The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-01
OLYMPIC COACH SEES T. S. LOSING. TRACK AND
German Team
Looms As
Victor
BY DAVIS J. WALSH

NEW YORK, Jan. lit may
come as q sharp, enduring pain
In the cravat to lot Of people
who didn't want us to go over
there in the first place, but for
the first time in history America
stands a better than fair chance
Of blowing the Olympic champion
ships in track and field next sum-
mer-and to Germany, at that.
This jaunty, little message Of
holiday cheer isn't mine. It was
delivered over the long distance
telephone today by the almost
perennial head coach of the Amer
lean teams, Lawson Robertson, q
solemn man who occasionally
kids others, but never himself.
He says it will take q really
tremendous American team, like
the Stockholm outfit Of 1912, to
be sure Of winning this time.
The Germans, it seems, have
been getting ready to steal their
own show for the last six years,
probably with the idea Of doing
something monumental in the
name Of Hitler.
Forget the Los Angeles
games" says Robertson. I'VE
were on the home grounds that
time. Instea6, take your line
from the Amsterdam meet Of
1928 where we reached q new
low by winning only one event
ant two relays"
TOTAL POINTS COUNT
Did he mean, then, that If we
repeated the Amsterdam collapse
and Germany came on with every.
thing it seems to have, we would
lose the championship?
II wouldn't say that" came
the reply, very quick ON the
latch-string this time. I'm fact,
/ shouldn't say it. There ID
such . thing as total points, you
know. 1t has pulled US through
before.
However, there isn't any
doubt Of this: Germany has
potentially the strongest squad
any American teaza has been
asked to beat since the modern
games began in 1896. The Firms
have been good in their Speci-
aIties. England has always come
through with individual cham
piOnS.
Tangible Assets
The Germans, it seems, have
among other tangible assets a
man who can run 1,500-meters in
1858; weight thrower named
Schroeder, who can and does
throw the discus 174 feet 3 inches,
q unlisted worlds record; Wegner,
q IA $40 man in the high hurdles;
Woelke, SO feet 6 inches in the
shot put; Stock, with 242 feet in
the javelin; a broad jumper who
beats Is feet; a lot of ranking
sprinters and excellent distance
runners.
And just how, by contrast. do
we look?
Apparently, no better than we
should. Men like Bonthron can
be forgotten; so can Ralph Hill.
who was "angled" out of a 5000
meter victory at Los Angeles.
Both are through with competi-
ton. Well do well up to 1900
meters but not above; our field
event men should hold up and,
Of course, there's Owens and Pea
cock-yeS. he expects Owens to
be eligible-in the sprints and
broad jump. Glenn Cunningham?
READY FOR BIG YEAR
Hell be back in good shape"
says Robbie. Had a talk with
him not long ago and found
him ready for big year. Many
people didn't understand his
defeat by LOvelOck and Bon
thron at Princeton last June,
= but the fellow never had re-
covered from an attack Of the
'tflu." Frankly, he never got q
chance to recover, what with
the invitations he had accepted.
This constant running when he
Was underweight made him
worse. The Princeton beating
was the result. He'll be right
when the time comes. I think
you can count on that.
"AnOther thing you can count
. on is the competition. I'm
really serious about Germany.
For the first time, it has the
money, the men and the incen.