Mauer;  Tolan;  Williams; 

Fitzpatrick;  Wykoff;  Bracey.

CLOSE UP ...

Click above photograph to enlarge

Tolan  -- Williams

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The following article is a reprint  (5-22-03) from the ...

 GLENDALE NEWS-PRESS         Wednesday July 24, 1929

  "AMERICANS ROBBED"

 "Local Sprinter and Eddie Tolan Both Ahead of

Olympic Champion In 'Weird' Race Spectators Assert"

One fact is fast becoming certain, Percy Williams, the Canadian sprinter, did not win the special 100-yard dash at Vancouver a week ago Saturday (7-13-29)! He gets credit for the victory on the books.  Bets were paid off on the judge's decision.  But you'll never make the Americans, who saw the race, believe that Williams bested Eddie Tolan and Frank Wykoff.  The Vancouver judges rated Williams first, Tolan second and Wykoff third.

TOLAN 'SQUAWKS'

First hints that the race "might have been in the bag," to use race track parlance, came when Tolan "squawked," en rout east.  Up to that time the Americans who competed in the race had figured they were jobbed but had decided, as a matter of sportsmanship to keep still.

Now  the cat is out of the bag.  Returning athletes and spectators from Vancouver are unanimous in their belief that Williams placed no better than third.  There is a wide division of opinion regarding the real victor of the race.

WYKOFF MAY HAVE WON

Frank Wykoff, the Glendale Greyhound, who has kept absolutely still regarding his feelings following the race, may have defeated both Williams and Tolan.

At any rate a "stripe" was burned on Wykoff's arm for a distance of five or six inches where he hit the tape.  Unbiased observers of this mark were willing to concede victory to Wykoff before the decision of the judges was announced.

That the spectators were frankly startled at the decision of the arbiters, which came after the deliberation lasting for many minutes, was the declaration of those who were at the track.

BURN EXCITES JUDGES

It is reported that Wykoff's burn, when disclosed to the judges following their decision, caused no little furor.  It made them look bad.

That Wykoff could have easily been overlooked by even unbiased judges is an explanation offered by Normal C. Hayhurst, Wykoff's high school coach, who returned from the Canadian city this week.

"Bracey was on the inside lane," Hayhurst declared, "with Wykoff next to him.  Then came Fitzpatrick, Williams, Tolan and Mauer.  The race was between Tolan, Williams and Wykoff with Bracey right on their heels.

TRACK HAS SLANT

"The race was run on an old horse track which slanted toward the rail. Any track follower known that the runners farthest from the judges get the 'break' on a close finish.  The perspective makes it appear as if they are out in front.

"In this race Tolan and Williams wore farthest away, a foot or so higher than the boys on the inside.  The judges could very easily have locked past Frank even if he did hit the tape first.  A great many sports followers in the stand thought Frank had won.  I was right on the tape and while I feel that he was first I have no proof to offer.  An A.A.U. official came back to the box next to mine, before the decision was announced and said to me, 'I feel sorry for your boy, I think he has been  jobbed.'

WILLIAMS SURPRISED

"There is no doubt that even Williams was surprised at the result. Nobody would have been startled perhaps if Tolan had been picked first with Wykoff second and Williams third.

"After the race Williams was quite subdued.  He had appeared very cocky beforehand.  A number of the Americans tried to 'egg' him into running at Seattle.  He steadfastly refused, although he watched the Washington city meet.  Frank (Wykoff)  showed his superiority over Bracey at that time, running a nice race in 9.7 on a slow soft track.

NOT QUITE IN SHAPE

"Frank (Wykoff) is in shape for the hundred this year, but he isn't in condition yet for the 220.  He showed that against Tolan when he led the race up to the last yard and wilted.  Williams is a fast little runner, but I doubt if he can beat either Frank or Tolan on a real track with good officials."

Hints that the heavy betting allowed in Canada may have had some bearing on the result are being heard from those who were at Vancouver.

"There were thousands of dollars bet by the Canadians," one prominent track official who doesn't wish to be quoted declared.  "And the people were betting even money on Williams against the field.  Betting is legitimate in Canada.

MIGHT SWAY JUDGES

"I wouldn't say that any of the officials had money bet on the home town boy, but it could have been done and could have had plenty of influence. We Americans knew that 'Williams against the field' at even money was pretty big odds.  It was as the race proved, even though the Dominion people did collect."

One of the most rabid "squawks" regarding the result come from H. G. "Bert" Heath, a Canadian born Englishman who heretofore has been Williams most rabid supporter in this city.  Heath has taken the writer to task several times regarding his partisanship to Wykoff.  However, the Canadian sports follower is now entirely sold on Wykoff.

THINKS HE WAS ROBBED

"I honestly believe Wykoff was robbed," Heath declared this morning.  "Every picture I have seen of the race shows that he and Tolan were right even at the tape with Williams at least a foot behind.  Even though I supported Williams before the race and placed a bet on him I frankly think that he did not deserve better than third place.  The American boys were in front."

 _________________

"I WON RACE, MOVIES PROVE IT," HE (TOLAN) SAYS

CANADIANS TOO SPORTING

TO FAVOR THEMSELVES

_____________

Tolan, with Wykoff of Glendale, Bracey of Rice Institute and other sprinters raced in the 100-yard dash event at Vancouver, and Williams was adjudged the winner.  Now along comes the Tolan interview with Windsor virtually saying anything that he won the race and was robbed of his efforts by a decision.

If an interview of the type credited to Tolan came from some professional runner of the old school, hoping to gat a return race, it wouldn't have been so bad.  But for a runner identified with amateur sports, with intercollegiate track work to make that kind of a "crack" that Tolan made, is inexcusable, unsports-manlike and in very bad taste.

STATEMENTS UNWISE

The Michigan sprinter takes it upon himself to indict the officials of the Vancouver meet of fraud.  He also claims to have photographs to prove that he beat Williams.

It has been our experience that the Canadians are sportsmen from the ground up and that they wouldn't take an unfair advantage in any athletic event to provide a victory for anyone.  If in the minds of the judges of that 100 in Vancouver Tolan had been in front, this writer hasn't any doubt, but that  (Tolan) would have been adjudged the winner.

Wykoff, the Glendale boy, looked like he had a slight edge on Williams, but neither of the snaps of the race made Tolan look like the winner.

Possibly the Michigan athlete has pictures that were secured from still another angle and therefore show a different line-up at the finish.

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IN THE END -- ALL DEPART AS FRIENDS

"PICTURE OF 100-YARD FINISH CONFIRMS

DECISION OF JUDGES"

Headlines & Photo per  Vancouver, B.C. - Monday, July 15, 1929

Frank Wykoff   Eddie Tolan  Percy Williams

OTHER REPRINTED NEWSPAPER ARTICLES CONCERNING THE VANCOUVER ATHLETIC CARNIVAL

1.  Williams Hopes For A New Record (Assoc. Press)

2.  Claim Wykoff First in Race (Williams to move to Los Angeles)

3.  Sprint King to Find Throne (Percy Williams)

4. The 100 Yard Dash Dispute (Williams, Wykoff, Tolan - 1929)

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