Why? The Science of Athletics

382 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS five times, and the 220 yards or its equivalent 200 metres, also five times ? Eddie Tolan took the "roo" twice, and Metcalfe three times. Tolan won the furlong twice, and Metcalfe three times. People of an argumentative nature might still contend that even the American sprint championships still did not represent the top class. Let us, therefore, take a look at the Olympic results. At the 1932 Games held at Los Angeles, Tolan and Metcalfe showed up well. The former won both sprints with Metcalfe second in the "roo", and third in the "2oo". Tolan, moreover, holds the Olympic record of ro·3 secs. for the roo metres, thus sharing with Percy Williams, of Canada, the world's record, and he holds also the Olympic 200 metres record of 2 r ·2 secs. The tale is by no·means finished. Prior to the decision of the 6o metres sprint final of the American Indoor Championship, 1935, the results of the running long jump were broadcast. Here it should be remembered that the sprint and the long jump are closely allied, and both demand quick reflex action and tremendous speed. Well, the result of the long jump was that Owens made a new world's indoor record of 25 ft. 9 ins., beating his own previous record by 5 3/4 ins. Eulace Peacock :yas second, John Brooks third, and Eddie Gordon fourth, so there you had negroes taking the first four places in that final. The results show that the company was first class, but if further confirmation be needed it may be remembered that Gordon beat the pick of the world's long jumpers for the Olympic title in 1932. So far as long jumping is concerned, we can trace the rise of the tide of colour back to r920. Since then negro athletes had up to 1936 won thirteen of the last sixteen national championships in America. That is, Sol Butler once, Ned Gourdin once, De Hart Hubbard six. times, Gordon twice, J esse Owens twice, and Peacock once. Gourdin, incidentally, was the first man ever to beat 25ft., while S. P. Cator, of Haiti, was the first man to clear 26 ft.,