Slants on Sports

Did you ever get a pat on the back and a kick in the pants at the same time? That seems to be the way the question of American participation in the Berlin 1936 Olympic games is treated these days. It’s the old army game, where the bull and baloney are dished out as beef stew a la mode.

On November 20, 1933, the American Athletic Union (sometimes called “Amteur”) met at a convention in Pittsburgh and besides imbibing some forty-odd kegs of foam fluid protested vehemently against American participation in the 1936 games. So strenuous were its protests that the Olympic committee, headed by the old maestro himself, yowsuh, Avery Brundage, took action on the resolution passed. The move on the part of the Brundage bunch was a grand slam. They led with their ace and played trumps throughout. In other words, everything that was done by the A. A. U. board at Pittsburgh was tabled the next day by the committee in Washington. Evidently somebody was playing the wrong card throughout the dummy.

This was all well and good. Even the champ picker, your sports commentator himself, was taken in like yesterday’s wash. We really believed that the committees on both sides of the fence were on the up and up and really legit. But their present actions are farcical. They protested against American participation because of the large evidence of racial discrimination against Jewish athletes in Germany. Unless convincing proof had been offered, these resolutions would never have been passed in the first place.

Since last November the situation in Germany hasn’t altered one bit. The fact that Germany is scouring the nation for Jewish athletes in order to have them on hand when Brundage gets off the boat next month has been laughed at by the press the world over.

THE CRACK TRACK TEAM

Last Saturday the crack track team of American athletes sailed for an athletic tour of four European countries — France, Italy, England and Germany. We are not objecting to the fact that no Jewish athlete is represented on this track and field contingent. The Jewish lads themselves are the first to admit that the team selected was a “natural.” However, how does the A. A. U. reconcile itself to the fact that it can protest against American participation in the Olympic Games in 1936 and send over an American team to participate this summer? The two things do not hold water… and, pipes up a wag, they may hold something else other than water.

‘GREATEST FIGHTER CONTEST’ GOING STRONG

At this writing letters offering nominations for the “greatest Jewish fighter of all time” are still pouring in. Benny Leonard is running far ahead of the field and many interesting letters have been received naming him as the favorite. Surprising as it may seem, Barney Ross is ahead of Maxie Baer, with Slapsie Maxie trailing the list.

Get busy and send your letter to this department naming your “greatest Jewish boxer of all time.” Eight prizes of tickets to important fights and wrestling matches will be awarded for the best letters.

ALAS AND ALACK FOR THE LEAPING LITVACK

We wonder what has become of our one-time favorite Jewish rassler, the leaping Litvack, our own Abe Coleman. After playing head man in mat circles for several months he was bounced out on his head, his ear and other portions of his anatomy, with the result that many stories have sprung up about him during the past month.

Curley’s offices, from whence issue orders that make or break a rassler, are silent on the whereabouts of the squat grappler. Rumors have it that the former master of grunts, grimaces and belches has left the heave and toss game. In his desperation, say others. he has thrown discretion to the winds (according to records, the only thing he has thrown in three months) and has gone off to marry.

Mind you, we’re still rooting for this fellow. He was good when he came East. He beat the cream of the rassling roost and then did an about face and lost to every Gino, Tony and Primo who glared at him. Little Litvack, what now?

OUR COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT

“So you’re a wise guy,” writes one of our numerous admirers. “You pick the winners, do you? Personally I think you’re a lot of cheese and very lucky in winners. If you do pick them keep quiet about theim. That’s what you’re getting paid for. Why brag about the fact that you did select a fighter or a wrestler to win? It sounds like hooey!”

With due thanks to this writer for his interest, may we remind him that we picked the American League to come through the way it did. Don’t mention it, boy, keep your chin up.

THE SPORTING CALENDAR CONEY ISLAND VELODROME TONIGHT

Emil Dusek, of the famous family of mat stars, faces a golden opportunity in the Coney Island Velodrome when he takes on Dick Shikat, heavyweight ex-champion, in the feature finish attraction. If Dusek can score over Shikat he will advance to a contendership position in the chase of those challenging Jim Londos as to a titular test. The engagement tops an exceptionally attractive card.

Harry Fields, the latest Hebrew sensation of the Curley stables, meets Hans Steinke, the German Oak, who already has grown acorns. Black stock meets Zelesniak, the Russian mad man. The other matches are popular cards which will meet the fans’ approval.