The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-10
new China
IS ATHLETIC
First Big Meet Was Held and Proved
to be Great Success From
Every Point Of
RECORDS ARE Low
start Has Been Made Toward Build
ing up the Physical Growth
Of Their
Youths.
LOW
start Has Been Made Toward Build
-, IL, IN. PHYSICAL Growth

While the new Senators parliament
of China were meeting in Picking. the
athletic school and college boys OF the
nation measured their strength In
Marking, the southern capital of Chi
ma Thousands of them marched into
the grounds in their new and natty |
military uniforms headed by their
bands. The events extending over
full week we're under the direction Of
a physical director cent out by the
American Y. NJ. c. A. In the opinion
of the leading paper of China, the
event will rank in its future influence
in the Chinese nation with the found
ing of the Olympic games of ancient
Greece. The men chosen to go to Nan
king we're those who had been tried
out and won their places In local ath-
letic meets. In Tientsin, the govern
ment athletic schools had had expert
coaching for two years by men trained
in American colleges and the Young
Mems Christian Association. Those
from Nanyang Colleges, and st. Johns
College. Shanghai. the strongest chris
tan institution in China were trained
by former American college athletes.
DR.. Exner headed national commit
tee OF sixteen representative men from
north, south and central China who
had the games in charge.
The day before the opening of the
events the city was full OF students
and an address was given at the ex-
position auditorium by Chang Pc Ling,
whose message was, Not China for
the Chinese, but the Chinese for Chi
ma" Universities and colleges had
closed for the week to allow their
students to attend. The crowd the
first day numbered $4,000 mostly mod
ern government students.
The greatest interest of the first day
was in the high jump in which Sun
Paohein of Tientsin. who had hand
somely cleared the bar, lost, because
he knocked the bar off with his queue,
| He was so angry that he hacked of
| his uneue that night with the declara-
ton that the next day he would Jump
| higher than any man ever jumped be-
fore in China" He made good his
! boast and set the mark for future
i competitors at 5 feet, 81 inches. The
/ favorite in hundred yard dash was
Hwang Hao OF Marking who took the
/ hundred yard dash in 10 40 seconds
| and also made Ill feet, 5 inches in
! the hammer throw, while Ii Hsu Shih
of Tientsin who showed the develop
ment of a Greek wrestler, nearly
caused several funerals by his one
! handed throwing into the crowd. Nan
wang and st. Johns Colleges ran neck
and neck in the athletics. the ina
/, victory going to st. Johns 81 to 81
| The basket ball matches drew monster
gatherings in the auditorium. and two
days were given to the finishing OF
OF the tennis, basketball and associa
ton football matches. south Chin;
winning the latter. The events CLOSED
nm with a giant torchlight procession
IN which all the local colleges joined
The scores made in these events ar
not big enough to impress westerners
hit this is the beginning OF interes
in athletic games and consequent I'M
proyement Of the physique OF younl
China. The Young Mems Christial
Association which had leading han
in these games. is starting the me-
in their training and competition O
the best semitic systems which nav
been developed in America, coacnih
the instructors and leaders and lncu
eating the principles Of clean SPOT
; In the established Young Mems Cnris
tian Associations in Shanghai, is
training school where leaders are D'
ing trained to guide the movement.
The Association will have no incon
siderable influence In the productio
+ o, clean, strong, self reliant youn
. men in China.
There is new interest in athletic
being shown throughout Chinese cue
resulting from this big meet. a 60
respondent reports that grave 81
dents in change kua tzus may De see
to gather up their skirts and run rao =
about the open commons OUTSIDE y
CITY gates. while small boys stal..
the pasger by jumping from the ma
in the narrow streets OF the ci.s
!. This athletic movement may result
recreation parks and public pa
grounds in many cities OF the aWaAe'