Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-29
RECORDS SPORT
HISTORY MADE
INPAST YEAR
United States Was All
Conquering in Olym-
pic Games; Senator's
Victory Stirring
(Bv The Associatrd Press.N

49, - nv 7 YIN Has
closed its Creates year. Over a twelve
month that has brought the farthest
ends Of Tire world into competi ion, the
remarkable growth Of athletics in the
past few years reached its most not
able heights in 1924 with a kaleito-
SCOPE array Of ~colorful events. rec
o'd-shatlering performances and new
bounds Of popula~ interes'.
From a universal viewpoint the OIvm-
pic games at Paris, whele America
again demonstrated her a hletic su-
premacy in tests with more than two
score rival nations, ove~rshadowed all
else, while on this country's owa fiel1 S
OF competition, The sensational triumph
OF the Washington Senators in the
worlds baseball championship provided
tho most sti rig spectacle Of q pic
turesque carnival Of sport.
The United States was all-conqucring
on the Olympic fields Of competition,
capturing championships in eight major
branches Of rivalry, although the chief
track glory weot to a little band Of
Firms, led by he marvellous Paavo Nur-
mi and redoutable Willie Ritola. who
cleaned up at all distances from l5DJ
meters 10 the marathon.
Nurmi Individual S.ar
NurmTs feat d winning four Olympic
races was the high-spot Of Individual
achievement over the year. although
other great performances that held the
o.light were Walter Hagen's brilliant
golf victories here and aboard, the spec
tacular triumphs of Yalc's unbeaten
crew on home and foreign waite s. Wal
ter Johnson's great pitching comeback
IN tie final game of the worlds series,
the undefeated march Of Notre Danes
football eleven, and The astonishing YER
salty Of Mary K. Browne, who reached
the semi-finals of the national women's
tennis championship and then the finals
of the national title golf tournament
within the span of a few weeks.
Attendance records al events through
out the coutry testified to mounting
public interest. Mammoth gatherings
saw the Kentucky Decby, the Indianap-
oils speedway race and the worlds
series, while a new record for football
crowds was set when 10000 witnessed
the California Stanford struggle at
Berkeley, Calf.
American swept international fields
other than those at Paris. Britain's
poloists in the International series 1T
Meadow Brook before the Prince Of
Wales and in one Of the most c~olorful
of all sport settings. The Davis and
Walker Cups, emblems Of team tennis
and golf supremacy, were defended
successfully, while international turf
laurels remained IN the United States
with the defeat of Epinard, great
French thoroughbred, in three success
siye special races.
Many New Champs
New champions arose in many events.
hut the year was notable for the mum
Der of titleholders keeping tteir places
at the top. Three champions ruled their
respective fields for the fifth straight
season when the United States defended
the Davis Cup, William T. Tildcn re-
tanned his national tennis crown agains'
all Corners. and when Rogers Hornsby
led all National League batsmen with a
record modern average.
The finish Of the worlds series, with
Johnson pitching the Senators 10 vic
tory over the New York Giants in q
thrilling comeback before 4 wildly
demonstrative crowd that included the
president Of the United States, has
never been equallcd in diamond annals
for thrilling suspense and spectacular
climax.
Just prior to the series, in which the
r~at.on's capital figured fer the first
time. the baseball world had been
thrown into 4 turmoil TN sensational
charges Of attempted bribery which re-
suited in the Punishment Of two mem
bcrs Of the Giants. Coy Dolan and
Jimmy O'Connell.
The baseball season also was notable
for the sensational pitching fea'S Of
Dazzy Vance. Brooklyn star and former
c~astoff. who led all major league
moundsmen in victories a.d strikcouts
ana was awarded the National Leagues
most valuable player" prize. Pitchers
monopolized these awards. as Johnson
received similar honor in The American
League.
Boxing Declines
Boxing, the only sport which failed
to equal or surpass previous standards
of competition, was notable chiefly for
the defeat Of Luis Firpo by Harry
Wills and the South Americans rapid
decline from heights to which he
scared so spectacularly in 1928. There
was little activity among titleholIe.s.
One crown was lost when Abe Goldstein
dislodged Joe Lynch in the bantam
weight ranks. and another was for
feited when johnny Dundee voluntarily
retired as featherweig ht king. Dundee
lost his remaining l~au'els. the junior
lightweight crown. to Kid Sullivan.
Other notable tennis achievements
were recorded BY Mss Helen wills.
who gained a formidable string Of
titles in England. France and the
United States. and Vincent Richards,
who won the Olympic champ onship;
gave Tilden one of the closest calls the
champion has ever lad in the national
title tournament. and conquered Little
Bill Johnston to strengthen his claims
to the second ranking American po-
sition.
In golf. Hagen and Bobby Jones domi-
mated the field. The latter lost his
omen crown to Cyril Walker but broke
through to win the amateur champion
shin for the first time. Hagen won the