. heaving the ball 100 feet I
inches.
Incidentally, it might be noted that
Nokes's trip TO this country has in
creased his efficiency greatly. In his
frst test at Harvard Stadium he made
his whirl too close to the foul line and
had difficulty in staying in the circle
Copying the style Of Brown, of Har.
ward, the Englishman at Travers ISL
and on Thursday started to wind up a,
the extreme rear Of the circle 80 tha,
he got far greater distance and con-