1928 U.S.A. Olympic Team

Confined to a Floating Hotel

Article written by:  Terri Wykoff

Coach Norm Hayhurst

Glendale High School - CA

Coach N. C.  Hayhurst of Glendale High School in California stated that the entire U.S.A. Olympic team suffered  both on the journey, and during the team's  stay in Holland aboard the S.S. Roosevelt Steamship -- according to  a newspaper article written by Don Ashbaugh, News-Press Sports Editor.*

On Wednesday, July 11, 1928 --  the S.S. Roosevelt Steam ship departed the New York City seaport with the U.S.A. Olympic Team aboard headed to Amsterdam,  Netherlands.

The USA Olympic Ship arrived safely and anchored in Amsterdam at 1:45 p.m. on July 20th;  however,  no athlete was  permitted to leave the ship  or any reason except to travel to and from practices and/or the scheduled races for the next 10 days. 

In Don Ashbaugh's column, Coach Hayhurst is quoted as saying: .."There were four berths in every state room  with a little porthole to furnish air -- and such air!  The canal at Amsterdam where the boat was anchored is a narrow affair and all of the sewage  from the surrounding cities is dumped into it.  Mixed with the smell of the semi-stagnant salt water the odor was terrible.  Is enough in itself to ruin the team."

The conditions described by Coach Hayhurst may explain why that even  though Queen Wilhelmina was at the Olympic closing ceremonies to present  the gold medals; Prince Consort Henry, the silver medals, and Count Baillet- Latour, the bronze medals -- there were only 12 ladies,  and 23 men present representing the U.S.A. Olympic teams on Sunday, August 12. The U.S.A. Olympic team members not present were participating in post Olympic meets in Great Britain,  France, Switzerland,  and Belgium.

The USA OLYMPIC TEAM was awarded the championship title in Track and Field, swimming, and Lacrosse (demonstration), and took home 22 gold, 17 silver, and 15 bronze medals; and the United States Olympic team (post Olympic track meets) also established a new world's  record in the mile relay of  three (3)  minutes and 13 2-5 seconds.

In the Olympics, Germany won the over-all first honors with a score of  45 1/2 points in sports -- the United States tallied 39 points, and Holland scored 34 1/2 to take third place.

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Newspaper Article - Glendale News Press - 8-31-28

ATHLETES HARMED

BY BOAT QUARTERS

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Hayhurst Asserts Boys Had Sea Legs

During Entire Stay in Europe;

Improper Food Furnished

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By DON ASHBAUGH

News-Press Sports Writer

Blaming the failure of United States athletes at Amsterdam entirely to the manner in which the trip was conducted by the Olympic Committee, Normal C. Hayhurst, head of athletics at Glendale High School (California - USA), returned to this city yesterday (8-30-28). Hayhurst went to Amsterdam as the special coach of Frank Wykoff, local school boy who won the national title at Boston in the sprints. From the beginning of the long series of tryouts to the final closing of the meet at Amsterdam Hayhurst believes that the Olympic committee is responsible.

IMPROPER FOOD FURNISHED

"I Think that staying on the boat at Amsterdam had as much to do with the Americans losing as any one thing," Hayhurst said.  "The boys were forced to climb up and down stairs whenever they went any place.

"If there is anything that will ruin a track man's legs it's running up and down stairs.  To reach the launches to go to Amsterdam the boys were forced to climb up and down four flights every time.

"There were four berths in every state room with a little porthole to furnish air --- and such air!  The canal at Amsterdam when the boat was anchored is a narrow affair and all of the sewage from the surrounding cities is dumped into it.  Mixed with the smell of the semi-stagnant salt water the odor is terrible.  It is enough in itself to ruin a team.

MADE THEM STAY

"I wanted to take Frank off the boat to a hotel in Amsterdam, but they wouldn't let me.  Whenever I take team away for an overnight stay believe me, I always get a hotel with an elevator.  Stairs will ruin any runner's legs.

"I believe the food was to blame for a lot of the trouble.  It was good food.  Every meal was like a banquet.  We had roast turkey, roast goose, and kindred other meals but we couldn't get a steak on the trip.  It takes steaks for athletes, not parlor food.

"In Amsterdam I found a small restaurant where we could get fairly decent meals.  I used to sneak Frank Away from the training field and we would eat our dinners there occasionally.  I had to make some excuses when we got back to the boat.

ALL HAD SEA LEGS

"I think most of the Americans had sea legs all the time they were there.  We spent ten days on the boat.  It was tied up in the canal. Every time we went in town, it meant a twenty minute launch ride to and from the shore through that nauseating sewage in the canal.

"Why the boys never left the boat until an hour before their races. Some of them were still groggy from their open air launch ride.  Their muscles were stiff from the cold and they were not in condition in pretty near every race.

ROBERTSON RULED ALL

"Lawson Robertson, the head coach, ruled everybody in his own way.  Dean Cromwell was supposed to take charge of the sprinters.  Robertson wouldn't let him do a thing.  Cromwell didn't have anything to say about how  (Charles) Borah was to get in shape.  Every time we would try to work the boys the way they should be worked, Robertson would overrule us.

"On the only day we worked on the stadium track I asked Robertson to let me time Frank in some short sprints.  I took my own gun to start him as we didn't have a gun at most of the practice sessions.  I had Frank down on his marks when Robertson came running down the track and stopped us.

"I know Frank and know what kind of work he needs and it wasn't what he got.  He weighed 5 pounds more than he did at Boston but in the Amsterdam finals he was trained down pretty fine.  The boys were all underweight at Boston after the hard tryouts.  It is too much of a strain, those preliminaries ..."

(note - the above copy of the newspaper was the only portion of the article kept by Wykoff)

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  OTHER NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

Concerning USA Athletes Complaints against

the 1928 Olympics at Amsterdam

1.  Athletes Harmed by Boat Quarters

2.   "Lack of Training Facilities"  at Amsterdam

3.  Track not ready for Athletes in Amsterdam

4.  Training on a voyage difficult