Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-04
Mrs. Fraser Is Second
Ito Austrian Star in
Alpine Combination
BY the Assoeiofsd Press

ST. NORTH, Switzerland, Feb. 4.
Shy, pretty Mrs. Gretchen Fraser
Of Vancouver, Wash, won the first
Olympic skiing medal in Americas
history today second in the AL
pine combination-and q drop in
temperature brought an announce
ment that all ice events would be
held tomorrow.
This gave promise that figure
skating-in which America pins
its hope of a championship-would
be completed.
Earlier great thaw threatened
completion of the ice skating events
in which Richard Button of Engle-
wood, N. j., and Barbara Ann
Scott of Canada are regarded as.
certain winners. Burton won half
the title Monday by leading in mems
compulsory figures, and Miss Scott,
leading in women's compulsory fig
ures, was regarded as sure to sue
coed Sonia Henie as Olympic figure
skating queen.
Edged Out by Austria.
After great comeback in the
zig-zag slalom, Mrs. Fraser was
edged out of first place by Trude
Beiser Of Austria by the slender
margin of 37/100 of = point.
Alpine combined consists of
downhill skiing, in which the United
States star was 18th, and slalom.
Mrs. Fraser had the second best
time in the latter event, 2 minutes
and l second.
Despite Mrs. Fraser's second place,
the United States slipped back into
seventh place, picking up only five
points as France capitalized on
skiing triumphs to garner II points
and move into sixth place.
Sweden still led, after the sixth
days competition in the unofficial
team standings. The standings, fig
ured on a 10-5-4-3-2-1 point basis
for the first six winners, follow:
Sweden. so; Norway. 49,; Switz-
erland, As; Finland, 80: Austria,
So; France. 81; United States,
20A; Italy. IL; Holland, s; Belgium,
8; Hungary, 3; Britain, 2; Can
ada, u.
Oreiller Wins Again.
Henri Oreiller, daredevil French
ski ace, captured the mems Alpine
championship for his second Olym-
pic title, with no Americans among
the top six finishers. The best
United States showing was by Jack
Reddish of Salt Lake City, Utah,
who finished 18th.
Reddish negotiated two runs in
the slalom in 2 minutes 22.9 seconds
in a strong rally from mediocre
downhill performance.
Because of the early morning
thaw, figure skating was postponed
for the second time today and for a
while officials were considering NOV
ing the mems and women's tests to
an artificial rink in Zurich, two
hours away.
But Mayor Carl Mater of st.
Moritz, chairman of the Swiss Or
ganizing Committee, said: Every
thing, including figure skating, must
be held here" He added it will be
impossible" to extend the games.
H. j. Clarke, president of the In
ternational Skating Union, said: IF
figure skating cannot be concluded
due to poor ice the Olympic cham
pionship in that event will be
abandoned"
u. S. Hockey Postponed.
The Cresta Skeleton sledD finals
and the United States hockey game
with Canada also were postponed
because of unfavorable conditions.
However, three hockey games
were played. Czechoslovakia de-
feated Austria, 1913. and Switzer-
land topped Great Britain, 1913, to
remain unbeaten in the round
robin affair. Poland outlasted Italy,
1877.
Mrs. Fraser's comeback to earn
second place in the women's ski
test was a highlight of the competi-
tfon. After finishing 18th in the
downhill, the Vancouver star was
second only to Erika Mahringer of
Austria in the slalom. The Aus
(See OLYMPICS, Page AID