Evening star., 1933-01-07
PAST|MES TO FEEL
]. OLYMPIC IMPETUS.
Chicago World Fair Again
Will Bring Outstanding
Athletes Together.
BY AVERY BRUNDAGE,
President of the Amateur Athletic Union
of the United States President of the
American Olympic Association.

hliiCAlNaA OAsA44HAS EASSSNA"NAO-A'
BY the Associated Press.
~HICAGO, January Anna
teur sports stuck out its
" chest in 1882 and faces
another banner season in
1888. Given impetus by the Olym-
pic games, amateur sports had its
greatest year in history.
For 1888 there are hopes of an
other outstanding year. Present
plans of the management of the
Century of Progress, the world
fair to be held in Chicago, con-
template a complete program of
sports and games, including many
international events, so that the
momentum gained in 1882 will not
be lost.
THE greatest year in history"-This
rating for 1882 Is established not be-
cause of quality of performance, but for
especially since in the past year the
true Importance of amateur sport has
been demonstrated.
People of all nations, faced by the
collapse of business and industry, wit
Messing the crashing of regulations and
the failure of established institutions,
and almost convinced that there is
something wrong with our form of civil
ization, turned for relief and recreation
to clean, wholesome amateur sports and
games.
WHETHER as participant or spectator
Wv at these events of equal oppor-
tunity for all, where the best man
wins regardless of race, color, creed,
family, or financial standing, they have
come again to realize the value of pure
democracy from which in other fields
we have strayed so far.
They have learned to disdain sharp
practice, to respect the rights, to insist
on common honesty, courtesy, and fair
play, and to appreciate the value of
physical strength, mental alertness and
moral soundness.
They have become imbued with the
virile, dynamic philosophy of sport, and
If they carry these high ideals of am
ateur sport into the other enterprises of
life, drive on false standards, and in
sist on the adoption of the code of
sportsmanship in business, in politics
and in other fields, it will inaugurate
new and happier era.
The great event of 1882 from the
viewpoint of sport was, of course, the
Olympic games. Six months ago, when
we were trying to gather together
team to Los Angeles, we were repeated
ly asked by those solicited why the
games were not postponed or abandoned
with general conditions as they were
Leaders of amateur sport not only in
this country, but in all the world felt,
however, that now was, above all, the
time to carry one.
How right they were is shown by the
fact that despite the depression, the
games of the tenth Olympiad were the
finest ever held in every respect, ath-
lectically, socially, and even financially
THREE or four million dollars were
l. invested in the games at Lake
Placid and at Los Angeles before
the gates were thrown open. Why all
this trouble and expense for an event
of this kind? Certainly not Just to
determine the best athletes in the
world through series of athletic COM
petitions
1t is the auxiliary results from the
Olympic games that count-the meet
ing on the friendly field of sport of the
representatives of so different countries,
the association in the council room
of the sport leaders of these countries,
the spreading of good feeling among
men of different nationality, of differ
ent race, Of different habits Of life.
The Olympic games have without
question done more to create interna-
tional good will than any other one
thing
Track and field athletics perhaps pro-
vide the greatest number of thrilling
performances during the year Fol-
lowing Winter and Spring of record
breaking, in the eight days of compe-
ton at Los Angeles, 20 new Olympic
and Z new world records in the 33
events for men, and new Olympic
and world records in events for women
were made in the most brilliant pro-
gram of events ever held.
1t is hard to choose between Will
liam Cars phenomenal 49, seconds
for the 400 meters and the race in
which Tom Hampson of England broke
1:50 for the 800 meters for the first
time in history. The new record of
8462.23 points in the decathlon created
by iJim Bausch Of Kansas and Eddie
ToEan's double win in the dashes de-
serve mention.
Leo Sexton's shot putting, the work
of Gene Venzke and George Spitz in
the indoor meets and the marvellous
pole vaulttng at Palo Alto in the try
outs will be long remembered.