New Britain herald., 1928-05-03
f.50O-NIetcr Champions

1.50O-Metcr Champions
 Olympic 1,500-meter champions and their times:
 1S9G, F'lack, England 4:S3 1-5. 900, Bennett, England, 4:06. 1904, Lightbody, |. S, 4;o5 2-5. 1906, Iightbody, T.. g, 4:12. 1908, Sheppard, Y. g. 4:o3 2-s. 1912. Jackson. England, 3;56 40. 1920. Hill, England. 4:o1 4-5, 1924. Nurmi, Finland. 3:5S S-5'
 sOlympic record. World record, S:523-5, by Nurmi.
 BY ALAN J. GOULD
 Associated Press Sports Edltor)
 New York, May 2 tPt-If there was one branch of track sports out side Of sprinting ill which America has most eagerly sought supremacy 1t is in mile running.
 Yet it has been twenty years now since the United States has won the 1,500 meter race. Olympic equlva- lent of the mile. This champion ship has shifted to Finland after sojourn in England. The worlds record for the mile, long a cherished American possession. has now been held bv that Phantom of Finland, Paavo Nurmi. for five years.
 American prestige in the Olympic 1,50O has skidded downward with out interruption since 1908 when Peerless Mel Sheppard scored the last Yankee triumph Subsequently, the best America could do was second in 1912. third in 1920 and fifth in 1924.
 So it will be something 10 cheer about even if Lloyd Hahn America s chief hope this year. is only able to check this decline. It will be cause for national athletic iublation if he is returned the victor, as many of his ardent followers expect. Hahn, successor to Joie Ray as the king of American milers, is by far the best prospect this country has turned out for the 1.5o0 meters since 1912. Ray was never at his best abroad, but Hahn, with the ex- l perience of one Olyn1piad already 1 behind him and an early start in preparation abroad. should be at his peak in Amsterdam.
 l The rugged Ncbraskan ran sixth to Nurmi in the 1,500 meter race at Paris four years ago. Ably coached by the veteran Jack Ryder he has steadily improved since then. He has shown enough speed to run the fastest half mile of all time and also set the worlds 1,5o0 meter record indoors.
 After tackling uper-opposition in the Olympic 500 Hahn will find little respite in the 1.50o against such cracks as Nurmi. the world s record holder and champion, Edwin Wide of Sweden. Lowe and possibly Stallard of England, and Peltzer Of Germany. The American has raced all Of these men. however and beaten two of them in this country Wide and peltzer.
 Hahn will play virtually q lone
 hand in the i 300 as well as tho
 SNn-meter races. Ray has turned marathoncr. and there is no other
 miller in sight Of the Nobraskan's class unless Nick Carter. Ray Con,
 ger or Joe Sivak show some start ling improvement.
 The greatest band Of mlers
 America ever mustered was shipped
 to the 1912 Olympic, but they were
 outr,n and outgcn"ralled by tho
 young English collogian, Arnold \
 s. Jackson. There was no tluke t'
 Jackson's victory, for he shattered
 the Olympic record by nearly sever
 seconds. but before the race he ha, been conceded little more than a,
 outside chance against such Ameri
 can aces as Abel Kiviat, Norman
 Tabcr John Paul Jones, Md Shep
 pard and others. Seven Of he four
 teen finaliStS were Americans, an'
 three of them. kiviat. Tabor ant , Jones. appeared to have the race |, . themselves until Jackson. 10 quot the official story "canlr on. paSSc,
 the pumped out |. $. X. mon wit
 gigantic strides and broke th
 worstnd three meters in front 0 Kiviat. who suffered complet
 surprise
 . Some years later. Jackson. nov \ q resident Of America, told thi writer he thought the American had killed their chances by 10 | much early sprlntinC.
 Four years ago Nurmi won th | 500 on the same afternoon he cap | tured the 5.oeo-meter race. shatter | ing the Olympic records in eacf Tt was a romp for the great Fin after he had shaken off the Ameri ! | can, Ray Watson For two-third Of the distance. Watson stuck { PaaNo lik" a shadow, as he ha been instructed 10 do. It was dra matic as far as if went but Watso finally faltercd. 800 meters from tn finish. SO badly spent that he Wa unable to finish among the first si,