Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-30
KUCK SETS MARK
IN SHOTPUT WIN.
King Also Takes High lump.
Nurmi Proves He Still Is
Distance Ruler.
BY ALAN y. GOULD.
Associated Press Sports Editor.

AMSTERDAM. Holland. July 30
n If the opening days perform
Il anceS are 10 be accepted as
4 L criterion. the United States is
headed for its ninth consecu-
tive OLYMPIC track and field triumph.
On s similar basis, Paavo Nurmi is des-
tined TO remove any lingering doubt
that he's the superrunner Of all time.
on a day when the worlds Shotput
record was broken by the American
KupeY7nan, John Kuck Of Kansas, in the
first 52-foot performance OF athletic MS
tory. il took another Superperfornler 10
capture the spotlight.
Euck. with a toss that measured IL
Is Of an inch beyond the hitherto i'm
pregnahle figure OF 81 feet, furnished
The opening days sensation, but Nurml
provided the thrilling climax by coming
from behind III the stretch TO beat ms
ancient rival Willie Riola. FINNISH
American ace, and outclass Americas
ovr, .Toie Raw along with the rest of
big field and smash the Olympic record.
Critics Are All Wrong.
Many. among them numerous Firms,
we're singing swan songs for Paavo prior
to the games, They wagged their heads
knowingly. described how Nurmis
America invasion three years ago had
burned him out and pointed out he mao
been beaten frequently within the past
two years.
"Pasvo." they said, has lost the edge
of his speed" but the peerless one mao
enough Yesterday to stay with Rltola 5
killing mace all the way and then out
nm Ironman Willie in a spectacular
stretch duel. If Nurrni has lost any
of his speed. Ritola, and Edwin WIDE,
the Swedish Schoolnaster. who cracked
under Yesterdays pace, would nate 10
race the Finn when he has any more.
The only noticeable change in Paavo
IN that he's considerably balder. looking
much more mature than his q years.
But the same funny little hop-Sklp Is
there when he practices, the same
smooth. efTortless stride when in action,
the same characteristic arm swing ana
his famous Stop-watch, he didn't IN
guect the tirne-piece as much as usual
yesterday. After the first few laps he !
appeared satisfied that Ritola was set |
ting a fast enough pace and followed
1t without once challenging until the |
stretch when he passed Willie 10 win |
BIZ four yards in 80 minutes IL A. |
seconds Four and four -fifthS seconds |
under the mark Ritola set at Paris in |
1924.
Kuck Comes Through.
Kucks shotput victory which sent the |
Stars and Stripes flying first on the |
Olympic center pole. fulfills the SEN |
eational promise of the blond KanSan's |
practice form. Yesterday. with Herman
Brix University of Washington husky, |
apparently assured of triumph with a |
toss OF 81 feet inches. Kuck. on his |
next to last throw, hurled the ball to |
q new world record, beating not only |
Brix. but the German, Emil Hirschfeld. |
SIS well Hirschfeld held the world |
record for the shotput, officially. just |
two days and made a fine effort 10 |
keep the crown by tossing the l6-pouno |
bail 81 feet 67s inches.
Bob King OF Stanford lakes his place
among the FIRST group crowned as /
Olympic champions, by virtue Of his /
triumph in the high jump with leap |
o. s feet as inches.
The United States took three places /
each in the high jump. where Ben |
Hedges. jr., Of the New York A. c. |
was second. and the defending cham
pion, Harold Osborn, fifth. and IN the
sl1otnut where Eric Krenz Of Stanford
vas Fourth. but failed to score In the
10000 meters.
Ray was Tapped by Nurmi and Ritola
and made no effort to chase the flying
workout for the marathon. As 1t was
he finished twelfth. The other Ameri-
can entries, Mac Smith Of Yale and
Johnny Romig, Meadowbrook Club,
Philadelphia, dropped out.
Meanwhile, the Yankee sprint stars
scored a clean sweep In their first and
second 100 meter trials. with the semi
finals and finals on today.
Lloyd Hahn, Boston A. A. star, led
the qualifying quartet in the 800 meters
competition which reaches the semi
finals today. r. Morgan Taylor. Illi-
nois A. c. crack and defending Olym-
pic champion, loomed as strong ia
vorite 70 retain his 400-meter hurdle
crown after the unexpected elimina-
ton Of Johnny Gibson, Bloomfield Ly-
ceum. and Bob Maxwell, Los Angeles
A r.