The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-12
WRESHLERS IN WHITE HOUSE
exhibition or JAPANESE SKILL
SHOWN ~ TIE EAST ROOM.


bin by Their strength and SKIN.
WARRINGTON. Nov. 1.-THE East Room
OF the White House was the socne to-day
OF an exhibition Of skill and strength which
delighted the President OF the United States
and his guests. the members Of the tennis
cabinet. and some others. There rave been
weddings, funerals. public ~oeremOniaIs.
official receptions and other functions Of
an impressive or festive character in this
fine apartment. and Mrs. Abigail Adams, tho
wife of the second President. hung up tho
weeks wash there. but never before did a
wrestling match take place within It's four
walls. 1t was an unusual affair, and some
Of those who Witnessed il said they wouldn't
nave missed it for the world.
The exhibition was given by Tsniemon
Hitachiyamn. champion of champions
among Japan's wrestlers. and three asso-
ciates. all athletes of note in their native
country. Hitachiycma came TO the White
House to-day in fnlflment Of "a promise
made 10 President Roosevelt in September.
when he gave to the President a beautiful
Japanese sword which had come to Hit
achiyama from the people Of his native
town m a mark Of their admiration for his
powers in the wrestling ring. At that time
Htschiyama told the President something
of his wrestling experiences and the Presi-
dent asked him to come back some day tn
give a demonstration Of his methods. So
Hitaohiyama returned here yesterday and
appeared at the White House this afternoon
with his assistants prepared To show how
the thing was done in Japan.
The Japanese wrestlcrs brought with
them a padded mat, which was placed on
the East Room floor. On this they put a
green carpet. upon which was chalked a
circle fourteen feet in diameter. Under
the rules of the wrestling demonstrated
by the Japanese a fall outside this circlo
did not count There were other restric-
tons which H~itachiyama explained to the
President and the other spectators.
Hitachiyama and his assistants appeared
at the White House in frock coats and silk
hats. hut they quickly changed them for
their wrestling costumes. consist ting OF
short tights. "A breechcloth with long strips
of the same material ATTACHED to it for orna-
ment. and tight fitting shirts. Hitachi-
yama made a magnificent appearance.
He il a giant in stature. a real man
mountain, with a chest like an elephant
and an upper arm as big IA a boys
waist. Except for his complexion and
his facial features there was nothing
about him TO indicate racial relationship
to most Of the Japanese seen in this
country. He tips the scales at 200 pounds
and overtOpped every man present. in
Guiding his brawny assistants.
Those who gathered at the ringside in
addition TO the President were Viscount
AOki. the Japanese Ambassador: William
Loeb. Jr., the secretary TO the President.
: and these members of the tennis cabinet
j. J. Jusserand, the French Ambassador:
James X. Garfield. Secretary Of me In
terror; George Won l.. Meyer, Postmaster
General; Afford W. Cooley, Assistant At
torney-General; Beekman Winthrop. A
sistant Secretary Of the Treasury; lawrence
o. Murray. Assistant Secretary OF Com
merce and Labor. and Clifford Pinchot
Chief Forester of the Agricultural Dcpurt-
ment.
The spectators were an enthusiastic lot.
II is not recorded that any bets were made.
but that incentive to interest was not
needed. The ennis cabinet is composed
Of comparatively young men who nat
urally or by the force of example are full
Of that spirit which bursts forth into ait
dible commentator of athletic superiority.
Hitachiyama was not III at ease in this
distinguished company by any means. for
he is a gentleman born. a member Of the
noble order Of the Samuri and accomplished
socially as well as physically. Besides. he
had met the President before and knew
OF the Presidents interest in sport Of all
kinds.
At a word from H~itachiyama two os his
assistants stepped into the ring. One was
the champion of the second class or middle
weight wrestlers. He weighed IT5 pounds
and his opponent weighed ten pounds
less. Hitachiyama explained that they we're
to have FIVE bouts. Under the rules Of the
sport. which is called sumo and is dls-
tingniahei from ~jiujitsu in that Il APP
prOaches moro nearly 70 the European
and American styles OF wrestling. 10 vas
necessary for one contestant to put the
other Town on the mat inside the fourteen
foot circle. n one contestant WIS thrown
outside the circle or IL both contestants fell
together the bout was a draw.
The two wrestleTs vent at IL cautiously
at first, then with vehemence. The spec
tators saw that the game was a cOmbina-
ton Of boxing and wrestling. for each COM
batnnt used his hands in warding on tbs
rushes OF the other. In two of the boutS
the wrestlers fell together, but in tho other
three the lighter man threw his opponent
and was declared victor. Once the larger
man was thrown completely over the head
OF his opponent and landed on his back.
There was plenty of excitement around
the ringside while the bouts were in prog
ress. Ambassador Jusserand was the most
enthusiastic member Of the company. He
watched every nov OF the wrestlers, fire.
quently expressing his admiration OF their
skill by appropriate EXPLANATIONS and az
frequently calling the attention Of the
President TO points that struck him ~
worthy Of comment. But the President
and the others were by no means Indifferent
10 What they saw. They were full Of tho
spirit Of the sport.
Then Hitachiyama took his turn. Tia
showed what "A strong man could do against
odds seemingly overwhelming. In japan.
he explained. his daily practice was to
test his strength against a class composed
sometimes OF forty men,. He would take
each in turn and then have them come a.
him in groups Of four or FIVE. II should nos
like 20 be the last in the last squad was
the Presidents comment after Hitachiyama
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