Evening star., 1936-01-19
BEARD OUT, Hardin
HAS LEG TROUBLE.
Cunningham, venzke, East
man, Bonthron to Take 1t
Easy This Winter.
BY ALAN GOULD.
Associated Press Sports Editor.

BY ALAN OOUAOs
Associated Press Sports Editor.
n vEW YORK. January Ia
nj Americas cherished ambition
to reclaim world supremacy IN
/ hurdling in the 1886 Olympic
track and field sports has been dealt
q double blow.
On top of the withdrawal Of Percy
Beard, the great Alabama high hur-
dler, from the ranks Of candidates for
your Uncle samuels team, comes the
information that Louisiana States
Glenn Hardin, the world record holder
over the 400-meter hurdling route.
faces an uphill fight even to make the
trip to Berlin.
Muscular trouble in his legs has
beset Hardin for the better part Of q
year, according to Bernie Moore, the
L. S. U. coach. In letter to the
writer, Moore says:
"Hardin's future is very much in
doubt. He did not do well in the
Sugar Bowl meet. In my opinion he
will have an awfully hard time ever
getting in shape again, due to muscu-
lar trouble. He had quite a bit OF
trouble last year.
Even If he is able to make the
Olympic team, it will take long
period of easy training to bring him
around I do not believe that any
competition this Winter will do him
any good"
Called Perfect Runner.
HARDIN has been described as
the perfect quarter miller" by
coaches. He is rangy and has one of
the longest strides ever measured. In
the 1882 Olympics he was runner-up
to Bob Tisdall of Ireland in the final
of the 400-meter hurdles. but was
credited with a new Olympic record
of 50 seconds fiat because Of a quirk
in the rules. Tisdall's winning time
was 51.8. but it was disallowed because
he knocked over one hurdle. Hardin
lowered the world record to sos Sec
onds at Stockholm in the Summer
of 1884. He has been in slump
since then, failing to win any out
standing or title events last year.
Meanwhile Hardin's former team
mate at L. S. u, Baby Jack" Tor
rance, has lost none of his capacity
for heavlng the 16-pound shot farther
than any other athlete in history.
The holder of the world record of 81
feet, inch, will be the No. Olympic
ehotputter. in Moore's opinion.
Torrance had not worked out q
day since the National A. A. U. cham
pionships last year, but he went down
to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl
meet and got 81 feet" writes Ber-
ME-" With a little work he can dc
Is well as he did in his senior year
at college. I am not sure whether
he will attend any of the indoor meets
IN New York. but, if invited, !
imagine he will compete"
venzke Learns Lesson.
Most Of our potential Olympic
- foot-racing winners do not in
tend to repeat the mistake Of Gene
Venzke, 4:l0 miller in the Winter
Of 1882, who failed to make the
Olympic team in July. Venzke him.
self will limit his indoor activities
this year, with the idea of reaching
q Summer peak for either the $500
or 5000 meter races.
Ben Eastman, Bill Bonthron and
Glenn Cunningham, Americas best
bets for honors in the middle distance
races, will give indoor fans little or
no chance to see them in action. Not
since the 1908 Olympics has the U.
S. A. captured both the 800 and 500
meter Olympic crowns. Ted Mere
dith's triumph in the 800 at Stock
holm in 1912 was the last American
victory in either of these classic
races. Consequently the trio men,
toned, all holders of world records,
h not being urged to leave its best
races at home or to waste its energies
on the boards.
For various reasons, the dusky
flyers Of American tracks will not
see much competition until Spring.
Ohio States Jesse Owens is on the
ineligible list temporarily, due to
scholastic difficulties. Ralph Metcalfe,
. former national champion, and
Eulace Peacock. Temple University
star and national 100-meter title
holder, will limit their appearances
to q few outstanding meets.
Keith Brown, who closed his COL
lege career for Yale with world
record pole vault last Spring, hasn't
divulged his intentions and may not
do 50 until Uncle Sam sounds the
main call to arms in the Spring.