Evening star., 1928-05-21
EVENT APPARENTLY
SEWED Up BY i. S.
King, National Champ; Hag-
gard, Burg and Major Among
Foremost ContenderS.
RY ALAN j. GOULD

Associated Press Sports Editor
NEW YORK. May IS.-m a year
that seems TO be Shattering all prece-
dent for high flying the famous school
master, Hal Osborn. may have to yield
the high jumping Olympic crown to
one or another of the astonishing crop
Of new altitude-makerS.
When America can mention offhand
the names of 10 jumpers who have
done s feet inches or better there
isn't much prospect that the Nations
supremacy in this branch of field
sports will be menaced at Amsterdam.
The veteran Osborn has been troubled
of and on during the past few years
by a weak ankle or strained thigh
tenders. Half his leg has been taped
up in recent competition, but even with
such handicapS the beSpectacled star of
the Illinois A. c. IS as good as, or bet
ter than, half his rivals.
Can Rest on LaurelS.
Whether or not Osborn is able to
stage a comeback, he can rest on a
pretty fair share of laurelS already
won. He captured the Olympic title
four years, ago at Paris beating out
the slim Dartmouth star, Leroy Brown,
with a record leap of feet inches.
That was OSborn's greatest year, 1924.
for he also won the Olympic decathlon
title and set a new world high jump
ing mark Of 6 feet, 6l4 inches. That
record still stands. The closest 1t has
come to being touched was two years
ago when Haggard, Texas star, leaped
feet IA inches.
Haggard is among the foremost
Olympic contenders this year. So are
Burg of Chicago. Coggeshal Of the
Olympic Club, San Francisco; Major OF
St. Bonaventure. Maynard of Dart
mouth. Bob King of Stanford and
Shepherd OF Texas, all Of whom have
scaled around 6 feet, 5 inches or more.
King, the national champion, is
among the most consistent. He has
the additional benefit of being coached
by "Dink" Templeton, himself IA
nous jumper, and member Of the 1920
Olympic team and this year member
OF the Olympic coaching staff. Temple
ton went over to the games eight years
ago as a high jumper. He was ruled
out because of his western rolr' style
OF leaping, but went into the broad
jump and finished fourth on short
notice.
Most Dramatic Win.
Perhaps the most dramatic high
jumping victory for the United States
occurred at Stockholm in 1912 when
Alma Richards. giant Utah athlete, de-
feated the great Californian and favor
ite, George HORNE. who had set the
worlds record at feet inches Rich
ards, HORNE and Leische, the German.
were the three finahsts. With the bar
al 6.3. Leische cleared easily on his first
try The Americans missed their first
two tries and then Eorine failed on
his third and final attempt. With one
try left and victory at stake. Richards
cleared the bar with tremendous effort
and went on 70 win at 6:3%.
In view Of American supremacy
otherwise, ii still Is something Of
mystery to note the lapse in 1905. when
the best any representative Of the
United States could do was tie for
third place al Sta The winning mark
that year. only inches higher. is the
lowest on Olympic record.
BY contrast, in 1912. six Of the first
seven in the final standing were Amer
leans. -Four out Of the first five places
were captured in 1920 and three out CT
four at Paris in 1924 Templeton,
whose tutoring will have lot To co
with It. predicts that 1t win be at least
1-2-3 this year