The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-23
A STRONG Man.
Max Unger Tests Some Of tho
Apparatus In Lyman Gymna-
stun, Brown University.


lete. who is designated as 1.-The modern
Hercules" on the program at Keith's
this week, doesn't enjoy the distinc-
ton OF being "the man who broke the
bank at Monte Carlo" but yesterday
hs tested some OF the apparatus used
for taking measurements OF physical
development at Brown University de-
cidedly beyond their capacity. and the
charts commonly i'm use for register
ing the results OF such tests were found
so Inadequate to the purpose that a
special one had 10 be prepared.
on invitation OF DIR. Fred T.. Parker.
director of the Lyman Gymnasium.
Unger visited that institution yester-
DAY afternoon, and was shown over the
building and introduced to large
number OF the students and members
OF the faculty, az he had been by DR..
Sargent at Harvard last week.
subsequently. he went into the office.
stripped and gave q most interesting
exhibition OF his muscular develop
ment and his exceptional powers OF
muscular control, the result being I'm
the nature of complete surprise to
the crowd that watched every move
ment with keen interest; and Dr. Par
ker and others present took much in
terest I'm making close personal exam
ination of the various muscles which
stood out upon his body in great knots
and ridges.
Several so-called strong men were
previously seen at the gymnasium. but
none who could be compared with this
magnificent specimen OF physical man
hood, who i'm repose looks almost like
an Apollo and with rigid muscles like
a Titan.
After an interesting chat with the
intelligent and entertaining young
man. who stated that his age wac %
years and six months. his birthplace
Berlin and his profession athlete,
and that he had for some time been
in the physical culture business In
New York, he submitted 10 being
measured by DR.. Parker and his assist
ant, Mr.. Rauschenbach. himself con-
sidered "A remarkable specimen OF ply
sical development; and the results
greatly astonished even those who had
already been impressed by the mar
velous proportions and control of Tn
gers muscular development.
His pulse and breathing were found
to be excellent and his lungs in per-
feet condition; and on the scales nude
he weighed 1854 pounds. while his
height was registered as ) feet. ~
inches. His neck measurement was
found to be 17i4 inches. His normal
chest measurement was 43L inches,
and 4s4 when inflated and 40% when
depressed.
His right biceps measured 16k inches
and his left 15h: his right upper arm.
IA. and his left. ll%, the difference be-
ing more than ordinary and possibly
being due to his having broken his
left arm about year ago. His right
forearm measured 1874. and his left
l2ta. His right wrist measured ~ inch
es and his left. IA.
The girth of his right thigh was 23a.
inches and of his left the same; ant
the calf of each leg measured 15%.
When the test of his grip wa:
made. an instrument registering 20|
pounds was used. which is supposed
greatly to exceed the possibilities OF
even a strong man; but when the
handsome young German grasped IL In
his brawny fist he quickly carried the
hand past the 300 mark on the dial
ard then. metaphorically speaking
sighed for more worlds 10 conquer,
for only a portion of the wonderful
strength OF his hand had been exerted
and the instrument was not equal to
the emergency the same being true as
regards both right and left hands.
In testing the cubic inches of air In
his lungs. Unger did not make the
same remarkable showing as in some
reflection upon his physical develop
ment: but he sent the record up to
23l. which would be "a remarkable fig
ure for any but a man from whom the
crowd had already come TO expect
only the marvellous.
ITnger is unquestonably the finest
specimen OF physical development ever
al
pronounced shim at Harvard, where
Sandow and all the other famous
"strong men" have been seen; and he
has the advantage of Sandow in the
fact that he is so much younger and
that the symmetry OF his bgure and
the curves of his body are vastly SUI
perior, justifying the comment OF a
physician that "he is at the same time
an Apollo and a Hercules
The interesting young German coulc
not give display of his prodigiou'
strength in lifting huge dumbbells
weighing over 800 pounds and holding
them with one hand in the air. or II
maintaining on his body weight oi
more than 5000 pounds, as his .appara'
tus was all at the theatre and nothing
in the gymnasium was available FOL
the purpose the ordinary heavy
dumbbelis being but feathers in his
RfaSD. Dut ne dtttVAtN thF
OF Or. Parker to pay another visit Il
the gymnasium on Thursday morning
when probably some further interest
ing tests OF his development and pow
ers will be made.
ITnger who speaks quite broken
English, is n very Intelligent yount
fellow. with an exceptionally pleasint
address, and made "A Very fine impres
sion upon those who came In contac
IN n n Ia nGDa
gymnasium seemed 10 give him mucl
pleasure. He pronounced it one OF th'
finest and best equipped he has seen
and admirably adapted for the specia
purposes OF college men: and afte'
leaving he expressed himself In mos
enthusiastic terms regarding DIR. Par
ker and his assistants. whose superi
ors he said he had not seen as "mei
who understand their business in al
Ia1. ha. ArisitAd