Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-17
CHARLEY HOFF
FINDS HIMSELF
OUT. OF OLYMPIC

] NEW YORK, Feb. l6 lP-Charley
Hotf, the smiling, slim young Viking
who vauIted his way across the
(, American continent two years in
worlds record fashion, seems 70 nave
propelled himself right out or the
amateur picture
The latest information from Nor
way, authentically labelled, is thag
the Norwegian athletic powers, in
the most approved A. A. U. manner,
have turned deaf ear to ali appeals
for the Reinstatement OF Hoff and
shut the door to his entry in the
Olympic games this year at Amster-
DAM
1 Hoff got into difficulties over his
expense accounts and his vaulting
engagements while out on the Pacific
coast in the spring of 1926 after a
sensational trans-continental tour in
which he exhibited a prowess with
the pole that surpassed anything
ever seen before in America.
One OF the most likeable athletic
invaders ever to step on these shores,
bundle of wiry athletic energy, the
vaulting Viking overstepped the
bounds OF propriety laid Gown by
the A. A. u. and his tour was cut
short. Subsequently he Strengthened
out his financial controversy with the
American ruling body.
Since he had been declared only
temporarily ineligible and not actually
professionalized, it was thought Hoff
might regain the good graces OF his
own athletic authorities. ou: appar-
emily they have taken an unrelenting
stand.
The final Punishment OF Hoff kills
the prospect OF battle for vaulting
supremacy between the Viking star
and Sabin Carr, the Yale youth who
now holds the worlds record of IA
feet. 1t also assures this country
the likelihood OF a clean sweep in
the Olympic vaulting. Nowhere else
has there been anything like the
development in this speciality that
, there has been in the United States
within the last year.
Hoff was considered in class by
himself when he came to this coun-
try, the indoor record was 13 feet
flat at that time, mark that was
seldom attained either indoors or out,
But within a few months Hoff lifted
it about eight inches and a year
/ ago Carr vaulted to the present
indoor record of Is feet 9 1-3 inches
Last may the Yale star cleared ID
feet for the first time in athletic
| history and beat Hoft's best by a
fraction OF an inch.
! On the same day Lee Barnes, the
Southern Califorian who holds the
Olympic title, jack-knifed himself up
| to within three inches of Carr's
| world record height, while three
| other collegians cleared IL feet or
/ better.
| There are at least a dozen American
| vaulterS doing 13 feet consistently
now remarkable development when
! it is considered that Barnes didn't
have to go that high to capture the
Olympic crown four years ago.
Hoff is best remembered for his
! vaulting skill, but he also ranks
among the greatest all-around ath-
/ leteS of all time, one of the best
since the palmy days of Jim Thorpe,
who by a coincidence also violated
the A. A. u. code and saw his
amateur career cut short when at
the height Of his fame.
OF wiry build, slim but sturdy, Hoff
was the perfect" decathlon perform
er, the ease with which he surpassed
Emerson Norton and Hal Osborn in
an abbreviated all-around test at
i Madison Square Garden two years
ago proved his versatility. On the
same evening Smiling Charley shat
tered the worlds indoor marks for
the broad jump and pole vault.
! An injury to one OF his heels
kept Hoff out of his specialties in
the 1924 Olympics but he was good
enough anyway to reach the finals
of the 300 meter run, the only event
/ he was able to enter.