Judge, 1932-04-09 · page 7 of 36
Judge — April 9, 1932 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Judging the Sports" Page This satirical piece mocks the upcoming 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. The author criticizes how the event is being heavily promoted and subsidized by the Chamber of Commerce, suggesting taxpayer money funds unnecessary spectacle. The article references specific athletes—likely Wyckoff and Topino of Loyola, and Gene Venzke—as record-breakers generating hype. It jokes that despite all this promotional machinery, actual performance remains unpredictable. The cartoon below illustrates a track-and-field finish line scene, showing the competitive chaos the article discusses. The piece concludes by noting European athletes (German Taber mentioned) will also compete, adding international dimension to the satirized Olympic machinery. The satire targets Olympic excess and commercialization, questioning whether public investment in such spectacle is justified.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGING SPORTS THE Y the time these lines print the newsreel boys acked down the elusive Spring harbinger, more commonly known as the robin, to his lair; and out in Cripple Creek, N. M., one Ossie Flib- bert will be back behind the business end of a gasoline pump on_ his pappy’s filling station, all because the hurlers at the training camp found out that he was a sucker for a fast curve. And thus, without benefit of Mr. Mendelssohn or any odes to a lark, have [ created the impr of its being Spring in your minds. And I wish the customers would stop snuffling and coughing so I can hear myself speak this piece. So what have we better to do for the moment than consider the Olym- pic games which are to be held this summer out on the Sun Kissed Paci- fic Slopes? (advt.). For as you all know Spring is the time for the track and field athletes to start oil- ing up their joints. From now on, track meets will be appear in will have JUDGE taking place all over the country. LC.A.A.A.A. (and put a few more in there somewhere Mr. Printer) jousts will be front page news. The competitors, all dolled up in singlets and ducky little shorts, will be dash- ing hither and yon in every kind of Olympic test, trial and weeding out contest. All this in preparation for their big moment to come in the Los Angeles Olympic Stadium which is being readied in the Sun Blessed e of Golden Californis sh, maybe this stuff is being subsidized by the Chamber of Commerce! But whither are we drifting? I mean does all this record busting pay? Before the Olympics are run off we will doubtless hear of the hundred meter mark being smashed by either young Wykoff or Topino of Loyola. Gene Venzke, with a winter of as- tounding record breaking miles be- hind him on the indoor saucer, can hardly be relied upon to content himself with a few training jogs per diem. Not with all those A.A.U. box office watchers shrieking aloud for his colorful pres- ence at the gate. And as sure as | love strawberry shortcake some blonde young giant from Nature's Play- yround (there I go again) will shot an awful way, toss a long nwhile the boys over in Europe and South Africa will be traipsing around for dear old Magdalen and Cape Town Poly respec- tively, and at the oh same time winning their events in times which would be hooted out of the record books in most of our better High Schools. But when the great d in Los Angeles arrives, what will happen? Back in 1912 we sent Norman Taber, (Page 26, please), comicbooks.com