Evening star., 1938-01-07
Prospect of Trips Abroad to Spur T%uck Field Stars
BIG WAR ON MARKS
OUTLOOK FOR 1888.
Heavy Foreign Schedule Is
Planned, but European
Athletes Won't Visit.
By DAN FERRIS.

by DAN FERRIS,
(6ecretary-Treasurer, National A. A. U)
n YEW YORK, Jan. Z (P)-Spur-
nj red on by prospects of heavy
" foreign competition, America s
L Y track and field athletes may
set an even faster pace in 1888 than
they did year ago when seven world
records were broken by United States
standard bearers.
Opportunity for travel in foreign
countries is one of the chief incentives
for athletes to remain in competition,
and If present plans materialize, more
American track and field stars than
ever before in a non Olympic year will
compete abroad this summer.
An international dual meet between
the champions of Europe on one side
and the United States champions on
the other is one of the prime in
ternational features toward which our
athletes will aim.
Although this meet has not yet been
definitely arranged. the necessary ap-
proval of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee of the A. A. U. already has
been granted and negotiations now
are under way. The European cham
pionships will be held in Paris early
in August. and present plans call for
the international meet a week later.
The 1888 winners of the national A.
A. U. championship will make up the
United States team.
Other International Meets.
TWO other international meets for
American athletes definitely are
fixed, and others are tentatively plan
NED. A team of 10 will compete in the
first Of these meets in London August
l. and the other will pit the combined
Cornell-Princeton squad against OK
ford Cambridge.
Last summer when the Pan-Amer-
1can games were held in Dallas, the
Brazilian Ambassador invited the COM
peting countries to Rio de Janeiro for
the Pan-American games of 1888. Al
though no formal renewal Of that
invitation has been forthcoming thus
far, it is probable that the United
States again will be represented.
A team Of 10 will visit South Africa
fate in the summer. Athletes who will
make this trip will be chosen from
one of the teams competing in Europe.
For the first time in several years
the major indoor meets will be run
without foreign stars. All invitations
extended to overseas athletes by the
A. A. U. have been declined.
Boards Stop Foreigners.
EXCEPT for Paavo Nurmi and a
few others, foreign athletes never
have been able to adjust themselves
to American board track conditions.
Undoubtedly this was major fac
tor in the failure of Europeans to
come over for the indoor season.
One or more, hwever, probably will
race in United States outdoor meets.
Such veteran champions as Glenn
Cunningham, Archie San Romani
Don Lash, Gene Venzke. Joe Nc
Cluskey, Tom Deckard. Norman
Bright, Forrest Towns, Ray Malott,
Jack Patterson, Perrin Walker, Ben
johnson, Elroy Robinson and. John
Woodruff, to mention only q few,
again will be headliners in 1898.
With such promising material to
press them as Jimmy Smith, Charles
Fenske, Ray Mahannah, Dave Ro-
gan. William Feiler, Jimmy Herbert,
Paul Sanders, Vic Palmason Peter
Bradley, Louis Burns. Howard Borck.
Gregory Rice, Louis Zamperino, Allan
Tolmich. Dick Gill, Howard WEIGH,
Jack Weirshauser, Charles Belcher
and John Marion We are certain to
see some great racing during 1898,
and keen competition usually brings
record-breaking performances.