FAMOUS AMERICAN ATHLETES OF TODAY (Eleventh Series), by Frank Waldman '41, with an introduction by William J. Dingham '10, L. C. Page and Company, Boston, 346 pp.

Harvard sports afielendos are, evidently, supposed to be at least mildly interested in this book because Richard T. Button '52--men's World, men's Olympic, men's European, men's North American, and national men's figure skating champion has been included. His story is told in one of 17 chapters, covering the activities of three dozen athletes who, in the author's opinion, did something noteworthy during the 1948 season. Waldman, a sportswriter for the Christian Science Monitor, is sufficiently familar with his subjects, but his lack of imagination and his love of acntimentality make his accounts trite and often contrived.

Button Won Fame Despite First Teacher

Waldman's approach to the Button story is typical. He illustrates a routine account with several "human interest" incidents, and, probably because of Buttons proximity, uses more direct quotes than in any other chapter. Like the other articles, this one is well-documented and factually correct. Button was angered at an early ago by the prediction of an impatient teacher, who said he could never learn to be a figure skater. His determination to "show" this teacher ultimately led to his international success.

Waldman devotes other portions of his back to such men as Luke Appling, Gene Bearden, Alvin Dark, Bob (Mr. Team) Elliott, Jim Hegan, Tommy Henrich, Ben Hogan, Johnny Mize, Jackie Robinson, Johnny Sain, Vern Stephens, Doak Walker, and four-fifths of the 1948 Kentucky basketball team--Barker, Beard, Grozs, and Jones.

The author handles his material adequately, albeit not very colorfully. This is noticeable especially in his account of the Olympic games--the facts are all there but they don't make for stimulating reading half a year later. But even with all the right times and batting averages, the book contains several flaws.

One in the preponderance of baseball players. No less than ten of the athletes discussed are ball players, and come of them, like Hegan and Elliott, just don't merit the attention. Hegan is not a great catcher--he can't hit; Elliott is a mediocre third baseman; and men like Sain and Stephens are dubious choices. Mize, of course, should have been written up many years ago. He belongs to an older school of baseball players.

It is too bad that so many ball players had to be included when men like Bob Mathias, Charley Justice, and the members of the California crew are conspicuously absent.

Another flaw lies in the very nature of the book. There are not enough really great athletic in one year to justify the publication of an annual book of this kind. "Famous American Athletes of Today" would be far more valuable if it appeared every five years.