The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-04
SOCCER" FOOTBALL
INTERESTS JAPANESE
They Got Their Inspiration Largely from
Students Who Attended Universities
in the United States-"Soccer"
Grows in Popularity in
China Too.

| III tne Onilcu olales- SOSCeI
Grows in Popularity in
China Too.
New York, March Awhile football
is popular in Japan the association game,
and not the intercollegiate form OF the
sport, is what interests the athletes Of
the land of Nippon. There are large
number of japanese who have been grad
uated from either English or American
colleges and returned 70 the land OF their
birth so that both soccer and American
football are familiar games. When il
comes TO indulging in the sport, however,
the association contest is the one that
finds favor.
To some extent this is due 10 the fact
that during their student days abroad,
the Japanese played this form of football
in preference to the rugby OF England,
or the intercollegiate game OF the Amer
lean universities. The latter sport is,
however, highly praised by japanese who
have seen games in the United States. 4
visitor of prominence from the Orient,
who has returned to Japan is at present
comparing the American split shown
in football play to that Of the samurei
spirit OF old Japan. In his judgment the
game of intercollegiate football as played
by American universities is one of the
surest signs of American greatness. In
a recent lecture he referred to the sport
as follows:
'1f Japan thinks that the spirit of old
Japan, Yamato Domashii, Japanese spir- /
10 10 fha c.ipif .f
{ american Damashii) he would have that
notion changed if he could see a hard
fought contest on an American college
gridiron. The spirit of the old samurai
is not confined to Japan, but is evident
in every game between American teams
He then gave a detailed and vivid de-
of the game az he saw IL; the y
stoicism of the injured players, men
knocked unconscious, blooded noses, wind
knocked out, and the matter fact spir-
it in which all the hard knocks were
-aken by the players.
"That game" he remarked, "would
never thrive in Japan"
In China soccer is also growing in pop
llarity. Two of President Yuan Shi-
NAl , sbHHs L udu hU-Eulhn anu uhH hU~
hi, are enthusiastic football players, and
members OF team recently organized at
he palace which at present is playing
cries of games with team from the
'eking club. Yuan Ko-chuan is Presi-
ent Yuan Shi-kai's fifth son, and Yuan
>o-chi is his seventh son. The older is
bout twenty and the other several years
ounger. Both have been at school for
everal years in England. where they ac-
uired their first training in football.
Although Honus Wagner is one of the
ldest of the active professional baseball III
an, having just celebrated his forty III
scond birthday, he is still making rec
rds. With three other members OF the N
ittsburg team he claims to be the first H
, start training for the 1916 season. III
ate last month, during thaw spell, \!
'agner met outfielder Hinchman, pitch
Manaux, and Manager Callahan at the :
ub Office. The spring-like weather g
used the talk to turn toward base bi
III play and the upshot was that the
Iartet slipped out to Forbes Field and
dulged in short session in batting and wv
rowing. Wagner states that this is at
q earliest date that he has ever be- nd