AMERICANS AT THE GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 230, 25 September 1908, Page 5

AMERICANS AT THE GAME.

BRITISHERS DENOUNCED. ! ALLEGED UNFAIR TREATMENT. >£W YORK, September 24. i The Irish-America.n athletes who competed at the Stadium have sent circulars to every American college, attacking British fair play at the Olympic games. Judge Dowling, of the Supreme Court, Mr. James Sullivan, the American commissioner at the Olympic games- and president of the Amateur Athletic Association of America, and Mr. Conway, president of the Irish-American Athletic Club, who attended a dinner given to the returned athletes at Xew York, denounced what they termed "British unfair pay." Mr. Sullivan declared that the Liverpool policemen had worn prepared shoes for the tug-of-war. With one or two exceptions, the Americans have complained of unfair treatment at the hands of the Olympic officials ever since their return, the chorus being led by Mr. J. Sullivan, the president of the Association. From no other country has complaint been made; in fact, the athletes have testified to the splendid manner in which they had been treated. In regard to the tug-of-war, it ' was amply demonstrated that the Liver-, pool policemen were shod in the boots used by them in their daily duty. The 'Americans complained that the winners had bars on their boots which gave them a better foothold, whereupon the policei men offered to pull them again in any" 1 1 sort of boots, or in no boots at aii, but I this offer was declined. Hayes, CarpenI ter, and Halstead declared themselves ' satisfied with the conduct of the games.