, 1884-04-26
ATHLETE SORAKICHI.
Personal Characteristics OF h Noted
Japanese Wrestler.
Hts Prowess and skill In = Profess
sIoRal WaY---Bome OF the Queer
Fenture. OF His Phys
zeal Training


49, $500 ~ 1lNs1e ~ '
Is a faithful attendant at Sunday school, and
goe every night To the mission schoola at 95
White street. He is not a declared Christian,
but he wishes TO learn the language, and likes
tn be where English is spoken. He is short of
stature, and in his street dress gives no indi-
cation of unusual strength, except that he has
an extraordinary width of chest. Several
times, in going to the mission from his lodg-
ings in Water street, he has been hailed In dis
respectful terms by persons standing on the
corners. AT first he took these salutations as
complimentary, and smiled md bowed politely
In acknowledgment, but after being a little
time in attendance at the mission he learned
that Pigtail and Flat-nose John are consid-
cred odious terms.
One night, as he was returning to his lodg-
ing, six young men disposed themselves
across the sidewalk at Water and Catharine
streets so as to prevent his passing, called
him Flat nose John, and told him that he
must either sing or fight. For a moment the
wrestler stood confused, and he would have
stepped around the gang, but one of them
just then tilted his hat over his eyes and Mt
tempted to catch hold OF his short queue.
Then came a grand disillusion. Sorakichi
says, as near as his speech can be rendered:
"Of course, when dey is try to take my tail,
| is hit dem all" The Japanese, who is
quick as a cat, and who can handle an ordi-
hulJ hhh . u LnOtntT uOeb uef DaDy, mhQo
Hhort work OF it. For II moment the air
whereabouts was full of corner loafers, and
then the insulted champion, finding there
was no one left who cared to hear him sing,
passed on to his clearinghouse.
A reporter called on Sornkichi and found
him in very comfortable quarters, surrounded
by admiring friends, and holding in his hands
a large-sized photograph of himsslf in full
ring costume. 1t was the first photograph be
had ever had taken, and he seemed
10 be delighted with 1t. Sornkichi is modest
and good natured, simple as a child, and
without ~brnggadocio. He carried on a fluent
conversation, partly in English, and accom-
panied with extravagant gesture, and partly
through his landlord and friend, Hee Sing,
who is more American than Chinese, and
speaks English fiuently, and was an amateur
pugilist in China.
In speaking OF himself, Matsada was very
back ward. The only way to induce him to
do so was by appearing to doubt his proves
and to declare him inferior to Bibby, the
English wrestler, Then he would flare up.
@Bibby can beat mo now with American
tricks" he said through an interpreter, "be-
cauS' lac knows how to get me into positions
where am powerless TO use my strength.
But see how 1t was when we wrestled in Japa-
ntse fashion. [ had no difficulty at all in
throwing him. II the ropes had not been
there to stop him | could bsvs thrown him
down stairs. Bibby Is very strong and
smart, but he isn't quick enough. His eyes
are not good enough. In Japan we wrestle
with our eyes more than anything else.
Bibby watches my hands to see what l am
going to do. That is not right; l can move
my hands quicker than he can see, and he Is
not prepared. In Japan we do not watch q
mans hands or feet, we watch only his eyes
and shoulders From them we can tell what
hs is going TO do as soon as he knows il him.
self, so that we are ready for him. | am
going TO study American rules for six weeks,
and then ! will wrestle anybody in that way.
In Japan l was a very small wrestler. L
wrestled with men a great deal bigger than
me and was not beaten. | only weigh 1856
pounds, and in my country that is very little
for a professional wrestler"
Sorakichi carries on his training all tho
time. 1t is queer training. One feature of 1t
caused considerable CONSERVATION in his
quarter. A number Of children who had
been watching him in the backyard rushed
up stairs in a fright, declaring that the
Chinaman was breaking the bouse down.
He explained that he was merely hardening
his head, and had accidentally burst in the
wood-shed door in doing 50. He retired
twenty feet from the shed, lowered his head,
and, running, butted with all his strength
against the side. Once he had hit the door by
mistake, and had broken it in. To illustrate
his meaning Sorakichi turned around and
dealt the wall a blow with his head that
made the whole room tremble. He said that
was n very necessary accomplishment for u
japanese wrestler, as their manner OF break
ing the greater part of the holds is by butting
the holder until he has to let 20.
Sorakichi is very temperate. He lives al
most entirely on bread and rice, taking very
little meat. He said that in Japan he used
to drink a little sour wine when in training,
and had never tasted anything stronger till
he came to this country. He drank his first
glnss OF brandy when his friends insisted on
his doing 80 in honor of his victory. He
frankly confessed that he found it very good,
but he said that it had a dreadful effect on
him, driving all the blood from his knees
into his head.