‘and West

a tition

COMMENT ON GAMES

Everyone sees them
as friendship symbol

[This week’s sports comment
contributed during the illness
of Bert Whyte, is written by
Pacific Tribune reader George
Snowden. |

“Do you think the Olympic
Games will improve relations
between the countries taking
part, harm them, or not make
any difference?”

It’s a fair question and one
put to the people of Canada
Germany, simul-
taneously, by the Gallup Poll-
vaulters.

And here’s how the people
answered it:

Can. Ger.
Improve relations 51% 61%
Harm them 4 2
Make no differenc 32 34
No opinion 13 3

100% 100%

It’s interesting that the Ger-
man people, who have been
through so many wars right
on their home grounds, are
even more sure than Cana-
dians are that the Games help
promote international friend-

ship.

It’s an opinion this writer
will certainly go along with,
and in spite of the hassies
that have sometimes marred
the spirit of past Olympic:;.

In 1928, for instance, when
national hatreds engendered
by the First World War were
still simmering, the French
team at the Amsterdam Games
became embroiled in a dis-
pute with a German gate-
keeper ‘a few days before the
O.ympics were to open.

To placate the French, the
Dutch officials promised to
give the gatekeeper the gate.

Appeased, the French turn-
ed up at Olympic Stadium on
opening day — and who should
they bump into? Why, no
one but the poor old German
gatekeeper.

At this the French blew as
high as the Eiffel Tower and
refused to take part in the
opening parade. It is not re-
corded what happened to the
gatekeeper, unless it mignt be
supposed that he is included
in that two percent of West
Germans who say the Games
harm international relations.
Sheer bourgeois subjectivity on
his part!

But, incidents of this sort
aside, it’s obvious that even
as a symbol of peace the
Games are well worthwhile.

The spectacle of the finest
youth of almost every land
engaging in healthy competi-
tion provides everyone with
at least a glimpse of what
might be — and will be — if
the nations were to reject war
and build a real peace.

And coming down to cases
— the Melbourne Games be-
gins as the killing goes.on in
Egypt. Every day of compe-
in Melbourne should
help put to shame those who

set English lads to killing the
youth — and aged — of Egypt.
bes xt xt

In Germany, the Gallup Poll
put this additional question to
the people it interviewed:
“Would you approve or dis-
approve if the government
were to make a grant towards
the German team’s expenses?”

Seventy-two pereent said
they would approve, 24 per-
cent disapproved and four per-
cent had no opinion.

The very putting of the ques-
tion indicates, of course, that
West German athletes must be
confronted with the same
problem facing Canadian ath-
letes; to wit, no money.

xt ce xt

In last week’s Pacific Trib-
une, Dr. Ferenc Mezo, a mem-
ber of the International Olym-
pic Committee, was quoted as
naming Alvin C. Kraenzlein, a
naturalized American of Ger-
man birth, as the greatest
sportsman of all time. Dr.
Mezo was described as “one
of the greatest Olympic schol-
ars”

However, it is still worth
wondering if the doc ever
heard of Jim Thorpe, the Am-
erican Indian, who, at the 1912
Olympics at Stockholm, won
everything but King Gustav’s
moustache cup. Later it was
discovered that poor old Jim
had once taken money for
playing semi-pro ball, a crime
only slightly less serious than
pit-lamping or distributing
leaflets in defiance of Vancou-
ver City Bylaw 840.

Old Jim’s name was wiped
from the record books and he
was obliged to parcel up his
meda's and trophies (includ-
ing one from the King him-
self) and ship them back. to
the Olympic committee and
His Majesty. (It was this in-
cident which gave rise to the
coining of that old saying,
“He’s a Swedish giver.”)

The .doc might also take a
look at the record of another
American —~ Ray C. Ewry, a
New Yorker.

In 1900 and again in. 1904
Ewry was the victor in the
standing broad jump, the
standing high jump and ‘the
standing hop, step and jump.
In 1906 and again in 1908, he
won the standing broad jump
and the standing high junp.
Working on the old formula,
“Tf you can’t beat ’em, liquid-
ate ’em,” the Olympics Com-
mittee finally got the jump
on Ray by eliminating his
specialties from the program
of events. But Ray still had
10 gold medals to show for it
— and to melt down if need
should arise.

Well, Dr. Mezo’s scholarship

may be above challenge on a .

world s¢ale but when it comes
down to Canada every school-

boy knows that the greatest
competitor this country ever
sent to an Olympiad was
Percy Williams, of Vancouver.

When Williams, just turn-
ed 20, left Vancouver in June
of 1928 for the Olympic trials
in Hamilton he was unknown
outside of Vancouver — and
even in Vancouver he was
over-shadowed by another 20-
year-old athlete, Jimmy Mc-
Larnin. McLarnin was al-
ready the top contender for
the lightweight championship.

Young Percy left for Hamil-
ton without his coach, Bob
Granger, because — old, old
story — there was no money
to send Granger. He came on
the next train, working as a
cook on a CPR diner.

When Williams won the 100
and 200 metres at the Hamil-
ton trials (equalling the Olym-
pic record for the 100), there
was still no money for Grang-
er’s ocean passage — and the
boy sailed without his coach.

But Granger, who would
have swum the Atlantic, if
need be, finally scraped to-
gether enough money to sail
on a- freighter.

At Amsterdam Williams
faced one of the greatest ar-
rays of sprinters the world

has ever known — and beat
them all.
The favorite in the 100

metres was a sensational Cali-
fornia schoolboy, Frank Wy-
koff, and in the 200 metres,
Charlie Borah, a crack. uni-
versity runner, also from Cali-
fornia. But to back up these
two stars, the Americans also
had the one and only Charlie
Paddock; Jackson Scholz, the
Olympic winner of 1924; the
burly Bowery cop, Bob Mc-
Allister, and Claude Bracey, of
Rice University. On the re-
cord any one ‘of them figured
to beat, Williams.

Britain, South Africa and
Germany also had formidable
entries in the prints.

The story is now well-known
— how the slight Williams
(he weighed less than 130
pounds) took on all these
super-stars to win a double
Olympic championship, in the
100 and 200 metres.

Only four other sprinters
have ever swept the two
Olympic sprints — and they
were all American athletes.

Williams, now in his forties,
still lives in Vancouver, and
makes his living selling in-
surance.

ces xt a

At Melbourne we can’t ex-
pext another Williams to come
out of the blue to win renown
for Canada. But I think we
can, in company with our
West German friends, look to
Melbourne to ease some of the
tension the diplomats and
generals have caused in the
Middle East,

This flashback picture shows Percy Williams, Canada’s
most famous athlete of all time, winning the 100 metres
at the British Empire Games in 1930,

Hungary sends team
to compete in games

By ARMOR MILNE

PRAGUE
Hungary’s Olympic team was quietly evacuated ie
Czechoslovakia last week after the International Committet
had appealed to the Hungarian government for an “Olymple
truce” to enable the team to leave for the Games.
The evacuation operation was carried out in sé

At the Prague main station, 50
where Czechoslovak and So- Many of the team’s ;
viet ae flew sae by ee members wore track suit
presumably in anticipation o ee rt
the arrival of the Soviet dele- Ben perpen: 23 oe
gation, the Hungarians were standard black boxes COP re
met by representatives of the ing the scanty belongings — $
Czechos'ovak Olympic Com- tated by weight restriction”
mittee. for the long flight to AUS

lia,

The Olympic hamer-thtow
ing champion, Josef czer of
reported earlier to have
killed by a. stray bulle
Budapest, was with the de
So was Benedik, a me® had
pentathlon athlete a
also been reported deae
But the ata prightes!
hope, Sandor Iharos, vea
world athlete of the bbs:
last season, will not be © 10°
peting in the 5,000 and “7
000 metres at Melbourn® 4
was told that he had ini
his leg in training. 4 9
The Hungarians did 2 jhe
into joint training Wi)
Czechs as the Czechosl0 us
Olympic team was nov pe
tered for spécial traimi™
fore leaving for Austral®s 8
Instead, the’ Huns 59.
were housed-in the TY! pot
Institute at Nymburk ? out
two hours train jour®
of Prague. i
Choice of Nymburk was q
tated by shortage of
commodation in Pragu®: ost
Nymburk, the secon! 3 jp
important P.T. colles® she
Czechoslovakia also D® apd
track, gymnasium, rive a
other. facilities neede* ante
team comprising repres™«
tives of many sports: . ans {0
To enable the Hunger l a
have the run of Nymbi gt
residential college, sar ont!
the new term was POslP

cret.

5 un
je
yn

SANDOR IHAROS

A leg injury received in train-
ing rules him out,

NOVEMBER 9, 1956 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE — pags

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