The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-22
LITTLE SWEDE IS.
LOOKING
MARATHONER
Valentine Pronounccs Him Bes.
Built Of the runners Campaigning
For the Big Purses In
Gotham.
Has q Wonderful List Of Records,
Though He Has Never Had
Good Care Before.
BY n. v. VALENTINE.

One evening In the summer OF 1905
John Svanberg. painter. was strolling
home from his days work at Stock
holm. Sweden. when he CHANGED TO
hear some shouting In one OF the pub
lie parks. As this was before swan.
berg was married man and he did
not have to get home right on the
dot" he saurtered In among the crowd
10 see what was up. In the midst OF
the group were six young men clad In
gymnastic suits getting ready TO run
race Some one cried out: rs
there any one else who wants to rum"
In the spirit fun Jim Svanberg. the
palmer. answered. Yes, I'll run"
Svanberg had no athletic suit or
running shoeS, but took on his street
shoes and started In his stockings.
To the amazement OF all who looked
on. the little brush wielder ran away
from all the supposedly well trained
athletes and won the race In min
utes seconds.
Beats National Champion.
Two weeks later Svanberg was
coaxed into a race at 5000 metres In
which Tornros. the cross-country
champion OF Sweden, started This
time John had real running toys on
and again amazed the crowd by beat
Ing Tornros In the great time OF 16 "a.
After this race Svanberg was imme-
diately sought by the Frederickhot
Tdrotta Swedish for Irish.American
A. c. or N. Y A. CO and elected 10
membership. Then the little painter
began TO train a bit He ran TO and
from work every day and couple OF
evenings each week besides His
friends made no secret OF the fact that
they thought he had gone out OF his
mind. as they saw him plodding along
In training. Today such a sight In
Stockholm would excite no comment
as all Sweden Is running crazy. but
four years ago II was different. ana
Svanberg was put down as a loon.
In 1906 Svanberg was sent TO
Athens to represent Sweden In the dis
lance races. Because OF the fact that
from October TO May the Swedish
roads are khee-deep In snow. Svanberg
was obliged TO enter the Olympic
games OF 1906 without a single prep
aratory workout. and what did he do?
Scored in the Ave miles and second
In the Marathon! Svanberg. along
with the other runners, was driven out
OF the huts In Marathon village the
night before the race. by vermin, and
slept In the open fields. On the morn
Ing OF the race he could get no eat
able food SO entered q hen coop and
stole two eggs. These he broke and
swallowed raw. and they were all the
fuel his little body had To build up
on, for the 26-mile run from the battle
mound OF Marathon TO the royal box
In the Stadium
Einlshed All Alone.
After Is miles OF the great race had
been run Jvanberg's bicycle attend
ant fell of bis wheel In a dead faint
The little Swede stopped running.
helped carry the attendant into a hos
pital tent, AID then ran on ii miles
without the aid of any handler at all
Svanberg never had rub down"
until he came to America. and de-
clares that ne never had any proper
training until Hjertberg took hold or
him Hjertberg has changed the lit
tie Swedes style materially. He now
uses much quicker. snappier stride
than formerly-more on the style OF
Shrubb and st. Yves. The little
Swede's records, considering the
above conditions, are little short OF
marvellous. He has run the mile In
1928; 5000 metres in 1913 3-5; TO-
900 metres in 1890; Ave miles In
24:37. and ten miles In 51:48 Swan
berg asserts his favorite distance Is
10 miles, and his one wish Is to get
Alfred shrub In such a race.
John Svanberg II the best built
Marathoner-amateur or professional
before the public today. His arms
are perfectly developed along with his
legs-something quite unusual In a
n hQ IN MI 49,
weight and size the little Swedish
champion possesses tremendous
strength. He Is an expert gymnast
and wrestler. and could no doubt be
developed into a great little boxer as
we'll. Svanberg is 20 years old and
tips the scales at 126 pounds In his
running tog5.
Western Cubs Want Games.