Evening star., 1955-03-12
Athletes Of 22Nations
Parade in Prelude
To Pan Am Games

curtain goes up late today on the
Pan American Games with the
bright flags of % nations and
territorities of North and South
America to be unfurled in the
pre-meet spectacle.
Thousands of fans are expected
to witness the parade of the host
of athletes, the arrival of Presi-
dent Adolfo Ruiz Confines and
dignitaries of the Pan American
Congress and the International
Olympic Committee.
The setting shortly before SUM-
down will be the vast stadium.
one of the many architectural
wonders constructed on the
campus of the National Univer-
sity, some II miles from the heart
of Mexico City.
Mexico loves show, no less SO
than any nation in the world,
and this pageant promised to
reach the ultimate in pomp and
fanfare, generously trimmed with
music, songs and dancing natives
of the host country.
Olympic Theme Prevails
To carry out the Olympic
theme for this Western Hemis-
pheric Olympics, such familiar
touches as the arrival of the
runner bearing the burning
torch, the mass recitation of the
Olympic oath, will be staged.
Tomorrow, ceremonies over
the 13-day athletic merry-go-
round will begin to whirl. Wher
it comes to an end March 26
championships in Is sports will
have been decided.
Officially. there is no team
championships. But unofficially
the team scoring will be kept
10 points for first places. five
for seconds. and four. three, two
and one for the remainder o1
the top finishers.
There are many side attrac.
tionS. but the main show goes
on in the stadium where tht
track and field events come off
Interest here is high in view o.
the 1856 Olympic Games in Aus
tralia, and the United States
with a team of world recore
holders and 1852 Olympic cham
pions, is heavily favored for mos
of the top. honors.
Three finals will be run of
Sunday in the track and fielt
events-the mems high juml
and 1O,000-meter run and tn,
women's discus throw.
Shelton High Jump Favorite
Tall Ernie Shelton, who ha;
been flirting with the elusive Z
foot ceiling since last year, i
favored in the high jump. Clos,
behind this University of South
4 ern California athlete, off pas
performance, is Herman Wyatt
now in the armed forces ant
formerly of San Jose Calf.
State.
Gordon Mackenzie from tn
New York Pioneer. Club is tn
lone American in the 10000
meter run.
He is favored to win, and ais,
give a fair gauge on the effec
Mexico City's 7,500-foot altitud
may have on the athletes.
Ingebord Pfuller of Argentine
is rated tops in the women
discus, with Marjorie Larney o
New York rated the best from
North America.
= Preliminaries scheduled for to
morrow include the mems l0O
400 and 300 meter runs and 400
meter hurdles and women's 60
meter dash.
Nal Whitfield, Lon Spurrie
and Arnold Sowell of the Unite,
States dominated the 400-mete
field, while such sprinters a
Dean Smith, Willie Williams an
Rod Richard of the Unite
States; r. Forum Chacun Q
Cuba, Mike Agostino of Trinida
and Jose Tellas of Brazil ar
rivals.
The competing nations o,
hand include Dutch West Indies
Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Can
ada, Colombia, Costa Rica. Cubs
Chile, Ell Salvador, Guatemala
Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Para
quay. Puerto Rico, Dominica
Republic, Trinidad, Urugua!
Venezuela, Mexico and tn
. United States.
The Pan American Congress
wound up its sessions yesterda
and awarded Cleveland the 1876
games.