The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-07-14

But in the meantime, the Amer ican women athletes have prospects of probably the strongest team they have yet presented when the best of them gather at Los Angeles in August.
 There is a bit of irony in the fact that, in the ancient Olymptcs, the Greeks of that day who were distinctly not feminists but who believed "woman's place is in the home." not only excluded the girls as contestants but even forbade them to be spectators. The part that women play today in the Olympics, not only in track and field but also swimming and fenc- ing, may be accepted as proof that the world has made some progress.
 O. K. For Women.
 As coach. of the American wom- ems Olympic track and field team at Amsterdam in 1928, | became convinced that track and field sports for the feminine athletes, if properly supervised, can be of real benefit. I am convinced, however, that elimination of the 800-meter run from the women's list of events was wise. That. event exacted a greater physical toll than should be demanded of a girl in sport.
 Olympic events for women in- clude, the 100-meter run. S0-meter hurdles, running high jump, discus throw, javelin throw and the 400- meter relay.
 Three outstanding girls for, the 400" are Stella Walsh of Cleve- land. Eleanor Egg of Newark and Evelyn Furt.ch, a California girl. All have done close to Il seconds for the 100-yard dash and should do the 100 meters in very close to 12 seconds, the record. An air. plane accident several months ago robbed the American team of the sprinting services of Elizabeth Rob inson of Chicago, who was the winner at Amsterdam.
 Meet the Girls.
 A new star of the last year, Mildred Didrikson, Texas girl, is expected to be the 80-meter hurdle favorite. She set a record of 12 seconds in winning the 1881 ma : tional championship. Miss Didrik- son also has thrown the javelin 133 feet, which makes her a close rival of Lillian Copeland, whose record is 135 feet. A Los Angeles girl named Ann O'Brien. is a leading hurdle candidate with Miss Didrik- son.
 Jean Smiley is the. outstanding girl high jumper in this country with a mark of 5 feet 1-2 inches, which is the American record. Tn the discus throw Lillian Copeland, who won second place in4the discus at Amsterdam in 1928, looms as a leading American threat, with a stern competitor, however, in May belle Reichardt. Miss Copeland throws the discus about 122 feet. with Miss Reichhardt only two or three feet behind. In late weeks, however, Stella Walsh has fre- quently thrown the plate over 125 feet.
 Procedure.
 The women athletes will be se- lected for the final trials in sec tional elimination meets and the team .y2ll be finally selected at the national A. A. U. championships for women at Chicago this month.
 It is my expectation that Cali- fornia itself will turn out a strong delegation of girls for the Amerl- can team. In 1928 the California girls. forced to travel across the country for the final trials. found that they had competed perhaps too much in the west before leav. ing home. It was my belief then that some of them were better athletes than the finals for the team showed. Some of the same young women will have the oppor- tunity to prove that in their home state this summer. tA