The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

HURSDAY, JULY 15, 1948 THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE PAGE NINETEEN FOUR OSHAWA ATHLETES COMPETING FOR CANADA AT OLYMPICS Dshawa One of Best Represented ities In Dominion On Canada's List Olympic Title Aspirants Nancy Murral Mackay, Joe Sklar, Lance Pugh and Bill Hamilton Will Carry Best Wishes of Their Hometown Sport Fans to London, England, for Olympic Games -- Oshawa is Proud of Her Canadian Representatives, Who Have Attained Athletic Prowess After Years of Ambitious Effort -- They Sailed Today By GEO. H. CAMPBELL The sport followers and all the citizens of Oshawa are poud of them! : We are referring to the four Oshawa athletes who sailed tday from Montreal, for London, England, where they will prticipate in the 1948 Olympic Games, as members of Can- aq's various Olympic teams, later this month. Other cities may have their bigger representations, due to'teams" or rowing crews, etc., but we doubt if there is a cit in the Dominion of Canada, with the possible exceptions ofMontreal and Vancouver, that will have a bigger repre- setation on Canada's Olympic team, than the City of Osh- aw. Certainly not a city in the Dominion will be better reresented, for this city is sending to England four out- stading ambassadors of sportsmanship. Four Splendid Athletes > Onawa's contribution to Cana- | gy jg; Furniture Company recently da's display of athletic prowess, | established in this city, will repre- athltes chosen to represent their [sent Canada in the middleweight | divisin of the weight-lifting com- | petition. He holds the Canadian | championship in this sport. | Lance Pugh and Bill Hamilton, both Oshawa-born boys, are mem- | bers of Canada's 6-man bike-rid- |ing team. They are rated with the | strongest and fastest bicycle riders | in Canada. Lance Pugh, who was | honored by being named co-captain | ef the Olympic bike team, | the 1948 Canadian coulry against the finest athletes in tk world, are a credit to them- selvg to their families, their "city and heir Dominion. Nacy Murrall Mackay, long Ainkd as one of Canada's out- standhg girl sprinters, is a mem- ber o.the women's track team. She may an for Canada and the Maple Leaf jy the 200 metres and the re- lay eunt. She has established sev- er:l reords and won Canadian and Ontar) championships. Joe Bklar, an executive of the | ton finished a close second. They | Joe Sklar, Firm Executive, Champion W eight-Lifter, On Canada's Olympic Team > Superintendent Of Local | stration. Fumiture Company Ha: Long Athletic Ca- reer--Won U.S. Junior Crown In 1940--Holds Canadian Champion- ship -- Hopes To Win Points For Canada To Joe Sklar, plant superintend- ent of the Sklar Furniture Com- pany, lifting a couple of' hundred pounds of weight is a mere detail, for Joe is the Canadian weight- lifting champion now on his way to take part in the Olympic Games | scheduled to take place in England. | Since boyhood Joe has been noted | for his athletic achievements and | Interesting Start The demonstrator was experienc- ing difficulty in making one par- ticular lift and a friend of Joe's | suggested that Joe, who had never done anything of the kind before, could lift the weight without any trouble at all. Joe was talked into trying and with little effort lifted the object over his head. The gym instructor was amazed at the display of strength and urged the lad to take up weight-lifting seriously. The boy finally agreed and after a brief period of training won the Toronto city competitions and went on to win the provincial championship and a year later emerged from a competition as the Canadian cham- pion with a record lift of 315 pounds. Three Kinds of Lifts Joe explained, before leaving for while still in his teens became in- England, where he hopes to win terested in weight lifting. The Can- |a number of points for Canada, adian champion became interested | that there are three types of lifts in picking up weights quite by ac-| required in weight-lifting contests. cident. While training in a Toron-|"The Press," "The Snatch" and the to YM.C.A, the young man wan- | "Clean and Jerk" and each has its dered into the gym where a prom-|own peculiarity. inent lifter was giving a demon-| "The Press" requires the weight FA ER a Se Sn LH BD Joe Sklar, WeidhtLifting Champ =] ~ i JOE SKLAR A fairly recent newcomer to Oshawa, when he and. his. two brothers opened .their furniture company here, Joe is already a popular member of the' community and as Canada's champion weight-lifter, it is hoped he will bring back an Olympic medal, in his middleweight competition. - =Detroit Times Phovograph. holds | 1-mile cham- | | pionship. In that race, Bill Hamil- | 1 years ago. LANCE example of clean living and true spo two weeks ago. are both merfiters of the iif Cycle Club of this city, the former, a veteran, retired more than two | years ago and then came back with | just five weeks' training to earn a | trip to England and the Olympic Games. Bill Hamilton is only 18 | and has been riding less than two years, Oshawa Proud of Them Members of the Toronto Mal- vernettes track team, who are coached incidentally by "Abbie" | Foster, a former 'Oshawa athlete | who starred as a sprinter himself, more than 20 years ago, before moving to Toronto, will be pulling for Nancy Murrall Mackay to | "make good". Employees of the | Sklar Company are cheering for | "Boss Joe" and the Victor Cycle Club members are rooting hard for their two fellow-members. However, these fcur popular | athletes have much more support | than that. Every citizen of Osh- | awa and this district, every sports | fan in this comunity and through- | out Canada, for that matter, is wishing the best of luck and suc- cess for these splendid represent- atives of Oshawa. | As Canada bids "Bon Voyage" to | her -athletes who sailed for Eng- | |land today, we here in Oshawa | send a special message of "Good | Luck and Best Wishes--May Yc Each Bring Home An Olympic Laurel Wreath!" | to be brought to the shoulder with out bending the back or legs. In| this class Joe Sklar has handled 245 pounds, "The Snatch" calls for the weight to be taken from the ground and over the head in one movement and Joe has been recorded at 240] pounds for this event. | "The Clean and Jerk" requires | the weight to be brought to the | shoulders in one movement and in | the second up over the head and in this particular class Joe made | the Canadian record by lifting 315 | pounds. | Won U.S. Title | In 1940 Joe Sklar went to the| United States to win the Junior National championship and went on| record as being the first man to ever claim the title from an Am- | erican contestant. While not taking part in sports | of which he is both a staunch sup- | porter and active participant, Joe | Sklar is employed at the Sklar | Furniture Company which he and | his 'two brothers originated two | Brother A Boxer While brother Sam is the busi-| and Harry the purchasing agent in| Toronto, Joe undertakes the gentle art of designing the artistic furni- ture manufactured by the company as well as supervising the operation of the plant. For a considerable time Sam gained prominence in the amateur boxing world and to this day takes a keen interest in all types of sport and feels that Osh= awa is "badly in need of a Y.M, C.A., fully equipped to give young- sters a chance to get proper athe letical training." "It is a very unhappy situation that Oshawa is without such an organization which could do so much for the young lads in keep- ing them off the streets and out of trouble," Mr, Sklar said, and stated that he hoped that civic minded people would take steps in the near future to make possible such an organization in the city. Track Coach Says Discrimination Is Shown In Choice Toronto, July 15.--(CP) -- "Ab" | Foster, coach of the Toronto Mal- | vernettes girls' track team, thinks Rosella Thorne, Montreal Negro, was left off the Canadian Olympic team, after trials in Montreal last week "because she is colored." The Toronto Coach said Miss Thorne won the 80-metre hurdles in 12.6 seconds, 3/10ths away from the Olympic standard but was "left off deliberately" while girls "who didn't make the standard and weren't as close as she was" were included. "She is a comer," said Foster, "She would improve every time out and be a credit to Canada." Times-Gazette classified ads pay-- Why not try one today? Lance Pugh, Canadian Champion One of the most popular young men in Oshawa and an outstanding co-captain of Canada's 6-man bicycle racing team, for the Olympic Games. He holds the Canadian 1948 1-mile championship, won here PUGH rtsmanship, Lance Pugh was named d delegation and his tr Bill Hamilton, Youthful Star BILL HAMILTON Only 18 years old last March and a bike rider for less than two years, Bill Hamilton is one of the youngest members of Canada's Olympic improv t in recent months stamps him as a likely Olympic champion, Two Of Canada's Fair Athletes Above are shown two of Canada's Olympic women's track team, two members of the fair sex who are rated as the fastest sprinters in the Dominion. Viola Myers (left), hails from Toronto and Nancy Mackay (right), is an Oshawa girl. Both are members of the Toronto Malvern- ettes Track Club. Nancy Murrall Mackay Achieves Great Ambition, Goes to Olympic Games Oshawa Girl Has Had Long And Brilliant Has Great Record Career As Top-Notch Sprinter -- Made Sev- eral Canadian Records --~Coached By Former Oshawa Athlete, "Ab- bie" Foster -- Member of Sports-Minded Fam- ily ; To become one of Canada's and the 'world's crack women sprinters, has been the ambition of Nancy Murrall Mackay ever since she ness manager of the organization |could read or write. And now that ambition is near to fulfillment, as the news reached Oshawa this week of her selection to the Canadian Olympic women's track squad. Born in Smethwick, England, on May 16, 1922, Nancy and her par- ents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mur- rall, came to Canada in 1924 to settle in Guelph, Ontario. Sport-Minded Family Her father, being athletic minded, taught Nancy at an early age to be sport conscious. He played crick= et and Association football at Guelph and then moved with his family to Oshawa in 1926 where he played football with the Oshawa General Motors squad. Nancy grew up in Oshawa, at- tending Centre Street Public School and the O.C.V.I, where she distin- guished herself as the outstanding girl athlete. In the summer, she entered races and swimming con- tests at the playgrounds, and won many prizes as she again led the field. Nancy's first real tests came in 1935, when she joined the Lakeside Track Club of Toronto, which was under the direction of Abbie Fos- ter, another of Oshawa's famous sprinters. He was probably the main reason for Nancy advancing so quickly to prominence in the track world. Helpful Coaching Foster took it upon himself to give her every bit of information and help that he had gleaned from his earlier years of running. Foster left Oshawa for the greener track fields of Toronto in 1930, and has stayed there ever since. In 13 years of running Nancy has not regretted that she tied in with Foster. He has been her coach all that time and has helped her over the rough spots that come to any runner. * Nancy's private lifé went along "ABBIE" FOSTER Well-known former Oshawa resident and sensational "10-second man" at the 100-yard distance, more than 20 years ago, when he resided here. For years now he has enjoyed the reputation of being Canada's top ranking coach of girl runners and his various Toronto club members have won ous ch ionships, trophies and records. He has coach ed Nancy Murrall Mackay of Osh- awa, almost since she launched her track career. well, too, and in 1942 she married Bob Mackay. It was a June wed- ding with all the trimmings. Since that time Nancy retired from the game actively, but has always kept in practice. Soon she was given a chance to join the Laurel Ladies and later the Malvernettes under her old coach, Abbie Foster. She couldn't stay away from the sport, and proved that the bits of practice sie had while away. were enough to put fer back into the limelight of the track world again, Makes Good Impression Her showings with the Malvern- ettes, named after the Malvernette Sportswear Company which spon- sors them, made such an impres- sion that she was asked to partici- pate in the Olympic trials in Mont- real. Now the word has come through that Nancy Mackay will be one of the representatives of Canada's women track stars, and all of Oshawa joins her family and friends in wishing her success. Nancy will have got only these Few Canadians Buying Tickets Olympic Games By JACK SULLIVAN Canadian Press Staff Writer London, July 15--(CP)--Canadian interest in the Olympic Games, at least from a spectator viewpoint, is just so-so. Less than $3,500 worth of tickets for. the 17-day spectacle have been sold to the Dominion-- $1200 to the Canadian Olympic Committee and about $2,000 to in- dividuals. But Canada's apathy to the 62- country show can't compare with Russia's. The Russians have given the game the "cold war" treatment --no. competitors and no ticket ap- plications. Sweden Tops Customers At the other end of the scale, Sweden tops spectator interest with an order for $108,000 worth and the United States just behind with $92,- 000. A surprise is Iceland, entered only in track and field, football and shooting, with a $12,000 order. The man reospnsible for the clean-up job is 29-year-old Sam Rosen of Calgary, Mailing Manager at Wembley. He has been working a 12-hour shift for more than a month and when his Olympic as- signment ends, he'll continue his post as Mailing Manager and Re- feree next winter's All-Canadian National Hockey League Tourna- ment, in his spare time. Rosen, in Britain with the Cana- dian Army curing the war, maried an English girl and decided to stake his fortunes here. His hockey re- fereeing and Wembley job provide him a "decent living." Sale of tickets has been a deli- cate job. Each successful applicant has beea given a number and if tickets are lost, holders may apply to Wembley for a duplicate. Hard To Miss Out To help the foreigner who can't read English, each ticket carries a sketch of the sport for which it is intended, and Wembley pulled a toner in this direction. Track and field tickets show a hurdler taking the jump with his right hand and right foot outstretched. "We didn't know it, but if any- one attempts to clear a hurdle in that style he's liable to sprawl on his face," Rosen said. "Many sports clubs have written to point out the discrepancy, but it's too late to change the sketch now." good wishes, but a long string of former records to bolster her when she meets the best of them in Lon- don this month. In the past, she set many Omn- tario records in both team events, and by herself. 1937 saw her in the colors of the Lakeside Track Club, along with Helen Morrison, Hilda Ince and Peggy Davis. These four juniors made up a 400-metre relay team that cracked the Ontario record at Toronto in the good time of 51 and 2-10 seconds. Crack Own Record A year later this same foursome broke their own record by almost a whole second, bringing the mark down to 50 and 4-10, The event was again run off in Toronto. Nancy then took to the raceways as an intermediate and did very well, At Halifax she whipped over the Intermediate 400-metre relay course in the blistering time of 49 and 2-5 seconds to establish along with the rest of her team, a new Canadian record that still stands. Thén in Toronto the following year, Nancy burned the track in the 75-yard event to establish a new Canadian record of 8 and 8-10 sec- onds, in the Intermediate class. Impresses At Montreal Running with the Malvernettes, Nancy made many of the newer members of that club stand up and take notice. This week-end at Montreal, the Olympic trials show- ed her to good advantage as she came second in her heat in the 100 metre event, and also second in the semi-final. In the 200 metre 'sprint she won her heat, but in the finals she was unplaced. Her great style and constant enthusiasm along with her standiv:g, helped the judges give her the nod, and now sheMecomes one of the four - {Oshawa and district members of Canagla's' Olympic squads. Lance Pugh and Bill Hamilton, Two Gshawa-Born Bike Riders, Are Rated with Canada's Best Two Members Of Can- ada's 6-Man Olympic Bike-Racing Team Are Homebrew Products Of This City--Sensational Displays In Trials Earn Ea¢h Honor Of Riding For His Coun- try Two strictly "homebrew" athletes of the city of Oshawa, Lance Pugh and Bill Hamilton, are members of Canada's 6-man Olympic Games bike-riding team. Lance, a veteran of the dirt- track whirls, has been named co- captain of Canada's Olympic bike team and Bill Hamilton, an 18-year- old sensation who only took up bicycle riding a little over a year ago, are each determined to do their best for their club, the Vic- tor Cycle Club, as well as for Osh- ig and their Dominion of Cana- a, They are two of four Oshawa athletes representing Canada at the Olympic Games in London, Eng- land, this month. They earned their positions on the team over a field of the finest bike-riders in the Dominion, at the trials held earlier this month. Both Boys Born Here Pugh was born in Oshawa on De- cember 4, 1919, attended Ritson Road School, Centre Street School and the General Motors Insti- tute at the O.C.V.I. He is now a student at Flint, Michigan. ; About sixteen years ago he be- came interested in cycling when at- tracted by the shiny machines at a store where he was to buy a bike for his paper route. He got the racer instead, joined the original Victor Cycle Club, and won his first race in Port Perry that year. His first official competition came in 1936 at the CNE when the Olympic team had: just returned from abroad to ride in the events. He finished fourth in the 25 mile Canadian championship. In 1939- Pugh became Ontario champion in the 25 mile grind, and then in 1940 at the Ontario cham- pionships he scored three firsts, be- coming top man in the % mile, 5 mile and 25 mile events. This qua- lified him for the All-Round championship in that year, In 1941 at the Toronto Police games he scored triumphs in the % mile open, 1 mile open and 2 mile handicap (riding from scratch). Pugh then travelled to the Ameri- can races in Detroit in 1944 and won Best-All-Round rating and came first in the 35 mile road race. This year Pugh won the Cana- dian Championship in the 1 mile event and scored a third in the 50 mile Canadian championship race, Took Up Cycling for Health Bill Hamilton was born in Osh- awa on March 12, 1930, attended public school and the O.C.V.I. here. He was always a very slight chap and decided that cycling was the sport that could build him up physically. It wasn't till the spring of 1947 that he took up the sport, and then he started out with the Victor Cycle Club. Club Members Help Under the coaching of the older members of the Club he developed things essential to any good cyclist and he did this so rapidly htat by the Fall of 1947 he was taking part in the Ontario Cycling Champion ships at Tillsonburg. There he made enough points to become top Canadian point winner. He was beaten in all-round points by one man, he being Ted Smith of Buf- falo, who was, and still is, U.S. Nae tional Champ, Quit Job To Train In the Spring of 1948 he quit his job to get into top form in hopes of securing an Olympic berth, and this bit of self-sacrifice paid-off on his splendid showing in the Cana- dian Championship. He did so well in the races that he was invited to the Olympic trials at Three Rivers, Quebec, and again his record was impressive against 22 of the best riders in Canada. Both Lance Pugh and Bill Ham ilton were invited to these trials, and in the four events started, the Oshawa boys were good enough ta make the team. Pugh came first in the 4000 metre team pursuit and second in the 1000 metre time trialg Hamilton also scored a first in the 4000 metre team pursuit. He fine ished second in the 1000 metre sprints, third in the 120 mile long distance event, and was eighth im the 1000 metre time trial. Pugh's time in that trial wag 1.22; for second place while Ham= ilton's 1.24': got him eighth place, 50 one can see how hot these races were. Each member of the team will be concentrating on bringing back a five-ring medal, and it looks as if Oshawa boys may .do some top riding and bring home some of tha silverware, i Marathon Course Is Plenty Tough, Says Gerard Cote London, July 15. --(CP)--Gerard} Cote, crack distance runner fro St, Hyachinthe, Que. jogg through the London suburbs yester« day on his third training run oven the "very tough" Olympic Mara< thon, He arrived from Canada las§ week for the Olympics. A shortage of beefsteak, founda« tion of his solid diet, drove himf from lodgings in Wembley to the Olympic Camp, at nearby Ux« bridge, where the Canadian teal will be quartered on its oan | next week. "The ladies in Wembley, where I took a room near the marathon course, were very nice, but I had a tough time getting meat,' Cota told the Canadian Press. Cote said he had been over tha 26-mile colrse, which loops throughi Northwest London, twice previously, "It's very tough," he said. "It's got some very good hills. It's something like the Yonkers Courss in New York, maybe a bit tougher, And it's tougher than Boston." HE COULD RUN TOO! Upminster, Essex, England, July 15--(CP)--When racehorse owner Robert Middlemas answered the telephone at his home here he was told: "I'm the bloke who took your Royal Hunt and Queen Elizabeth Cups. Get them back, Guv'nor?" "Yes," Middlemas replied, then asked: "What would you have done if I'd wakehed when you were in the bedroom?" "Run like hell," thief--and rang off! chuckled the We Nancy Mackay, Speedy Sprinter a she started her career. NANCY MURRALL MACKAY She has been rated as one of Canady"s top-ranking girl sprinters fos several years now and her selection on Canada's Olyrapic women's track team fulfils an earnest ambition which she. has toiled to attain since