Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26


United States Olympic teams in 1924
l. and 1928. SCOTS at the idea that runners
ere getting faster every decade.
He does not agree with those who believe
that the star trackman Of today is the en-
bodiment of all that is perfect and that he
could pass the star Of 1879 as easily as the
Leviathan glides by a slow freighter at sea.
Away back in 1860, in the days before smooth
cinder tracks, an English runner tore OF a mile
in minutes 10 seconds, only q few seconds
slower than the record of minutes 10 2-5
seconds, held by Nurmi, a wonder man Of this
decade.
But what about records in other events that
have been broken year after year?" asked Mr..
Robertson after his surprising statement.
s:COME of them have come down. certainly"
~ he replied. "But look at the tracks OF
today as compared with those of SO or 60 years
ago. Look at the neat, light shoes and the inn
provement in other equipment. tell you, I
can't see where runners are getting better and
better every year. Here's just one fact to study
over. Jackson Scholz and Charley Paddock
were on the Olympic teams Of 1920 and 1924.
In 1923, eight years after their first parucipa-
tion they were still good enough to qualify ana
make the grade as team members. There were
not enough good younger men to crowd them
out
$50 far as am concerned, think the type
of track athlete at least in the East, Is deteri-
brating rather than improving. A quarter OF
century ago the great men In our sport came
from the East, but during the last 10 years the
supremacy has shifted to the West. Today, all
in all, those who excel In running, jumping and
throwing come from the West, especially from
California.
at admire those boys. They arc the offshoots
from the Forty miners pioneers like Lewis and
CLARK Today that sturdy stock seems to be
meeting the test In heated competition against
the East, which has a greater Infusion Of for
eign blood.
"Of course the climate Is q factor In their
favor At University of Southern California
and at Leland Stanford, where so many spien-
did track athletes are produced. they can prac-
tice throughout the entire year. In the East
we have to wait until April for outdoor work"
It might be well here to tell more about this
noted coach, who makes these interesting state.
$nents about the modern youth
trick of fate, the failure Of o business In
which he was interested, turned Lawson Rob-
trtson from the commercial world to coaching.
THAT was back in 1909. Before that time ne
had won fame as an athlete Since then he
has become internationally noted as coach.
After attending the Boys High School In
Brooklyn, Robertson, in 1901, became MEM
Der of the Brooklyn Y. M. G. A. He became
deeply interested in athletics and before the
end of the year had won the all-around cham
oionship of the az" for proficiency In the high
dump shot.put, pole vault, quarter mile and
half mile. In 1902 he joined the Knickerbocker
"A. C. of New York City, and when that dis
banded transferred his allegiance to thu New
York A. c., where for eight years as an athlete
And coach he laid the foundation Of his future
success.
In 1903 Robertson won the junior national
22c-yard dash. year later he came IN nrst IN
the lo0-yard senior national race at st. Louis.
THAT same year he was member Of the United
states Olympic team, placing second IN the
standing high Jump. In 1906, 1907 and 1908 he
won the 300-yard national indoor champion
khip and also in 1907 won the national indoor
U60-yard dash.