The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-17
A GREAT JAPANESE ATHLETE
Fujii, of Tokyo University, Credited
with 8 2-5 Seconds.
His Coming Recalls Some Interesting
stories About OverFated stars
from other Countries.

Philadelphia. Feb '16.-word has
been received al the University OF
Pennsylvania that the wonderful Jap
anese athlete. Minoru FULL. of Tokyo
University. Japan. viii compete either
in the Olympic worlds championships
in England or in the American cham
pionships to be held at jamestown, Va,
in September.
This swarthy athlete is credited with
pole-vaulting the remarkable height Of
l. feet inches over bar, In addition
to this the officials Of the Tokyo Uni
yersity swear under oath that he ran
100 yards IN 9 20 seconds.
II these statements be true. then he
stands higher In the athletic world than
the great Kraenzlein. the former Uni
versity of Pennsylvania track and field
king
Neither Of the records claimed for
the Japanese athlete has been ap-
preached in this country. despite the
thousands OF splendid men who COM
pete from all over the country yearly
Coaches of the American colleges hold
up their hands in horror when the sub
ieCt is preached 10 them. and several
confess that they would go miles TO see
this man do these stunts so magnii-
Gently
Relative 10 the record smashers which
crop up in the foreign countries. DIT.
Alvin c. Kraenzlein told OF several in
teresting experiences in the French
Olympic championships at Franklin
Field. To some OF the Red and Blue
track team.
athlete is just as wonderful as they
claim him To be" said kraenzlein. But
Americans will insist on his entry in
some big games where they may learn
by his power that he is as good as his
records
When 7 was in Paris competing for
Pennsylvania. we heard the most mar
veIous stories regarding a Hindoo. who
cleared bar az eight feet in "A running
high jump without any more difficulty
than a bird has in flying over a stone
fence Report had it that he had
jumped from childhood, and never
missed "a days training, because the
climate where be lived was so moderate.
Ii appears ne jumped as q religious
duty The customs of the country are
peculiar 10 us J. X Baxter. then the
champion high jumper. was member
Of the Pennsylvania team and he unused
over the matter and said he was GER
tainlv willing 10 be defeated by man
who could clear eight feet
"Fhe Indian appeared az the games
and Just barely got over half that dis
lance when ne failed in his three trials.
In England we heard Of an Intian
runner who had carried messages miles
in the Boer war. and who could oUtfOot
any living animal. He finally consented
to appear in some of the games and OF
course. a great crowd was present to
see him trail his field. he showed up
early and logged several easy miles
merely as a warm-up and his physique
caught the spectators. He was a Her
cules in proportions. and all there cred
tied the reports of his prowess. He ran
last in a slow five-mile race, nearly a
mile in the rear and was badly dis
tresSed at the finish.
Full has records and they have been
sworn 70 by men supposed 10 know the
track and field games completely, and
it is impossible that they do not know
the value of an oath
Well. we shall see, however. just how
good he is. and I am sure Pennsylvania
athletes viii not dodge a meeting with
him"