Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1918 — IMPRESSED BY OUR FOOTBALL BATTLES [ARTICLE]

IMPRESSED BY OUR FOOTBALL BATTLES

Japs Take Great Interest in U. S. Army Athletics. Observers From Far East Wrought Up Over Stoicism and Sportsmanship Displayed by Players When Injured in Games. Ever since the work of organizing America’s army was started we have had among us observers from Japan, who are not so much taken up with the way we get together our military forces as they are with our task of keeping the soldier fit and interested. In addition to making observations at our camps they have visited our colleges and , perhaps beyond anything else they have been Impressed by our football games. One of the Japanese, a college professor and a Y. M. C. A. worker, on hi 8 return to Tokyo recently delivered a lecture, In which he emphasized the remarkable index to American fighting spirit and character furnished by our football battles. For ages Japan has prided itself on the spirit of the ancient Samauri — •a spirit which, it was held, has transcended that of any other nation. Only those who are intimately familiar with the feelings of the Japanese on that subject can Imagine, the stir which the lecturer undoubtedly created when he told his fellow Nipponese that “the spirit of the old Samauri is not confined to Japan, but is evident in every game between American college football teams.” "American football never would be a success in Japan—it could not exi .t here,” the Japanese told his hearers. “If any of you think that the spirit Of old Japan is superior to the splri* of America you would change that impression if you were to see a hard-fought game on an American college football field.” What Impressed the Japanese more than anything in football was the stoicism and sportsmanship with which the players accepted Injury and even a “knockout.” The Japanese have prided themselves on their ability to take punishment without flinching, but five minutes of a football game convinced our visitor that in at least that feature we stood supreme.