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R Salt Lake take City ski fans arc are not hot alone in their puzzlement puzzle puzzle- t ment ent at t why Einar Fredbo was not considered as Olympic team timber after he won the qualification tournament here last winter for outspoken dissatisfaction has been 7 7 expressed by no Jessan less Jess an authority than Julius Blegen director of the National Ski association and trainer of the i United States team for 1932 Blegen a leader of ot ski a activities at Minneapolis also voices the opinion that if ski a authorities had no intention of accepting Fredbo they should not have permitted him hini to compete in the 1 iu first firs place In the final analysis there is little hope for Fredbo because he was an avowed prof professional for several years His friends point out however that although he traveled under the banner he in reality came out of Ills his competition worse 1 off ff financially than sonic some of the pur n who benefited freI fre- fre I from handsome expense accounts Blegen has bas taken the attitude that there certainly would be no protest of a man liko like Fredbo lie He says Ve We need not be worried about any auy protests whatsoever from Europeans Europeans Euro Euro- because they would be walking on ou thin ice The j. j teams representing the he different countries are arc made up of instructors and people who men who teach the art of skiing live entirely off the proceeds made from skiing In support of this belief that Uncle Sam could readily readily read- read Fredbo it be observed ily get away aray with using may that the Western Ski association has returned Fredbo to amateur standing And well advised authorities say they expect the National Ski association to restore Fredbo and anda a number of other stars to their amateur status that the United States cant can't It is unfortunate use Fredbo with a cle clear r cons conscience because he is truly capable 1 enough to be on on the team So too for that matter is Alf Engen who wh didn't even try tryout out for the team because e he felt deep in his own heart that he had forfeited such opportunity by traveling under professional colors The happier angle is that the present situation will J spur ski authorities authorities' t to prevent nt similar disappointments to toj other budding stars in the future j i L Fredbo was permitted to jump as a an amateur all last win- win ter He starred jn in 11 tournaments wi winning ning seven first places two se second ond places one fourth place and one seventh pl place c All AU the tournaments were were on hills lulls productive tive tive of foot jumps j 2 j He has always been famous for his his' form in which he seems I to float through the air aiL as lazily as a hawk although he flashes I of off the takeoff at ne nearly 80 miles an hour j Perhaps b both th Fredbo and Alf AU Engen would be on the Olympic t pie pic team if their amateur standing wasn't under If Ift t i the boys had accumulated any wealth by their experience with the group that hoped a create a pro circuit there would be no cause for regret but they j I i All Alf ma made le a lengthy tr trip p through the midwest and east a ae ar at t r e couple of years ago For all aU ll of his hist professional contracts the thet t trip cost him money He certainly would have fared no worse had he gone as an amateur taking what expense money he heL I tt L could get His friends would like jike to say that hat inasmuch as he didn't make any money that he is still an amateur to all practical pur pur- poses But unfortunately the line between amateurism and p professionalism isn't that drawn drawn that way Blegen has h had 4 some complimentary v. v vi i t things to sa say abo about t Utah skiing I am indebted to toM M. M A. A Strand of the Utah Ski club for the tr translation of tho following comment from front the the- c of oJ Friday October 25 1935 1035 The hill at S Salt J Lake kC City ity Ecker r hill bill is next to the 1 best hill bill I ha have e see seen here cre in this c country country- in regard t grand i t stands stairways tair hoists j ts etc etc Lake Placid is better in this J- J j one re respect but butto t to make ti up for th this s the tho Salt Lake hill is much l larger rg r and much u more ore difficult l A number of exceedingly good jumpers have thrilled the crowds oti on on th this s hill hin and among them are Alf AU Engen and Sverre Engen Step Stephen en Sig Ulland nd and l last t but no not least 1 I. Einar Fredbo Both the Norwegians and Americans who wha follow the ski sport in Salt Lake City are the most congenial and most sk ski ski- minded people I have hav metin metina a long time As a matter of fact the spirit I 1 found th there re was wis as invigorating a as' breath of fresh air drawn d deeply 1 ply i into c the q lungs When the weather and skiing conditions were not the best for the Olympic tr trials als I found the people making the most of it and working hand in hand There was no panic |
