Imperial Valley press., 1924-08-23
SCORING SYSTEM
CHANGED, EVENTS
ELIMINATED, TOO
Races Are Attractive
Parts Of the
Program
BY HENRY L. FARRELL
Omitted Press Sports Editor)

NEW YORK. Aug. Elimina-
tion of the pentathlon, the 10000
meters walk, the cross country race
and the 5000 meter team race from
the program for the 1928 Olympic
games has. caused some criticism
among athletic critics in the United
States.
Without any reasonable founda-
tion, it has been suggested that the
international Olympic committee is
seeking to do in the executive cham
Der what it can't do on the field
pCt an end to the American su-
premacy i'll the Olympics.
Any such suggestion is silly. The
United States didn It win any of the
events in Paris that were cut off the
program, and in 1920 at Antwerp the
United States won only the team
race.
Perhaps there are some prejudi
cial sportsmen in Europe who would
lean events, but they can't do it
without hurting the program and
making obvious their purpose.
The sprinting races, the middle
distance runs, the relays and the
distance events are the most effec-
tive parts of an athletic program.
Good crowds were in the stadium
whenever there were good, short
races on the program, and the stands
n1nnncf 1nsnrfnI 1.o
tathlOn and some of the other dull
events were carded.
Need Is Pointed Out
When the need was pointed out,
in the committee meeting, of cutting
down a program that was decided
to be too bulky, there were some
suggestions that the field events be
reduced so that more of a premium
would be awarded to running and
hurdling.
The same suggestion was made in
Intercollegiate cirlces here last win
ter when some of the lofty minded
easterners said it was durn shame
that the University of California
could come east with couple of
hammer throwers, shot putters and
jumpers and run away with the
championship.
Following this line of argument, it
would be just as sensible for the di-
rectors of professional baseball to
get after the Giants, who could win
a lot of championships without Il
pitching staff, and to look for q
remedy for the Yankee case, where
string of pennants were won with
staff of all-star pitchers. The
Giants and the Yanks have been
rornering the pennant market be-
cause they had well-balanced teams.
The American Olympic team has
never lost championship because
the United States always has sent
a wcll-balanced team out after the
championship.
1t can be argued, of course, that
the Americans arc weak in the run
ming events, and depend upon sweep
inc all other events to make up for
the losses from the quarter mile on.
1t is hardly reasonable, however, to
expect any team for any country to
place first or second in every event
on the program.
There are changes in the system
of scoring that might make it hard
er for the Americans, and they have
been discussed. After the games in
1920, when Finland and the United
States tied with nine first places
each, the complaint was made the
United States won a numerical We
tory, tnat the United States had
bigger team and scored the majority
of points on places in larger num-
Der of events.
The French then decided to put
"a bigger premium on first place by
making the winner worth ten points.
This failed to bring the desired re
suits, us the Americans went out
and won twelve events.
New Scoring System
The Amsterdam officials, who have
been awarded the 1928 games, have