Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 262, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1916 — STAR FROM MISSOURI [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STAR FROM MISSOURI

Robert JSimpson of Maryville Broke Record at Newark. One of Few Western Athletes Who Lived Up to Established Reputation—Went Over 120-Yard Hurdles in 0:14 4-5.

Maryville, Mo., the honfe of one of Missouri’s many normal schools, gave Robert Simpson, who broke the senior record in the Amateur Athletic union’s recent meet at Newark, N. J., his start to fame. Simpson is one of the few western athletes who have lived up to a reputation established in the West. It is an unfortunate fact that athletes from the West are prone to “blow" when they go to the big eastern meets, and, as a consequence, their claims ordinarily are not taken very seriously. Simpson, however, proved beyond any doubt that he is the real thing when he went over the 120-yard high hurdles at Newark in 0:14 4-5, a new world record, unless A. A. U. officials allow a previous mark of 0:14 3-5 made by Simpson. It was four years ago last spring that Simpson’s name was printed on the official program of the Northwest Missouri high-school meet at Maryville as the only entrant from Bosworth high school. The lanky country boy was entered in every event save the hurdles. Neither he nor his trainer thought much of Simpson as a hurdler.

Simpson started with the 100-yard dash and he finished second. Then he went into the 220-yard dash and finished second. In the half-mile and

the quarter he finished first and second, respectively. He broke the record for the shotput, the discus throw and the broad jump. He also was first in high jump and finished a good second in the pole vault. When Simpson got to the hop, step and jump he was a little bit tired, but he managed to crack another record.

Simpson’s wonderful feats gained for his school —Bosworth high-*-sec-ond place in ,the meet, almost beating out the school which had taken first place in every meet since the games had been contested at Maryville. ' Missouri university athletic authorities heard of him and at.once gobbled him up. He was not heard from, except in a prophetic way, until after he .had spent a year at Missouri, for Missouri Valley conference rules, like most conference rules, prohibit freshmen taking part in athletic events. The following year, however, Simpson blossomed out as 4 a hurdler, and he has been busy winning events of this sort ever since.

Bob Simpson.