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By the time this is read the great race will be
over. Glendale people will know whether
Frank Wykoff blazed in a temporary
burst of glory or whether his "really good."
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Of course this writer believes the latter.
He will until somebody proves that Frank
is just another runner. Unlike
certain downtown sports writers the conductor of
this column hasn't been "telling the world for
'years' how good Wykoff is."
It's only been since the first time I saw him
run. Even if he loses today his records
proclaim him a marvel.
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I chortle at some of the eastern papers.
They don't give our local high school boy a
tumble. Some of them get big hearted and
second him a third or fourth place. Well,
maybe so, but that won't be bad for his first
year in big competition.
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They fail to believe that Wykoff
ran out here in 10 3-5 and 20 4-5. All
they can say is that "Paddock is an
old man and beating him is not so much."
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I remember eight years ago now at the 1920
trials. Charlie Paddock was
more or less of an unknown. I was marooned
amid the heat, tarantulas, and perspiration of
Phoenix. Down there the newspapers hadn't
reached the high level of believing sports
amounted to much. I had a heck of a time
getting any results on the tryouts -- or even on
the Olympics three weeks later.
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I took an unmerciful kidding from the desert
newspapermen because I boldly stated that
Charlie Paddock was the greatest
sprinter of them all.
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I waited for hours for those results.
During that time I sweated off many, many
pounds. I was a real enthusiast in those
days. Well, I still am.
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Today that 100 metre race is being run. I
heard a speaker a few weeks ago tell of roads in
Japan that had been worn eighteen and twenty
feet deep by the constant foot traffic of
centuries.
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Well, Glendale is about to set another record.
Come up tonight after the races and see the
crevice worn in the floor between the Associated
Press and United Press automatic telegraph
machines in our office while we wait for the
results.
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By the time Dick Nimmons,
"Sparky" Andrews and the rest of this
staff get done running from one to the other
awaiting those results that twenty foot Japanese
trail will resemble a crack in comparison.
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Many, many people have asked me to guess on the
finals at Boston. What a sweet chance one has.
It's like reaching into a lottery box with forty
tickets.
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There are that many sprinters. When they
finish it won't take a very big blanket to cover
the entire field.
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Frankly I can't help but like Wykoff,
and (Clyde) Bracey.
They are strong, fast boys who have shown they
have the stuff. I think Charlie
Paddock will place and Hank
Russell, Frank Hussey, and
Charles Bowman are apt to be in
the money.
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Don't entirely forget Nat George,
and Frank Lombardi. They are
liable to upset a lot of (those with advanced
information).
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In the 200 metre race tomorrow you can give me
Wykoff, Borah,
Paddock and George if I
have to pick four. What a wallop to the
east it will be if those four cop the places.
But then there is Bracey to still
be considered.
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And don't forget (Russell) Slocum.
I'm not saying he'll place but he won't be so
many feet behind those that defeat him.
He's fighting and in shape.
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Well, as I said, the result should be on the
front page by the time this is printed.
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Come on, Frank and Russ!
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