Evening star., 1928-06-08
i. S. MAY NOT PLACE
IN EVENT THIS YEAR
England, Germany and Scan
dinavian Nations Develop
ing Promising Talent.
Ry the Associated Press,

Ey the Associated Press
irish American supremacy in the
Olympic hammer-throw. traditional and
unbroken in the history of the interna-
tionsl games, runs the risk of beine
broken this year.
Fred Tooten the famous Bow6oin
star snd greatest hammer-th thrower de-
veloped in America in the last decade.
will not defend the Olympic crown he
won 50 easily at Paris four years ago.
''TootS" turned coach for a while and
Is out of competition.
Matt McGrath, captain of the New
York police. still Is in the game and
able 10 toss the l6-pound ball out a sub
ktantial distance. But Matt is at the so
mark, slowing up. If he makes the
team it viii be his fifth trip TO the
OlymplcS, but he is not now able to APP
prosch the form that made him world
champion and Tecord-breaker in 1912.
Paddy Ryan. another Of the old
guard, may stage a comeback. He now
is in Ireland. but his friends here have
been informed he still keeps in practice
and would Ike TO make the team,
Paddy set the world record Of iS9 feet
ei2 inches in 1918 and won the Olympic
championship in 1920 for the United
States.
Merchant StiII Available.
Jack Merchant. former University of
California star. and J. NJ McEachern
OF the Olympic Club. San Francisco. are
two other available veterans. Both were
members of the 1924 team, but Nc
Eachern was the only one TO score. TAX
ing sixth place Merchant has shown
better form this Spring. but seldom does
better than ITO feet
The colleges have turned out some
likely timber but it is mostly unde-
veloped Hammer -throwers, like dis
tance runners. need to ''ripen" before
they reach their best. Norwood Wright
Of Cornell. the new l. c. A. A A. A.
champion. may turn out to be the best
OF the lot A great competitor. Wright
has improved consistently. Although
he had not exceeded I6i feet in compe-
tition previously. he tossed the iron ball
out i67 feet ia inches TO beat Edmund
BLACK OF Maine by inches. Moreover.
Wright flung the winning toss on his
last trial.
Ketz of Michigan, who won the Big
Ten championship on the same day
with throw of l6i feet rs inches,
new Conference record: Don Gwinn of
burgh star; Orville (Tiny) Hewitt of the
Army and Marion Ide, who won the
1927 intercollegiate title for Penn State
IN 1927. are other Olympic possibilities.
1t would not be surprising to see
Wright, Black. Merchant and McGrath
compose the Big Four selected for the
Olympic team-unleSs Ryan decides 10
stage comeback
McGrath shares the general view that
A nerica viii have q hard time keeping
tie title this year in view of the de-
yslopment OF hammer throwing talent
q Iroad. particularly In England the
Scandinavian countries and Germany.
There was a time when the Europeans
regarded the hammer as trick event
and desired 1t abolished from the Olvni-
pic program. The Greeks did refuse to
Include It in the programs Of Athens In
1896 and 1906
May Be Lucky TO Place.
We may even be lucky TO place this
time" /" AYERS Capt Matt Two Swedes
two Firms and an Englishman seem TO
have things sewed UP. ] know that
SKIOLD Of Sweden. Erickson Of Finland
and Eokes Of England all can throw In
Osympic competition around l73 feet"
Matt would nave scorned that mark
in siei2 when he won the Olympic
crown and set a record Of i79 feet S25
inches at Stockholm Matt unfuried
that heave on his last effort in a door
cie-in-the-attempt throw after having
fouled on his previous tries In his four
Olympic competitions MeGrath finished
second IA 1908 10 Flanagan. first in
1919. fifth behind Ryan In 1920 and sec
cnd 70 Tootell in 1924
Old John Flanagan, the daddy Of ell
hammer -tt1Yowers won three successive
Olympic championships in 1900. 1904
and 1908. Old John went back to IRE
land after completing his career as po-
licemsn and athlete. but left the in
spirsfion that spurred on young Matt
McCgst1 and young Paddy Ryan. The
old Irish American dynasty Is slipping
and II remains 10 be seen whether
nev one can carry on.