The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-11
TALKING
ITOvER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

II AXE PLACID, N. Y, Feb. H.
~ About the only thing that can
prevent America from winning the
nrst winter Olympiad ever conduc-
tea on this side of the Atlantic is
Tor the neighboring mountains to
IAN ooWn-and your correspondent
can testify that these mountains
seem 10 be fully as robust as Kate
Smith.
The Star spanzIed entries were 40 far
oyt ~ front today in the quaint business
OF sliding down hills and skimming over
Dear % ip 20 MAKE asis an ultimate triumph ap
remain to be decided-the ski Jumps the
iSs man man bob: and hockey. out OF these
I POINTS TO make their winning total quite
Because competitive winter sports aoains.
an International background are compara-
IyeN new over here. the impending VIC
10Y hiy comes as something OF surprise TO
as supreme. Maybe Mr.. Herbert Hoover over
an9 pronibition wrought the miracle.
.. Bob shedding in is fundamentais. is
aslrly simple sport in which daring. cOur-
ssoe ana nigh spirits play. important parts.
phasizes similar qualities and IN ~ this spoit
in hockey and skiing do we seem to lag.
: Canada very, probably viii win the
TTPbe s Iitle: with America close second;
yet the critics agree they do not clay
very we'll In fact. the, olympic nocEeY
a real bang up team in the meet. To
recognize re, the winner as champion OF the
middling college group-Harvard particu-
larry.
A MERICA still takes it's skiing
L n with a sort of weekend infor-
mality. In the 18-kilometer cross
country ski race Wednesday, the
opening ski race of the meet, the
iirst American home was so far
behind the leaders that a Seabury
process server couldn't have found
him.
by the .swedes the Firms and the Morse
The scandinavians are born on on SKIS.
as suspicious character and is dealt
with accordingly. Usually he is exiled TO
The veteran Sven n Utters f of sweden
was first to finish the ordeal Wednesday,
q distance OF approximately twelve miles.
corntryman. Axel Vikstrom. The Nor
Wegians who have been more or less OF
f9p up to now. could do no better than
This was terrific blow to Norwegian
pride; The. Norwegians and the Swedes
Bill KLEIN and John McGraw. I mean
o nS very mSn bopa oas
Johan Grottumsbraaten. In his native
land he is called the Babe Ruth Of skiing.
Mr.. Grottumsbraaten finished sixth, but
hadn't happened out in the open country
when he was going strong and well up
ihe snow sloshers the captain Of the Nor.
way team had music box rugged Up at
the eiRht-mile post.
TINE idea was to play a record Of
Il the Norwegian national an
them every time one Of the native
sons passed the point. 1t was very
thoughtful idea and no doubt would
have worked out we'll if some re-
prehensible and malicious person
hadn't switched the records.
Mr.. Grottumsbraaten was first to come
into view, The music box started to
tional loyalty hoated out over the icy
landscape, but instead Of the familiar
fDrnS d hn the sP PfF ang out
The effect upon Mr.. Grottumsbraaten
is now easily described. Rage and hatred
overwhelmed MIN. lie TOOK OH his skis
and shattered the mechanical cabinet
with one vicious blow; High up in the
moving object and suspecting it was an
enemy plotter. he proceeded forthwith 10
give pursuit.
The timely intervention Of, a state
too for the object proved to be one Of
the numerous stevens Brothers. You
can't open package OF cigarettes around
here without colliding with one of the
brothers
Anyway, Mr.. Grottumsbraaten was so
overcome by his emotions and so delayed
in transit that he forfeited all chances
of duplicating his victory of 1928. Another
unusual incident in connection with the
race was the case of cramps which at
tackled Mr. Vickstrom of Sweden at about
the flve-mile post.
Mr.. Vickstrom was showing away at a
gay pace when Quite suddenly he doubled
ur in fierce pain and began to yodel in
lugubrious notes. one Of the villagers Of
At least that is Mr.. Vickstrom's report.
The Norwegians claim 1t was not an apple,
but appleiack. and that such assistance
is not only contrary to the. laws of
America but is inimical to the higher
ideals of sport.