Evening star., 1928-05-15
PETERS HAS MARK
: IN HOP P-STEP-JUMP
Dutch Star Rated Best for
Event in Which u. S. Has
Little Chance.
BY TED MEREDITH.

Famous Runner. World and Olympic
Champion
r HOLLAND. host of the eighth
II modern Olympic games, has
only one hope for a first place
Il 4 iii track and field contests.
This hope is in the hop. step
and Jump, and is based on having in
Peters a jumper whose record eNcels
any to date
The official world record is in the
name Of A. w Winter, Australia. and is
so feet II 5-l6 inches, The record was
made in Paris at the 1924 OlvmpicS,
Peters has a mark of 81 feet ? inches
which win be approved. without doubt,
at the next meeting of the international
record committee.
Argentina has L. Brunette. second to
Winter at Paris with SO feet u. inches,
V Tuulos. Finland. was third, so feet
5 inches; V J. Rainio. Finland, fourth,
40 feet 2 1916 inches. and F. JanSSon.
Sweden. fifth. 40 feet IL ? inches.
/ believe these same jumpers VIII
compete in Amsterdam. Most of them
have been in action within the last two
years. and surely will return to form
for the Olympic meet.
The United States has not won this
event since 1908. at London. Before
then 1t took first III each Olynpiad. ex-
cept in 1905 at Athens, when P. O'Con-
nor, Ireland, won.
Illinois Man Once Held Ii.
Until Winter made his present off,
cial mark. the record was in the name
of Dan Ahearne. Illinois A. c.. great
Jumper. Ahearne had to give way To
youth in 1920 at Antwerp, and TuuloS
won.
Since Ahearne'S retirement, the
United States athletes have not made
the progress in the hop step and jump
that might be expected. judging from
results in other field contests.
II is rot a standard contest in colleges
so few good jumpers spend the time in
practice it requires. Levi Casey, Los
Angeles A c.. national champion in
1926 and 1927. shows the best distance
sof the United States prospects. He
has made 49 feet Al inches. which
would not win an Olympic title If the
jumping of four years ago is TO be
criterion.
Homer Martin. Illinois A. c.. another
double American champion in the event,
1924 and 1925, is not far behind Casey
and seems sure Of berth on the Ameri-
scan team.
The American Jumper who holds the
most promise is DeHart Hubbard. for
ner Michigan athlete and holder OF the
world broad jump record. Hubbard Is
q natural jumper. but his form in the
past in the hop, step and Jump has
been far from finished 1t has not been
finished because he never took pains 70
make il so. Hubbard has done more
than 48 feet through natural jumping
ability and speed. and were he TO spend
the time at ii, il is reasonable to be-
lieVe that he could improve materially
Hubbard Has Bad Ankle.
Hubbard has weak ankle, the result
Of college competition, which might not
allow him to put too much hard WORK
fon this event In the broad Jump he i
50 much a favorite 10 win that it might
be bad policy for him 70 chance Grip
pied condition at Amsterdam for q
chance of placing in two events.
Louis B. Minter and Robert Patton
both OF the Los Angeles A. c., are two
more who have made progress in the
event, and viii be out for place on the
American team
Lawson Robertson, coach Of the Uni.
versity of Pennsylvania and Olympic
head coach, has an athlete at Penn
Moore, who is coming along in the hop
step and jump. Moore has won tht
event in the Penn relays twice. botf
.tirnes under adverse weather conditions
wl1fn long jumps were impossible. He
win improve before the tryouts. and
Robertson might have him ready for
greater distance.
There must be big improvement irl
the American jumpers II they are ID
place well toward the top Of the lis;
in the hop, step and jump. I believe
the Improvement necessary Is too much
10 hope for and when they get 10 Am
sterdaEn they viii find the foreign COM
petitors outclasSing them, as four years
ago.
With American leapers hardly up to
the mark. I am hoping Holland lands
first honors. 1t will be a big boost fol
athletics in that country. and Holland
as host TO the greatest international
competition In sport, deserves one Of the
Championships.
fCQpyrght. 1928 in all countries by NORTH
American Newspaper Alliance