Evening star., 1928-05-03
FOREIGN ATHLETES
CLASSY, HOWEVER
Yankees Must Contest With
Seven Formidable Alien
Timber Toppers.
BY TED MEREDITH.

Famous Runner. World and Olympic Cham.
piOn
Copyright 1928 in all countries by North
American Newspaper AllianceD
Hurdling is an American developed
event 1 don't know who started this
form of contest, but do know that the
United States brought it along and that
then it was taken up seriously abroad
but under American methods.
In 1912, at the Olympic games in
Stockholm, the United States made a
clean sweep of the 110-meter high
hurdles. In fact, the United States won
every high hurdle Olympic title except
in 1920, when Earl Thomson carried
the Canadian colors to victory and the
present Olympic record. He also is the
world record holder.
Thomson learned to hurdle in Cali
fornia and continued it at Dartmouth.
He was born in Canada, so represents
that country at the Olympics.
In 1924. at Paris, the United States
got its first warning of future upSets in
this event. England had several likely
looking entries and South Africa mad
second place winner in Atkinson.
1t was signal that European hurdlers
had found out the form of this event
ard would be knocking at the door even
harder in 1923. At Amsterdam expect
to see an overthrow of the long string of
United States victories unless Uncle
Fine Foreign Hurdlers.
There will be seven hurdlers of abil-
ity equal to that of the United States
contestants when this event is started.
England has three of them. South
Africa one, Sweden two and Germany
one.
England has Gaby, who has been
hurdling at least six years, and he did
the high hurdles in 14.9 seconds twice
last Summer. Lord Dave Burghley and
Weightman- Smith. in the United States
last Spring for the Penn relay meet.
proved they were good, though just a
shade slower than Gaby.
$ Atkinson, South Africa, on his show
ing in the Paris Olympics. is man
to be greatly respected. He was a very
close second. and his hurdling form at
that time was not as smooth as that
Of Kinsey. Illinois A. c.. United States
winner. Four years of work on form
will have helped Atkinson
Peterson, Sweden. has record Of
l4.8 seconds, and once did i49 seconds,
which shows he Is not a flash. An
other Swede. Wennstrom. has covered
the high hurdles in l5.3 seconds.
Germany has good hurdler in TroSS-
bach. and is counting on him at AM
Sterdam. He has mark of i4S sec
onds
When II is remembered that the only
time the Olympic li0-meteT high hurdle
hAnfN r <
was when Earl Thomson world record
holder. did it in l4.8 seconds, these
other performances must receive a lot
OF consideration. In the matter Of
times made on the other side. there is
this to be said-they are sound. Their
tracks do not compare with those in
the United States for the most part,
and the lack of good competition does
not extend their champions.
The United States Candidates.
The United States can match these
times. In fact, there are several hur-
dlers trying for the team who have
made better time. but only by one-tenth
OF second. This Is q small margin to
work on
There are nine United States hurdlers
out for the Olympic team who have
beaten IS seconds. Kinsey Illinois Ath-
letic Club, 1924 Olympic champion.
heads &sthe list Guthrie and Werner,
also Illinois Athletic Club stars, are on
n par with the Olympic title holder.
Guthrie was place winner in 1924 and
Werner beat both to win his present
national title crown. All three have
done Ia 6 seconds.
Dye. Southern California and Holly
wood Athletic Club. and LeiStner Of
Stanford and the Olympic Club of San
Francisco are former national cham
pions. who won the title In l4.6 and
l4.8 seconds. respectively.
Baskin, former Alabama Poly ath-
lete. now representing the New York
Athletic Club. is a hurdlsr well liked
by the experts. BaSkin is national col
legiate champion and won his title in
i49 seconds.
Wells. Dartmouth the Eastern college
champion, had TO do i4S seconds TO