The Washington herald., 1907-11-12
BOUT IN WHITE HOUSE
japanese { hampton WreStIeS
for the President.
DEFEATS THREE OPPONENTS
Famous East Room Rings with the
PIaudits OF Distinguished Party nS
Hftachiyama Displays His Pie
nOmenaI PrOwess - Gives Pretty
Preaehts To Mrs. Roosevelt.

Before the President OF the United
States and the members OF his tennis
cabinet" Hiratayama. one Of the party
accompanying the great Tanicmon Hita-
chiyama. champion wrestler of Japan,
bested OmifujL another wrestler OF the
same class, in the historic East Room
Of the White House yesterday afternoon.
Hiratayama' weighs but l55 pounds and
Is five feet seven inches tail. while his
opponent weighs IS5 pounds and is five
feet seven and one-half inches high.
Therefore, the matter Will go down in
history, not particularly because it hap
pened in the White House, but because
it is an event Of Importance IN the
history of Japanese athletics.
The bout came OF because of an ex-
hibition planned for the benefit or the
President. Last September. Hitachiyama.
the big champion. who weighs 29S pounds
and comes from an ancient and aristo-
cratic family of Japan, where wrestling
is part of the religious ceremonials.
presented to the President a sword given
him by the enthusiastic people Of Janan
for his prowess in holding the cham
pionship against all comers for fopr
years, a record unequaled in some 100
years, which is not so long-in Japan.
Tennis Cabinet There.
The exhibition was arranged for after
the President had notified Viscount Aoki.
the japanese Ambassador. he would have
time to see the interesting sport. and
those in the party yesterday afternoon
were the President and these members
Of the tennis cabinet: J. j. Jusserand
Ambassador from France: James r. Car
field. Secretary Of the Interior; GEORGE
Won J.. Meyer. Postmaster General. Al
ford w. Cooley, Assistant Attorney Cen
eral; Beekman Winthrop. Assistant Sec
retary Of the Treasury; Lawrence q
Murray, Assistant Secretary of Commerce
and Labor; Clifford Pinchot. Chief For
ester Of the Agricultural Department. and
Philip Mindil, secretary Of the Friars
Club of New York.
N++N -A+-4ASA HACSNACAo came IN ErSL and
took their places. crouching in the four-
teen-foot ring arranged on a big mat
placed in the room where there have been
weddings and funerals and where Mrs
Abigail Adams, wife Of the second Presi-
dent, hung up her wash. They proceeded
to the business Of expOundIns the reu-
gious art which is much different from
the American style of wrestling ans
which is. by the way, entirely on the
level"
Champion an AristOcrat.
This match resulted in the victory ~
Hiratayama, as mentioned above. and he
was heartily congratulated by his fell
lows. who know what the honor means
sumo" is what it is called in Japan. and
the champion of champions, its expound-
er is a member Of the ancient Order of
the Samuri. After the second-cIass men
had done their part. Hitachiyama took
the floor, stripped almost 10 the skin and
told the President, through the inter
prefer, H. S. Mihara, that he would 60
through his daily exercise. This CON
sisted of standing with hand on hin and
permitting his assistant TO dive at him
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