The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-23
If Hogg Wants to Be Alone,
All Swift Swede Has to Do Is
Get in Race Sons a Handicap
BY NED BROWN
NEA Staff Correspondent

New York, June 23.-If Gunder
Hagg really wants to be alone, all he
has to do is get in foot race - at
any distance from 1900 to 5000 me-
GERS in this country at this time
without handicap.
With J. Gregory Rice disposed Of,
the consensus is that Gilbert Dodds,
the Nebraska divinity student OF
Boston, is the only one around at
present to give Gunder the Wonder
a contest-at 1900 meters.
The other stars, such as Leslie
MacMitchell and Frank Dixon OF
New York University, are in the
armed forces.
Hagg doesn't care to tackle 1900
meters until he's more acclimated.
He processes to believe that the two
mile record would be easiest for him
to beat His 3:458 for 1900 meters is
his best time-the equivalent of a
4:033 mile. His two mile record is
8:478.
Hagg will run two miles at Sol
diers' Field, Chicago, July Q; two
miles in Los Angeles, July 10; 5000
meters in San Francisco, July II;
two miles in Boston, July "a; 1000
meters in Cleveland, July 81; and
distances to be announced later in
Pittsburgh, Aug. 7, and Washington,
Aug. IA.
Come one, come all. They all look
alike to Hagg.
Pressed for the names of few
who will be invited to have at the
Swift Swede, Dan Ferris, secretary
treasurer of the A.A.U. and in charge
of the tour, hens and haWs and
then speaks of Jerry Thomson, the
Texan who finished third to Hagg
and Greg Rice, the latter IS yards
behind the winner of the National
AA.U. 5000-meter. Ferris also nom
mated Roy Phillips of Tufts, who
finished second to old Joe McClus-
key in the 30O0-meter steeplechase.
SUGGESTS HANDICAP RACES
This brings Emil H. Won Filing to
the firing line.
Won Filing, veteran developer of
distance men at N.Y.U, suggests
handicap races.
1--WE haven't a runner who can
make Hagg extend himself in
scratch race" says Coach Won FL
ling. "Dodds might at 1900 meters
or possibly at two miles. Les Mac
Mitchell and Dixon might have
chance at 1900 meters, but they and
all our other good men are in the
service.
UNLESS they want to have the
remainder of Hagg's races wind up
as exhibitions, which the National
AA.U. 5000-meter turned out to be,
they should handicap him literally.
Straight handicap races would force
Hagg to extend himself, and in them
he might break several records. Such
races would be conducive to faster
time. In scratch races, all he has to
do is run just fast enough to win by
a comfortable margin.
an Sweden he had fellows like
Arne Anderson to push him to his
top efforts. It's too bad Anderson
didn't come along, for the war has
played havoc with our track ath-
leticS.
MORE NATURAL THAN NURMI
"Hagg is typical OF the great run
ners who have come here from the
Scandinavian peninsula, men like
Paavo Nurmi and Hannes Koleh-
mainen, but he runs more easily and
naturally than either of them"
Hagg will improve greatly over his
initial appearance on Randalls
Island. 1t was the way he won from
Rice and the conditions under which
he ran that impressed experts. He
was not acclimated, was undoubted-
ly affected by the intense heat.
Hagg will find California tracks
more suitable. The climate, especial
ly in San Francisco should be bet
ter for him.
But to create real competition for
Gunder Hagg, they'll have to run
him in handicap races, make him
chase and run down rivals, or else
run men against him in relays.
The 1onp- legged hIoke is that good