The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-23
RALPH ROSE IS PROBABLY
AMERICAS SUREST "SURE
THING" FOR OLYMP|AD
University Of Michigan Was
One of the Institutions Where
Ralph Got Fame
HE BEGAN WORK IN 1902
Has Suffered Only One Real De-
feat, That at the Hands
of Coe
HE BEGAN WORK IN 1902

PROBABLY the Surest sure tnlnB on
the list OF Americas candidates for
olympian honors this year is Ralph
Rose, the giant athlete who makes his
home in California. Rose is what Is
known in athletics as a born cham
pion. He showed wonderful ability
at putting the shot the very first time
that he put the heel OF his hand be-
hind the big iron ball, and did not
have to go through the tedious de-
velopment stages that most OF the
track and field champions do.
The athletic world, as early as
1902. heard tales from the coast OF
Roses wonderful ability with the
shot. The experts were from Mis-
souri,, however, and few believed In
Ralph until he came halfway from
the Pacific to the Atlantic, matriculat-
ed at the University OF Michigan, and
showed the followers OF the sport the
most wonderful work ever done by
youngster with the weight.
II was not until 1904 that Rose got
the chance that he wanted. At the
st. Louis Olympiad that summer the
big boy from the Pacific slope show
ed" the bunch from Missouri, on good
old Missouri soil, that he was the
greatest OF them all with the shot py
winning the olympic championship
from the best shot-putters In America
which is to say the best In the world
On that occasion Rose whipped the
1e pounds OF metal straight from his
shoulder a distance Of 4S feet z
inches. Then, to show that he was
good in other ways as well, the Dig
bow The was then under Is years OF
age) tied Martin Sheridan In the discus
event, in which Marvellous Martin had
heretofore been in a class by himself
On the throw-off OF the tie, Rose LOST
out 10 the great Irishman by inches.
The new style OF putting the shot,
as framed up by the Europeans; !. e.,
putting first with the right hand, then
with the left, and then adding the dis
lance OF the two puts for the total
performance. will not bother Rose In
the least His left whip" IL just as
good as the right In proportion. haiph
has been working at the left-hand
shot-put all winter In his California
home, and those who have seen him
perform say that his form" is fully
nm 10 the standard that he has set
with his good right.
In all his career Rose has suffered
but one real defeat. Wesley Coe, OF
the Boston A. A., beat the big Caiifor-
Man with a worlds record heave OF
40 feet inches, At the National
championships at Portland, Oregon,
In the summer OF 1905.
Rose had defeated Coe SO easily at
st. Louis the previous summer that
he aid not regard the Bostonian as
dangerous enough to train hard for.
while Coe was In the pink OF condi'
ton for the Portland meet. Rose was
not
Previous to the competition Rose
stuck a stick out on the green about
AZ feet away from the circle and aim
ed n few practice puts ut It. Wnen
Ralph got through Coe walked non
chalantly into the circle, picking up
the very same shot that Rose had
been using. sent Il hurting out fully
sir feet beyond Roses 45-foot mark.
Ing.
Goes practice put was well over oil
feet. and the very sight OF II got
Roses BOhl 30 chCNNNe'sy $500 49,
California giant was beaten man
when he stepped into the circle for
the first put.
Rose has since avenged himself on
Coe 10 times over by repeatedly de-
feating the great Boston shot.putter
and taking the worlds record away
as well.
Probably the greatest shot.putting
feat ever performed by Ralph Rose,
or by any other shotputter for that
matter. was done by the big Califor-
man at Travers Island, the summer
home OF the New York Athletic club,
in the fall OF 1907. On the afternoon
of Sept. IA, that year, Rose wiped out
no less than eight shot-putting rec.
ords at the different weights. varying
from eight TO 20 pounds He took
three tries at each weight and did II
all iaughing-apparently with great
ease.
The marvellous ability Of Rose with
the shot is due TO wonderful com
bination OF qualities that he pos
sesses. First OF all, he has the natural
strength. Then his great height
and tremendous reach give him a
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