The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-18

While 1t looks as II Uncle Sam
would dominate the sprinting events,
it is hard ta see how his colors are
going to play an important part in
the long-distance events. Joie Ray
won the fourth heat in the 1900
meters race at Antwerp. He beat
p. ]. Baker, of Great Britain, who
finished second to A. G. Hill, a team.
mate, in the final.
Ray took 4 minutes IL IS sec.
Onds to cover the distance. This
( was seconds slower than any Of
the other trial heats.
Wohralik, of CzechosIovalxia, won
the first heat in minutes 2-5 sec
onds. s. Lundgren, of Sweden, cap
tured the second trial in 4 minutes
seconds. j. Gender was credited
with minutes ITO seconds in TAX
ing the third heat. Hill won the
Olympic title in a minutes As sec
onds.
This would indicate that Ray
would have to improve off anything
that he has shown in Olympic com
petition. This, we think, the KanIa
kee star will do. An injury sus
tanned ON the way over to Antwerp
kept Joie from showing his rea
speed.
Judging from the way that he has
performed during the past indoor
season we are led to believe he will
be a vastly improved athlete at Pari;
this year over anything that he has
ever shown in international compe
tition. !
Ray is in business in Brooklyn
He will leave for an extended trir
up to Canaan, N. Y, to condition
himself. 1t is his intention to pu,
in about six weeks in the outdoors
up at the upstate town. After that
he will sharpen UP. his speed to be
in tip-top form at the Eastern try,
outs at Cambridge in June.
Aside from Ray the United
States will have to count upon Wal.
ter Higgins, former Columbia. Uni.
versity star and intercollegiate cross
country champion; Ray Watson,
former Illinois A. G. titleholder;
Lloyd Hahn, the latest sensation
from the Boston A. A.; Jimmy Con.
molly, who competed in the 1900
meters at Antwerp; Enck.s of Penn
State; H. II. Brown, another former
Olympic representative, and Ray
Buker.
Higgins has not performed to
anything near his Irue speed. The i.
latter Is biding his time. He
knows that II he gets himself into
condition too early he will likely
lose his edge by the time the
Eastern tryOutS come around.
This is a mistake that many of
our stars are likely to make If some
check is not placed upon them by
some one in authority.
The best thing that could happen
would be for the olympic committee
to send out a warning to respective
candidates to go easy on their train.
Ing stunts for the present. Olympic
aspirants could patent their training
after Walter Higgins. The latter d
likely to reach the top of his form
for the Eastern tryouts and keep II
until after he completes in the
Olympic. "
Many who know Higgins are sat.
isfied that the former Columbia
man js likely to cut some figure in
at least one Of the long distance
events.
Ray Watson is likely to be Uncle
Sans next best bet. Watson has
never shown to advantage indoors.
For some reason he cannot breath
properly. to extend himself to his
best work. This has been his com.
plant for many years.
Such being the case We look to
see the Illinois A. G. star cut quite
caper in the various long distance
events at the many outdoor meets
that will be decided before the East.
ern tryOuts' 4 he does not Inn