Athletics of To-Day 1929

234 Athletics of To-day Carr fulfilled Hoff's prediction by clearing exactly 14 ft. In that competition Lee Barnes got over the same height and was well clear of the bar, but in falling tipped off the lath with his fingers. Later on Carr vaulted 14 ft. r in. for a new indoor record, and Lee Barnes is said to have done 14ft. 2! ins., but of this I have no official confirmation. At the 1924 Games in Paris A. R. Spearow, of Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., was placed sixth at 12 ft. 3! ins., although he had tied in the A.A.U. Championship of 1922 with Ed. Knourek at 13ft. After the Games, Spearow crossed over to Japan, and at Tokio was credited with a vault of 13 ft . rot ins. This record never went on the books, but whatever his performance was his form certainly set the Japanese training with a new zest. The first Far Eastern Championship Games had been held in 1920, in which year Japan sent to Antwerp a few athletes who did their best, but who did not cut much ice. What one admired most was the pluck of the imperturbable little men. What no one realized was their immense determination to make good and their extraordinary genius for athletics. Spearow, I think, inspired them, and in 1927 V. agazawa took the Far Eastern title at 12 ft. o~i- in., and in 1928, when the Japanese Olympic Team came to Europe, there arrived also a Waseda Univ rsity Team which took on the Achilles lub at Stamford Bridge on July roth, and made the Blues fully extend them– selves to win. At that meeting the Waseda men, H . Kasahara and S. Nishida, tied for first place in the pole vault at 12 ft. ro! ins., L. T . Bond, the Cambridge Blue, claiming rr ft. ro ins. And, at Amsterdam, Nakazawa completely surpassed anything he had done b fore by vaulting rz ft. 9! ins. for sixth place. Sabin W. arr, who won, put up a new Olympic record of 13 ft . 9! ins., W. Droegmuller, U.S.A., did 13 ft. S! ins., and V. Pickard, anada, Lee arnes, and . Me inne , U. .A., all went over safely at 12 ft. rr ins. Finally, at the British Empire v. U. .A. Match in London on August rrth, the American t am recorded 39 ft . 3 ins. (Barne , 13 ft. 9 ins. ; McGinnes 13 ft.; and Droegmuller, 12 ft. 6 ins.), and the