Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-30
Swiss Beat u. 5. AHA
Team, Insist Sport
Will Be Conducted
By Ted SHIFTS
Associated Press Sports Writer


80. - The fifth winter Olympic
games opened on schedule today
with hockey included on the pro-
gram, but the carnival still faced
a reported threat of cancellation
over the bitter controversy between
factions backing rival hockey en-
tries from the United States.
These were the latest develop
ments in the tangled situation, both
on and off the field Of sport, as
athletes from % nations moved into
the contests on skates, skis and
bobsleds:
l. An authoritative Swiss source,
who declined to be quoted by name,
said the international olympic COM
mittee had threatened to cancel the
remainder Of the games tomorrow
II Swiss officials permitted hockey
competition to continue.
2. Although its status as an Olym-
pic sport remained in doubt, the
hockey tournament got under way
with the Amateur Hockey Associa-
ton team from the United States
center of the international wrangle
going down to defeat before
Switzerland, 5-4, in the opening
game.
3. The first heat in the two-man
bobsled competition found the U. S.
combination of Tufield Latour and
Leo Martin, both of Saranac Lake,
N. Y, turning in the fourth best
time among early finishers and the
other American tandem farther
down the list.
The Swiss source who reported
the IOC threat of cancellation said
it had been received informally and
declared: There will be hockey to-
morrow. Let us see what the IOC
will do"
An Olympic official described the
first hockey match as international
competition and not an Olympic
event."
Most of the scoring in the rough
hockey contest was packed into the
final period with Ralph Warburton
of Cranson, r. l., U. S. wingman,
bagging three goals in an effort that
might have spelled victory if the
Swiss had not Tailed three times to
hold their slim margin.
The AHA team was not allowed to
parade with other United States
athletes in the opening ceremonies.
The United States Olympic Com
mittee's hockey squad, ruled out OF
the games, paraded, but carried no
sticks. Switzerland's hockey team
stayed out OF the parade, presum-
ably out of sympathy for the AHA
outfit.
Hockey Game Is Rough.
Once on the ice, however. all the
good will disappeared and rough
ness predominated. Jack Riley OF
Medford, Mass, took swing at one
of the Swiss players, but escaped
a penalty.
Canada defeated Sweden, 81, in
the second hockey match of the
day. .....
Lator and Martin negotiated the
bobsled run of 1910 meters, or about
one mile, in 1:24.9, compared to the
best time Of 1:224 among the early
finishers by the Swiss team OF Felix
Endrtch and Fritz Waller.
Another Swiss duo turned IN
1:23.7 and a Belgian combination
made the distance in 1:24!4 to top
the best American performance.
Schuyler Carron of Ausable Forks.
N. Y, and Fred Fortune OF Lake
Placid, N. Y, the other United
States twosome, were clicked IN
1855.
Although the status Of hockey,
most lucrative of the winter sports,
remained an official question mark.
the games at last were under way
for the first time in IL years In this
majestic Alpine valley.
Simplicity Marks Ceremony.
Swiss simplicity predominated IN
the opening ceremony-a contrast
to the fourth games IN 1896 at
Garmisch-P artenkirchen, Germany,
when Hitler presided and the Nazis
Haunted their military might.
Enrico Cello, president Of the
Swiss Federation, said these words:
1T declare the fifth Winter Games,
as part of the 18th modern Olympic
Games, to have begun"
An artillery salute sounded, echo
ing in the mountains. Trumpets
played the Swiss national anthem,
the Olympic flag with its five inter-
locking circles was raised and the
Olympic torch atop the tower Of the
main grandstand was Lit.
The United States, marching In
18th place, had one of the largest
delegations-92 men and women.
Today's crowd was little more than
5000, packed into simple wood
stands or perched on lodges on
rocks above