Evening star., 1936-07-03
SELDOM HAS LOST
IN AGILITY TESTS
Scores rs Victories in 80
Olympic Tries-Japan
Is Vault Threat.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Fress Sports Editor.

n VIEW YORK, July 3.-Wnen the
Olympic track and field argu-
" ment comes down to an issue
4 OF agility, your Uncle Samuels
lads consistently have demonstrated
their ability to out-jump or out-vault
the world.
The only exception concerns the hop,
step and jump. The United States has
manifested little interest in the triple
Jump since earliest Olympic days and
supremacy in it has passed to the op-
posite side of the world. Japanese
hold the world record and Olympic
title, but the land Of the kangaroo,
Australia, probably will supply this
years winner in the person of Jack
Metcalfe. He has an unofficial world
mark of 81 feet plus.
In the running broad and high
jumps. as well as the pole vault, it's
q red, white and blue bordered story.
America has asserted world supremacy
in these three specialties 26 times in
80 Olympic competitions.
U. s. Lost In '32.
THIS country's winning streak In the
high jump was broken for the
second time in 1882. but it was not a
particularly serious blow to our pride
since the winner of a four-man jump
off turned up in Duncan McNaughton,
Canadian boy who developed mis- skill
at Southern California. He's out of
competition now.
The development of q sensational
crop OF Negro jumpers is the main
guarantee of American success in the
Olympics this year Cornelius john
son. one Of McNaughton's victims four
years ago, has become the best in
group consistently flirting with feet 9
inches in the high jump. johnson
won several duels this Spring with
Walter Marty, California holder of the
world record Of 6:091s. as well as Ed
Burke, the Marquette Negro sopho-
more, who captured a record indoor
contest with johnson one night last
Winter.
johnson. Burke and Marty appear
the best Olympic bets, but the veteran
George Sptz, Gilbert Cruter Of
Colorado Dave Albritton and Mel
Walker of Ohio State. and Al Thread
gill of Temple all may figure in the
final tests. Any trio that survives tn
make the Olympic team is liable to
finish l-2-3 for the u S. A. at Berlin.
The loss of Eulace Peacock. Temple
Negro. who did rs feet 8 inches to
herone national rho r,y,ior o,,+e the
broad jump issue squarely up TO Ohio
States redoubtable Owens.
Japan Only Threat.
THE tussle will be keen for the re-
naming two Olympic places. The
Southern California graduate, Al Olson,
is a consistent 25-footer, but he has
rivals in Kermit King. a newcomer
from Plttsburg, Kans., who was
runner-up to Owens for the N. C. A. A.
title at 25:02ls; Milton Green OF
Harvard, Stanley johnson of M. I. T.
and Robert Clark. the decathlon cham
plon from San Francisco.
Japan offers the only threat to an
American sweep in the pole vault.
Nishida forced Americas Bill Miller to
clear a record Olympic height to win
four years ago. thereby stimulating his
countrymen to fresh deeds of vaulting
valor. But the U. S. A. appears we'll
fortified to retain Olympic honors.
The Southern California pair, Bill
Seton and Earle Meadows. are the
most consistent of the 14-foot class
this year, but there are a half doze:,
other collegians with chances to vauI.
into the Olympic picture.