The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-06-17
TOWN OF McCLEARY LAYS CLAIM TO
Smallest And Near sIIest OF Men
Cecil Bowling, Major
Mite Both Born In
Grays Harbor Co.

What appears 10 be the most
phenomenal occurrence Of its kind
IN the medical history Of the world
may transform the town az Nc
Ciesry. Grsys Harbor county 20
miles southwest Of Tacoma. INTO
= scientific laboratory.
For there. among . population
OF only zoo persons. was born the
worlds shortest man and an IS
year-old boy who may be the
worlds tsllest man
Major Mite. for years with the
Ringing circus as the htilest man
on earth, was born in MoClesry 80
years ago. Although a Spaniard
born more recently now claims 10
he shorter. the MoClesry graduate
keeps the title
Impossible Odds
Today. in the same rugged town
Of the Pacific Northwest, grows
a good-natured high school boy.
who is nearing the eight-foot mark
and stin going strong" lie Is
Cecil Bowling.
The odds against either Of them
having been born in town as
small as MeCleary were to 500
600 and the odds against both Of
them having been born in the same
place were almost beyond posi-
bility--i to 1850. 600, 600 900.
Yet it appears to have happened
And the villagers 90 right on
about their business as though the
most exciting event that ever oc-
CURED there was q break in the
town water main.
/ Bowling. who is four times a.
tall as his famous fellow-towns-
man, Major Mite, now measures
feet 4 inches He eats three times
as much food as other youths OF
his age and has clothing made to
order. Although he can button
himself into the largest standard
size shirt. the sleeves hit him Just
short Of the elbows.
Plays Saxophone
Primo as he IL called by the
folks in McClesry. is admired by
the older persons and is one of the
best liked boys in the community
among fellow-youths.
In nearby Elma high school
where he finished his junior year
this month. Primo is regarded as
an average student. He especially
likes music and plays ssxophons
and trumpet in the school orehes-
ira. His long hands are nicely
proportioned, and he is nimble-
fingered.
/ When he was s years old, Bowl
ing began growing so rapidly that
his parents. Mr.. and Mrs. l.. O..
Bowling, decided to dress him as q
twin to their other son, who Ia
three years older. But Mrs. Bowl
ing related similingly how he tow
cred above his brother almost
overnight
Lots OF Sleep
At the old Mcmillan service sta
ton, the fast-growinR youth stood
against door casing each month.
while the progress Of his height
was marked. Sometimes he grew
an inch a month. A ladder Of marks
soon extended over the top Of the
casing.
Doctors reported Bowling a
growth is glsndular and In reverse
of that Of Major Mite. But the
folks in the community like to be-
iieve IL is something special in the
MoClesry soil. They hope to see
him outgrow Robert Wadlow. the
tallest man ever known. who is
three years older than Bowling and
measures S feet inches.
Twelfth Street Rag
When the writer called on Primo
in his McClesry home IT was early
in the evening, but the boy had
already gone to bed. He was sehed-
uled to play in six-pieee dance
band the next night, and he was
making sure he had enough sleep.
Next day he explained that his
greatest ambition is TO play In .
big-time dance band. And after
that he would like to have band
Of his own. made up Of tall men.
Il would call IT the Biggest Band
on Earth" he smiled.
When Primo has his ssxophone
or his trumpet IN hand ne can
swing it with the best Of them
He is particularly adept with the
Twelfth Street Rag"
In All things eIeeDt his height