The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-04
ATHLETIC ANIMALS.
Those al the Philadelphia Too In
Trimming for summer SPORT.

From the Philadelphia Press.
For the past five or six weeks there has
been noticeable feeling Of unrest among
the animals at the zoo particularly on sun
days. Several causes have been assigned
for this, but none of them gave satisfac-
tory solution OF the agitation, and It was
only yesterday that plausible clew was
obtained. II is now believed, and there arc
many incidents that would seem to prove
it, that the animals are training for some
big event In athletics. Whether It Is to be
a base ball match, a game OF foot ball. a
relay race or a regular field meeting has
not yet been determined.
Yesterday after the Press had been re-
ceived, and the fact was announced that
the Penn athletes had come out second
best in the college games on Saturday at
Berkeley oval, there was an unusual dis
play of excitement To begin with, Chief
Titan, who has recently been practiclng
on improved horizontal bars. began to
run rapidly around his boudoir. OCCASION
ally making a sudden slide into one corner
as If he was stealing second base. lie va
ried this exercise by standing between two
posts Of his front room, with a hand on
each and throwing the weight of his body
first on one arm and then on the other.
This is the chiefs method of developing
his biceps, and he finds that II makes the
muscles more elastic and even stronger
than does the use of dumb bells or Indian
clubs. 1t Is not known whether Titan is
going to try base ball or pugilism. but so
far his course Of training would seem to
denote that he wants to be an all-round
athlete.
The kanagroos were permitted to leave
their winter quarters yesterday, and II
may be that this had something to do
with their activity. At any rate, the red
and the SingSing kangaroos had closely
contested jumping match in their back
yard. SingSing, as a starter, bounded out
of the back door and covered the distance
to the back fence in eight jumps. The
red competitor went him one better, and
reached the goal in seven leaps Sng-Sing,
thoroughly aroused, took flying run from
the front room and reached the fence
in six bounds His rival had put forth
his best Efforts in his previous trial. and
rather than fail in another attempt, con-
tented himself with betting the great Aus
tralian kangaroo pretzel that he couldn't
reach the goal in seven jumps. The big
fellow took him up, bumped his head
against the iron fence at the end OF his
fifth cap. then retired to his room for the
rest of the day. 1t is understood that the
kangaroos have challenged all corners TO
enter running or standing broad jump,
high Jump or pole vaulting contests.
The ostrich is the champion 440-yards
dash and long distance runner at the zoo,
and he has large bill to wager that he
can give the best man Yale, Harvard,
n
handicap of 300 yards in a mile run and
win by at least neck.
The strongest game the buffalo can play
is foot ball, and yesterday two Of them
were developing the muscles of their necks
by first backing slowly away from each
other, then rushing forward and humping
their heads together. There is a large
purse ready at the zoo 10 put up that one
Of these bisons can break through The
strongest guard line Yale can build and
make a touchdown before the right tackle
can get to the 9O-yard line.
The sea lions evidently expect to make |
their mark in the base bail field as catch !
ers. For long time they have been prac-
ticlng every afternoon at o'clock catch
ing in their mouths fish thrown to them |
from the bank Of the pool. They seldom |
muff fish, and it is understood that If |
they go on the diamond the game will |
be played with fishballs.
If base ball team is formed al the zoo.
and indications point that way now, the |
most formidable batter an opposing club |
would have to encounter Is the rhinoceros. |
He has been acting peculiarly for several |
lays, throwing his head from one side to |
he other as If to make the muscles Of his /
neck more elastic, and yesterday it was |
noticed that instead of standing facing /
The front of his enclosure as he usually |
ioes when on dress parade, he stood with |
MS left side to the audience. He would |
lold his head to the right until some one |
would throw pretzel or a peanut at his /
mouth, then he would suddenly swing his |
oonderous jaws around and strike with |
great force the bars of his cage. He Is |
ioing this, II is thought. either to secure
accuracy in hitting a ball or to harden his |
cheek so that he will be better able to
act as umpire.
II is probable that there are other ami /
mails in training, but all this has developer !
- 81 L.