Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1919 — PREACHES AS WELL AS HE POLE VAULTS [ARTICLE]

PREACHES AS WELL AS HE POLE VAULTS

Oregon Minister Succeeds in Breaking Coast Record. Rev. Mr. Spearow, Member of Multnomah Athletic Club, Is All-Round Athlete—High and Broad Jumps His Specialties. A minister of the Gospel broke the Pacific coast record in the pole vault, and is considered a promising candidate for the world’s record. He is Rev. Ralph A. Spearow, pastor of a Unitarian church in Portland, and member of the Multnomah Athletic club. Sunday finds Rev. Mr. Spearow delivering sermons to large-sized congregations, in which young men and boys are conspicuously present. He is adored by the youth of Portland, who regard him as an athlete who preaches “on the side,” not as a preacher with an athletic bent. Monday finds the young minister out on the athletic field keeping up his training. is an all-round star, with special ability at the high jump and broad jump as well as the pole vault, and is also an excellent sprinter. Rev. Mr. Spearow’s coast record wat made recently in a track meet held at Tacoma. He soared over the bar at the dizzying height of 13 feet an(j 3-8 inches, the first time any coast vaulter had ever exceeded 13 feet. The former record was held by Sam Bellab, of Stanford university. The world’s record stands at 13 feet 2% inches. Rev. Mr. Spearow at the Tacoma meet won the high jump at 6 feet 2 inches, which is some jump, and did 22 feet and one-half inch in the broad. Rev. Mr. Spearow frankly attributes his success, not to coaching, but prayer. He has never been in the hands of an expert coach, but worked out his own methods entirely. Prayer, he says, carries him over the bar. .