SPLENDID TRAINING BROUGHT HIM OUT - — THE | Zatopek, Olympic champion, is ~ Czechoslovakia’s wonder runner By ARMOUR MILNE ODEST Emil Zatopek, Czechoslovakia’s wonder runner, protagonist for peace : and popular Czechoslovak hero, has accomplished one of the Sreatest feats in athletics his- tory. Twice in a fortnight, he lowered the world’s record for 20 kilometres (12 miles, 752 yards, 2 feet, 4% inches) and that for one hour. On thesec- ond occasion he also lowered the world record for 10 miles. The first two of these records ‘Were ‘broken in Prague; the sec- ond, at Houstka stadium 20 miles outside Prague. : The 20 kilometres record was 1 hr. 2 min. 40 sec. made by the famous Finnish runner, Viljo Heino, in 1949.. At the : first attempt on the Army Sta- dium track at Strahov, Zatopek brought down the record to 1 hr. 1 min. 16 sec. Two weeks later he returned the fabulous: By BERT WHYTE———— AN American Professional Golfers’ Association bylaw preventing “non-Caucasians” from competing in PGA-governed tourneys was used to ban Joe Louis fromthe San Diego Open. The rule was also invoked against two Los Angeles Negro. professional golfers who had applied to enter pre-tournament trials. Joe Louis isn’t much of a talking man, but when he talks he usually makes sense. ‘fIn my books,” said Joe, “PGA president Horton Smith, who is using this ‘bylaw to bar Negroes, is acting like another Hitler. It’s about time this discrimination was brought out into the open. I intend to be on hand when the tournament starts, and fight this thing through.” (Joe turned up, was allowed A ‘to participate, but the ban was not lifted on the two other Negro golfers, and Louis is continuing the fight against discrimination). Well spoken, Joe. This isn’t the first time the former heavy- weight champ has drawn attention to racial discrimination practis- ed by sections of the golf world. Two years ago he wrote a letter to Bing Crosby pointing out that no Negroes were invited to take part in the Crosby $10,000 United : States pro-amateur tournament at Pebble Beach. The Crooner didn’t even have the courtesy to send Joe a per- sonal reply. Instead the manager of the tourney wrote Louis and tried to squirm out of the indict- ly fast time of 59 min. 51.8 sec. In the hour in the first run he covered 12 mile 268 yards ‘4gainst Heino’s 1945 record of 12 mi. 29 yd. Next time out he turned in the astounding dis- tance of 12 mi. 809 yds. Heino also held the ten miles record with a time of 49 min. 22.2 sec. made in 1946. Unoffi- Clally Zapotek covered that dis- tance in 49 min. 34.5 sec. at the first atempt.. On second Occasion the ‘promoting club took the precaution of having him officially timed at 10 miles. The new rgcord he made was 48 min. 12 sec. Thus, in the course of 14 days, he took 1 min. 10.2 sec. off the 10 mile record, 2 min. 48.2 sec. off the 20 kilometre records, and ran 780 yards more than €ino ‘had done in the ‘hour. ‘ In a radio interview after IS second successful onslaught °n the records, Zatopek was asked what ‘type of training he ad done to produce such phe- Nomenal performances. Had he Planned his training with the idea of attacking these rec- “rds, or did the simply carry n with his normal training?” Zatopek replied: Ss wanted to make a record 0 kilometres, so, in the two Weeks before my first race I aa longer distances in train- ng. I did this again before my Second race.” ; Plying to a question as to ,,0W long he ‘trained every day, iy Said, referring to the train- tale he did for his record at- empts: ‘T actually run for nearly two Emil Zatopez . . . two records in two weeks always on the outside of the track.” Athletes agree that they have never seén an athlete work out at such tremendous pace. e Zatopek’s tremendous train- ing program and terrific rac- ing form has been discussed with people who really know — more about Emil than he does himself—the staff of the Insti- tute of Sports Medicine of the ‘Charles University in Prague. They keep a careful medical ‘tab on Zatopek’s reactions to this phenomenal daily round of running, and declare there is nothing physically about the Olympic champion. They showed me X-ray pho- tographs of Zatopek’s heart and lungs. They explained that his heart is no bigger, no stronger ‘than that of any first-class ath- Jete, that his lungs are no big- ger, his vital capacity no greater than that of other distance run- ners, Zatopek is now 29 years of age and has been running for “11 years. He showed only mod- erate form in his first few years and he did not truly ‘find ex- unusual win both the 5,000 and 10,000 metre European titles in Brus- sels, running his “best 5,000 metres ever in 14 min. 3 sec., and later, in Finland, putting up the present world record of 29 min. 2.6 sec. for 10,000 metres. ro) e Outstanding among the char- acteristics of this distinguished athlete are not only his modesty but also his firm and deter- mined stand for peace. Al- though primarily an athlete he also plays a conscious part in the building of the new social order in Czechoslovakia. The combination of all ‘these quali- ties has endeared him to all and made him one of Czecho- slovakia’s most popular figures. Like all Czechoslovak cham- pions in all brariches of sport, he is the patron of a mining apprentices school. He visits the school regularly to advise ‘tthe boys on training and fre- quently takes them on to the sports field 'to show them “how it is done.” Paty Zatopek thinks all young peo- ple should take an active part in sports. In encouraging them ment’ by saying: “Basically the tourney is a gathering of 84: of Bing’s personal friends among the thousands of amateur golfers he knows, and 84 professionals selected by the national PGA and approved by him , . . It is like giving a dinner party at his home, and the table can just ac- comodate so many.” No room at Bing Crosby’s table, this implied, for Negroes. Joe Louis did not reply to: this , Snobbish letter, but he promptly released copies of the correspon- tions. * * As an exhibition of trick passing, expert dribbling and good- natured tomfoolery on the court the professional basketball game be- tween Harlem Globetrotters and Kansas City Stars at UBC gym last Saturday night was interesting to watch; as a contest between two crack teams it left much to. be desired. Both squads played listlessly at times and the Trotters’ shooting was away off, althougt they managed to come out on top, 43-36. I enjoyed watching the smooth teamwork of the Trotters, but got a greater sporis kick out the preliminary game between Eilers and Thunderbirds, the former squad squeezing out a 58-57 win. Also, I won a cool 25-cent bet on that one—more money than I made playing the horses all last season: An individual billed simply as “Rey Wilbert, juggler” got the most applause of the night at halftime in the feature game when with simple twists of a-wrist he made a collection of hoops roll, twist, circle and almost sit up and beg for him. * * __, Backers of the scheme to have Vancouver enter the Western . Interprovincial Football Union are talking big about an influx of “name stars from the U.S. as soon as the entry is dkayed. But big talk butters no parsnips.‘ Who are the “big name” players that will ensure our gridiron heroes won’t wind up on the bottom of the heap, like the hapless Canucks in hockey? The public would like to know. — If Vancouver gets in, there’s no reason why our first-season team shouldn’t make the play-offs. If Regina can finance a JOE LOUIS dence to a Negro newspaper, which printed the two communica- winning team, our town should be able to do likewise. Notice I said “finance.” That’s the right word. Canadian football has become so Americanized and commercialized that it’s no longer a question of developing home talent, but a straight cash deal _aimed at hiring money players from south of the border. * * * . The February issue of Sport magazine picks these as the : j nae burst of speed. Together Olympic 10,000 metres title in “Tl really feel I have done top performers of 1951: baseball, Stan Musial; U.S. college basket- a Worked out at over 31 kilo- 'Wembley,,England, in 1948. In something for sport in our Peo- ball, Bill Miky; pro-basketball, George Mikan; boxing, Ray Robin- ; wees because I was running 1950 he reached peak form to Ple’s Democracy.” ; aan = Pepa football, ro ap aera ene ago Otto Gra- i A i ; am; golf, Ben: Hogan; hockey, i ; horse racing, i i ee Citation; swimming, Florence Chadwick; tennis, Dick Savitt: H 1 HAH Ww track and field, Bob Richards. i Is the Sovief-Union Building for Peace bee. a hs & ne bea ee Richard, who also won in 1947 and 1950. The Rocket, slowing ‘ HEAR ; ; up a bit but still the most dangerous scoring threat in hockey, is ae BERT WHYTE | f PENDER AUDITORIUM Friday, January 25, 8 p.m. _ often called “The Babe Ruth of Hockey.” naa - Auspices: Vancouver Educational Committee, Labor-Progressive Party eens sa “ SARS ; PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JANUARY 17, 1952 — PAGE 11 ’ ‘ ours every day. For instance, fore attacking the records ren ach day in this way — ‘ Be times 200 metres fast, 40 “tiv, €s 400 metres again fast, and nee times 200 metres fast, h a slow half-lap in between to do so, he has expressed the hope that one day ‘his example will result in more than one champion of the future break- ing every record he has made. “Then,” says Emil Zatopek, the wonder. runner of today, ceptional pace until he joined the army. : The splendid facilities offer- ed there to anyone wanting to take part in sports really ‘brought him out. These facili- ties enabled him to win the STANTON, MUNRO & DEAN Barristers - Solicitors’- Notaries / SUITE 515 FORD BUILDING 193 E. HASTINGS q i (Corner Main & Hastings Sts.) i : MARINE 5746 i ‘ aay Bi ae De ot. SRR ee DREN Sol Sh