OLYMPIC REFLECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22460, 3 October 1936, Page 24

OLYMPIC REFLECTIONS

LESSONS FROM BERLIN IS SPORT MINISTRY DESIRABLE ? Every visitor to Berlin and other parts of Germany this last month has been tremendously impressed with the demeanour, bearing, and physique of the German people. They look fit. They are fit. The children everywhere seemed splendidly robust. In fact tlio whole race from infants to elders are examples of self and State discipline and physical training, alike a credit to' themselves and to the nation. It would be interesting to compare their hospital and sickness cases with ours. One thing is certain, if 80,000,000 or more people can through enthusiasm for physical fitness be such examples of it as the Germans are, it’s time our Minister of Health sent his officers to Germany to sco how it’s done (says a correspondent in ‘ World Sports,’ the official publication of the British Olympic Association). A lot will be said and a lot’s due to be said on whether wo should aim to win at international contests, or whether wo should be content to believe “ the game is the thing.” Critics wearing flags and hauling down flags will gratuitously tell tho nation how to produce world-beaters. But there will bo a lot of soft pedalling on things that will really help, such as starting with the right playing areas, right feeding, right living conditions; _ employers giving employees with aptitude time off to train; coaches concentrating more on coaching, and doing it thoroughly at regular hours every day. It’s all very fine writing miles of hot selling bold heading stuff about producing champions; it’s a different story to find ways and moans to do it. Do we take athletics, or amateur sport generally, seriously enough in this country? Those behind professional sport aren’t content with anything but the best. Should it bo the same with amateur? Should wo have a Minister of Fitness and give him wide powers to make an A 1 nation? He’d need the co-operation of every Government department. Is it not a fact that in this democratic country, with its freedom, no Minister of Physical Fitness coidd over do his job? Tho unfit, and those to whom fit or unfit from an A 1 standard mean so little, wouldn’t let any Government department do all tho things necessary from the beginning to make us an AI nation in the time required, about 15 years. The survival of the fittest is an ageold aphorism. Most nations _ not only subscribe to it, but aro straning every nerve' and every penny, to make sure that in the fight to come, they’ll survive.

There were 90,000 people at White City, August 15, ready to cheer any champion, any fine effort. Their presence is evidence that they desire to see Old England load the world. They came 90,000 strong to give encouragement. The official watches—or watch was it? —timing tho various quarters in the 4 x 440 relay at White City, U.S.A. v. Empire, broke down. Hero’s an unofficial timo taken of Brown’s last quarter by the writer, 45 9-10ths. It was probably even a fraction faster than this. There’s little doubt Brown is to-day the fastest' quartcr-miler in the world, and Roberts and Rampling, on their day, aren’t so much behind. Changing the baton hero is not a lost art. We’ve never learned it. In each event at White City we lost,two yards every change. It’s more like tossing a caber than baton changing. Wo wore asked often in Berlin, “ Why aren’t you better at field events?” Wo couldn’t supply an answer. Wc luck nothing on score of physique. Look _at tho splendid chaps we have playing Rugger. Is it wo’vo not the coaches? Wo’vc plenty who prolcss all tho knowledge and technique ; is it they cannot get suitable pupds?

The character of some of our games, especially cricket, is porhops ono reason why we don’t apply more do or die principles to other brandies of sport. An enthusiast wrote ns recently inquiring “ names of any outstanding cricketer who ever shone at track or field athletics. Isn’t the ‘ codo ’ of cricket not conducive to ‘ wringing out tho last desperate finish mince,’ like fothoall and boxing? Moreover, cannot cricket be played by the physically weak without long training preparations?” Wo cannot answer the queries.

'there arc 4.>.000,090 people or more in the United Kingdom; 120,000,000 in U.S.A.; 85,000.000.000 in Germany. On population figures alone oilier conntries should produce more champions than we. But it’s not alone a question of population percentages. Finland and •Japan prove it, We showed what we could do-dnring the war. Perhaps wo might make the same effort for 1010 Olympiad. Start now. The organisation at "Berlin has not hoeu equalled anywhere. It was evidenced not only at the Games, hut in the streels. cars, trains, hotels. In fact, all Germany was organised, lint White City. August 15, was also well done. What a crowd ; and how excellently enthusiastic when Lovelock left the field with ease; or when Brown

(G. 8.) and Loaring (Canada) achieved the seemingly impossible. Those cheers, would they never die!

‘ World Sports ’ was on sale in Berlin all through the Games, and every day wo noticed readers of all nations —Japs, Germans, French, Philippine Islanders. Outside White City at U.S.A. v. Empire contest over 2,000 copies wore sold in an hour., A well-known writer on athletics—in our columns —recently claimed that the negro, by some anatomical difference in his make-up, possesses powers for sprinting tho white man hasn’t. We discussed this with ono of tho American dusky champions. His reply: “ The only special anatomical power wo might have is tho ability to stand up to and enjoy a long, serious, strenuous (preparation, if that’s anatomical. Isn’t it, as you English say, something more to do with the ‘ spine ’ and tho will ? We have, too, good coaches everywhere in America ; every youngster is encouraged and inspired. Aptitude is sought out, and hero-worship, too, of course, does help a little. By that I don’t moan your name on a packet of patent food, or in letters column wide and inches black deep; rather the feeling of exaltation within yourself knowing _ you’ve excelled. ‘ Self Hero ’ worship, shading it with no one, showing it to nobody; that’s my belief, funnily expressed perhaps, but it’s what I feel. I might write a hook on ‘ Making a Champion ’ some day.” The teams from New _ Zealand and Australia, and South Africa, didn’t do as well as New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa expected. But no one else really expected much of them. Not they’re lacking In will or skill; but it’s absurd sending teams thousands of miles and expecting great things a month or six weeks after they land. Dominions teams should be here at the beginning of our athletic seasons, not tho middle. There’s a mighty difference between hero and the grass swards of New Zealand, Australia, and the grass and cinders of South Africa;_ there’s a difference in the air, the living conditions, tho outlook, which all play a part in training. Our oversea friends perhaps consider it economy to land their teams at the last minute. Quite the contrary. It would be money better spent to be hero three months before the event. Metcalfe (Australia) struck us as past his best; Matthews (New Zealand) didn’t impress at all. Boot ran well at White City, wc think a faster half than ever in New Zealand i by him or anyone else, but if ho wants to bo a world-beater, he should remain in England. Champions can be developed here; Lovelock, for example. Canada’s team seemed to us all good; Loaring especially, his steeplechase effort remarkable for so young a man. Ho was in New Zealand and Australia a year ago with a schoolboys’ team. The Canadian’s training is on American lines. South Africa’s team was small, showed class, but not outstanding. The Japanese, from copyists have become stylists and outstanding in swimming events. Their track men, too, will be yards better by 1940. They carefully studied every track champion at Berlin, made copious notes, took endless pictures. You’ll see the result at Tokio. Germany’s competitors were certainly trained to the minute, men and women, absolute pictures. The Dutch women swimmers likewise. Finland’s runners, as ever, indomitable and invincible. The Indian hockey team real artists. They could beat any two other teams together., Tho boxing seemed to us far from world amateur class. How some decisions were arrived at is beyond ns. Atrocious is a mild description. Cycling —Dutch. German, and French in a class by themselves. Swimming wonderful ; and Mr Howcroft’s nightly broadcasts more so. The high light of broadcasting: Mr Abrahams’s description of Lovelock’s 1,500 metres. We heard it done over again from records, and can imagine the thrill world listeners had tho afternoon of that never-to-be-forgotten 1,500 metres. Cunningham is reported’ to have said—iu London—that Lovelock’s turn of speed over the last -TOOvds or so was so terrific that no man living, or ever lived, could have caught him. “ It wasn’t a case of being taken by surprise,” said Cunningham. Rather "sheer, long, carefully-prepared-for phenomenal speed such as no one but Lovelock could turn on at the end of a gruelling all-the-distauce racq.