Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-07

n 4
AN dam il was the greatest
team Of young athletes l
ever saw gathered tosether:
Fxceut for the steeplechsse and tne
LANCER runs. there was scarcely an eNett
IN which the competitors nom Name 70
California might not be expected 10
canal nr better a world record.
The tear, left New York as collec-
t,nn Of supernen. but il appears 70 nave
landed III A somewhat watef-4osgeu
condition. Folk are proud OF Ionh
Euck. Edward Hsmm. Saoin Carr. hoo-
e~f King and Clarence HouSer. Sut the
e',,.,st inter failure III the track events,
u.,,r~r the United States has been wont
~ shire was little less than lamentahle.
There are no alihls. The track the
r.,sti,er the climate. the starters ana
me 5udeeS were the same for all OtheF
athletes Travelled lust as far as those
from the country of George washington
a fine athlete himSeh-but they also
Travelled faster Ray Bareuu Of syria
use University vas the only track man
VINO did his stuff in individual eohlpe-
i.tlon.
THE fact that the boys lost is unim-
,>owtant The olympic games are sup
posed TO be sport for sports sake, Ano
on the DAYS the races were run men OF
other countries we're faster ana oe-
served victory.
What matters is that the United
states eyoected its track athletes TO
give their best. and most OF them
didn't do il. Most of them had run
repeatedly in better time than that IN
which they were beaten. What nuftS Is
not that the runners Of other nations
were faster. but that they proved them
selves better competitors
II the United States runners were
overweight. or If they trained too me
or not fine enuogh, why didn't the
coaches know it, If instead of training
for sprint and hurdle races they tram
Ell for a pie-eating contest, why oion I
older men in charge point OUT theH
mistake?
have read long newspaper articles
By coaches and trainers have peruSeo
long interviews with them, denlonstrat-
inc how the climate the weather, the
living conditions. the marshes. the
canals, the cooks, the starters, Inc
Judges. the photographers, the archi-
fects. the League of Nations. the World
Court and the Dutch One-eyed Con-
molly conspired to do the United States
team 0irt. I should rather have read
one brief cable, saying:
'wykof wins 100" or Hahn victor
In record time"
Moreover, 1t seems to me that there
are too many officials at the Oiympics.
The games we're established to bring
nations closer together and instil lit
tie more craftsmanship into the world.
The sight and sound of officials Squao-
bling with other countries and then
doing little private fighting among
themselves is not ennobling. Somehow
In gSfSYff
Of the occasion.
We 30 70 the Olympic games to show
cur best, and, If beaten, to say cheer
fully and sincerely, You're a better
man than am, Gunga Din" We don't
60 TO the games TO show our second
best. and Scowl and whine about not
getting the breaks.
In 1882 the Olympics are scheduled
for Los Angeles. should like TO see
many things changed before that time.
hope that the United States VIII treat
visiting athletes as honored guests. or
at least as most friendly rivals. II there
isn't pie enough for all, the visitors
should be served first.
should like TO see all competing
teams housed IN the same aotels-if
possible In the outskirts Of the city
where the air is sweet and clean-and
should like 70 see the officials and
trainers assigned to the smaller and
inside rooms / should hike TO see the
athletes of all competing nations use the
same dining halls and the same buses
and cars 10 the same practice fields
should like TO see practice times as
signed for sprinters and distance run
neES and field men. and TO have the
boys Of all nations work out together
should ike TO see every man go TO the
mark at his best If the combined efforts
Of the coaches Of all nations could send
him there in that condition. Then let
the best man win. and more power
10 him.
I should like 10 see more hands ex-
tended in friendship and fewer extended
for the purpose of showing somebody on
his nose. ! should like 10 see the origi
nal intention Of the Olympics attract a
little more attention little less en-
piagis On winning. little more efnpha
SIS on workmanship,
believe that craftsmanship is the
safest and biggest and finest thing at
which any creed or race or country can
aim
lCopyrlght 1928. By North American News
paper Alliance