Utah Athletes Coming to Their Own

Utah Athletes Coming to Their Own By Prof. Harrison R. Merrill, Brigham Young University THOUGH Utah is one of the youngest states in the Union, and though her population is so sparse that all the people gathered together would not make a city as large as scores of eastern and western cities, she has made remarkable progress in athletics as well as in many other undertakings. Her young men, gathered from the mountains and deserts of a comparatively barren state, have entered the lists with the athletes of the world and have made a showing that almost surpasses belief. For who could believe that a state but 32 years of age among states 150 years of age, with a population less than one two-hundred seventy-fifth the population of the United States, by the law of averages could shoulder up. The law of averages, however, does not seem to hold good in the case of the athletic prowess of the youths of Utah, despite the fact that older states have a much older athletic program and have had much more efficient apparatus and athletic coaching staffs. And athletes are made as well as born. As far back as 1912, out of the West went Alma W. Richards to the Olympic games. He was unheralded and unsung. He was merely a boy, a big one it is true, but a boy nevertheless. On account of his general ability and versatility he was entered in the decathlon at the Olympic games in Stockholm as America's representative. By winning 6856 points in ten events, Alma W. Richards be- came known as the best all-round athlete in the world. During the same Olympic meet in Stockholm he won the high jump and set a new world mark at 6 feet four inches. Later in 1915 young Rich- ards, by leaping 6 feet 5 inches, became the United States national champion and record holder. That Alma W. Richards had a right to win is indicated by some of the records he has set: High jump 6 feet 5 inches; broad jump, 23 feet 4>4 inches; 16-pound shot put, 45 feet 1 1 24 inches; 12-pound shot put, 53 feet 8 inches; discus, 145 feet 11 inches; and the 56-pound weight, Los Angeles, June, 1928, 34 feet 8^ inches. Clinton Larson, a youth from Utah's Dixie, is another athlete who won international as well as national and state renown. While still a high school lad with almost no coaching whatever, he set a state high school record of 6 feet 2 inches which has stood until this year, when Loraine Cox, also of Dixie, broke it by setting the bar up a half inch.

822 IMPROVEMENT ERA In 1917 Larson participated in the Penn. State relays, where he won the national honors and set a mark, at 5 feet 5 % inches, which still stands after eleven years, during which athletes from every state in the Union have attempted to improve upon the height. Clinton Larson became champion of the aviation forces during the world war and won first place in an inter-allies meet which was held in Paris, France, in 1919. He also took first place in the high jump at the Panama Exposition. He still holds the world's indoor record made in the Deseret Gymnasium, Salt Lake City. In an exhibition jump in Provo, the Dixie wonder cleared the bar at 6 feet 7% inches. Though, of course, it does not count as an official record, scores of people saw him make the jump which, had it been made in an official meet, might have given the world a mark that would have stood for many years, indeed. Though years have passed, Larson is still jumping up around world marks. So excellent is he that this year he represented this district at Boston in the high jump. Creed Haymond, in 1915, ran the 220 yard dash in 21 1/5 seconds, thereby setting a new world's record for a curved track that has stood for thirteen years. Dr. Haymond has smashed state and national records in the 100 and the 220 yard dashes. He had the distinction of captaining the track and field team of the University of Pennsylvania in 1919. During that year he was a member of the relay team which broke the world's record in the 400-meter, the 800-meter, and the half-mile relays. Other Utah athletes have made national showings. Clinton Luke became national broad jump champion. Melvin Burke set new Utah marks in the high school mile run and then in 1924 went to Chicago where he tied the national record. Burke later broke the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference College record in the mile four or five times and still holds the record at 4:25 2/5. This year in Denver, at the Olympic meet, he set a new record in the mile for this region. Owen Rowe, a youth from Spanish Fork, is another of the handful of Utah athletes who have broken into national fame. He has set new records, both state and conference, in the low hurdles and has broken the Olympic record in the 200 -meter race. Owen Rowe has proved himself to be the greatest all-round track man Utah has produced. While yet a high school student at Spanish Fork he won the gold watch given by Brigham Young University for the best all-round performance, and since entering college he has repeatedly been high-point man of the various meets.

UTAH ATHLETES COMING TO THEIR OWN 823 He is a stellar performer in the sprints, the low-hurdles, and the broad jump, and is also a great basketball and football man. In mentioning national champions it is easy to become eloquent when the name of Bud Shields comes up, for Bud, single handed and alone, representing Brigham Young University at the national inter-collegiate meet in Philadelphia, won over schools with eight or ten men on the team. Alone, Bud Shields gave his university a tie for third place honors with Stanford University. He not only established new records in the 220 and 440-yard races, but he estab- lished them both in the same meet, thereby winning two firsts. Shields has broken many records and in unofficial practice tests has broken world's records in some of the distances. He is a versatile swimmer and, were he permitted to enter all events, could win a swimming match from almost any full team in the conference. Besides these, there are scores of Utah athletes who have meas- Crced Haymond (second from right) winning 100 yard dash at Harvard Stadium. A Story of this race will appear later.

824 IMPROVEMENT ERA ured up well with the greatest athletes of the world. Because their names are too numerous to mention, all except those who have won national or international fame have been omitted. It is interesting to note that every one of these unusual men is not only a member of the Latter-day Saint Church, but each one has been a more or less rigid observer of the Word of Wisdom. Not a man among those who have won national honors has ever used regularly tea, coffee, tobacco, or strong drink. Here is a part of their testimony: Alma W. Richards, world's all-round champion, 1912, "I have never used regularly tea, coffee, tobacco, or liquor in any form. I still believe in the Word of Wisdom." Creed Haymond, holder of the world's record in the 220 yard dash on a curved track: "I have never tasted tea, coffee, tobacco, or liquor in any form. I promised my mother when I was eight years old, I would never break the Word of Wisdom. I was with her in the Utah Stake Tabernacle at the time and Senator Reed Smoot was speaking on that subject. That was twenty-five years ago, and I have kept my prom- ise and expect to the rest of my life. My coaches at Pennsylvania thought it peculiar that I would never take tea during the season or wine before a meet, but told me later that it was that perhaps which kept me up (they guessed), because I never had time to train much, but was always in condition." Melvin Burke, joint holder of national record for the mile in the high school division and holder of many records in the state and conference: "I have not used regularly tea, coffee, tobacco, or liquor in any form. I am a firm believer in the Word of Wisdom. It is a great feeling to come to the end of a hard contest and still have a reserve for the sprint. I had considerable sickness when a child, but proper living helped me overcome it." Owen Rowe, champion sprinter and hurdler: "I never have used coffee, tea, tobacco, or liquor in any form. I am a firm believer in the Word of Wisdom and adhere to its teachings rigidly. I know it pays." Bud Shields, national champion swimmer: "I have never used tobacco regularly or liquor at all in any form. I have never used tea. I have used coffee to some extent, but not to excess. I am not using it now. When I was a mere boy I was looked upon as a weakling, but I have overcome that by careful living and proper training." Clinton Larson's wife was spokesman for him, as he was away

UTAH ATHLETES COMING TO THEIR OWN 825 in Boston when this article was written: "Clinton Larson is a rigid observer of the Word of Wisdom and always has been. Furthermore, he always keeps himself on a training diet and always keeps in per- fect physical condition. He is a firm believer that right living re- garding foods is of paramount importance to the athlete." It may be regarded as significant that from a state possessing less than one two-hundred seventy-fifth of the population of the United States there should come so many athletes of national re- nown and that of that number every one was, is, and expects to continue to be a strict observer of the Word of Wisdom. Scores of other great Utah athletes might be cited for their achievement in many events, but space will not permit. It is to be hoped, however, that future articles in the Era will deal with their achievements. This article aims to deal only with those who have already become well known nationally for their achievements. It is true there are many Utah athletes who have approached or broken national records, but no others, so far as the author of this paper knows, have made any such records in national meets. It is just possible that some athletes who should be mentioned in this group have been overlooked. In that case, it is a matter of not knowing rather than of purposely slighting any young man who has become nationally known in amateur athletics, especially in track and field events. Of course, the testimonies of these young men do not prove conclusively that the Word of Wisdom is an aid to athletes, but their testimony, since every national character has agreed, is sig- nificant, to say the least. The end is not yet. Utah is rapidly becoming supplied with athletic equipment and with trained athletic coaches. There arc already three stadium cities in the state, and others will be added soon, according to report. Gymnasiums are everywhere, and young men are training scientifically in scientific places under scientific men. Just what all this coupled with the start given them by care- ful observance of the Word of Wisdom will do no man can predict. Were one to name men who have stood high in sports in Utah, men who have actually approached national records, several pages would be filled with their names. That the Utah athlete is coming to his own there can be no reasonable doubt.