OCR Text |
Show FOREIGN SWIMMERS HAVE IT ON AMERICAN WATER STARS I rn s. BATTERSBT, England's cham-plon cham-plon swimmer and the world's record rec-ord holder for ono mile, throws a' damper damp-er on the chances of the swimrriers In this country at tho Olympic games In Stockholm, Sweden, next July. In a-letter a-letter to a friend in New York Betters Bet-ters by gives his views, and whllo-they aro rather discouraging, they m.ust he accepted with somo seriousness, as there aro fow men In tho Bwimmlng world better qualified to judge. He oxpressos tho opinion lhat It is only In tho 100 meter swim that this country has the best chanco to win from tho foreign amphibians and that In the relay race, of which tho critics here feel somowhat confident, our swimmers cap hardly bo better than third. His selections. In fact, are con-trarj con-trarj in most cases to those of the local lo-cal enthusiasts. ' In the S00 meter relay contest, for In- H stance, it was firmly believed that Gor- H many, Australia nnd tho United States H would fight it out. Battersby, how- H ever, picks Hungary for first place and H England for second, without even it- H tentlon of tho Germans, who arc feared H For the 100 meter sprint McGIIHrray, H rrlzell and Hcbner are thought by tae H Englishman to deserve first consldera- IH tlon, with about equal chances, and In jH this he agrees with our judges, but H whon'lt comes to tho 400 and 1.500 me- H ter bvvlms he entirely overlooks Taylor, H Hodgson and himself to crown Long- IH worth of Austral! , He remarks, in- jH cldehtally. that England will havo In H the water a much weaker team than It H did In 109S. and that It is doubtful if he H himself will be ablo to take the trip to Stockholm, owing to business pressure. H |