OWENS FOR JAPAN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 101, 15 May 1937, Page 14

OWENS FOR JAPAN

MAY RACE METCALFE COLOURED INJNNER HAS MADE NEARLY £13,000 Now that he has turned professional, Jesse Owens doesn't intend to let any grass grow underfoot. The great Ohio State sprinter, triple winner in the last Olymplc Gaihes, has announced that he has arranged to appear in a series of professional sprint races in Japan in July. His partner will be Ralph Metcalfe, twice runner-up in the Olympic 100 metres run, and former Marquette hero, now coaching track at St. Xavier University in New Orleans, unless Metcalte changes his mind. "I've written Ralph," Owens says, "and he's just about accepted. He'll be flnished with school in June and we'll have plenty of time to train and get over there in time for the big amateur meets in July." Owens explains that under the rules of the Japanese amateur athletic association he and Metcalfe could appear in exhibitlons at an amateur meet without jeopardising the amateur standings of any of the Japanese athletes. The great negro runner and jumper whose feat of winning 100, 200 and broad jump at Berlin, has no paraUel in Olympic history, also discloses other professional ventures in which he'll shortly take part. Two Films He has already signed contracts to appear in two movies, one "Gharlie Chan Goes to the Olympics," and the other, co-starring Bill Robinson and Cab Galloway, "Two Southem Gentlemen." He has signed a 13-week radio contract, stafting in September. He Is now on a tour throughout America with his orchestra of 16 players. His professional ventures so far, he 1 says, have netted him about 50,000 1 dollars (£12,820 approx.)'. 100 Metres Bl-luck Owens has just had his world's re- ■ cord of 10.2secr for 100 metres disal- ■ lowed. He ran the metrical century in i this time on June 20 last year at Chicago. But on the A.A.U. of U.S.A. L

running a tape over the distance it was found to be three-eighths of an inch short. So the record was not allowed. Owens has had luck with the 100 metres. At the Berlin Olympics he ^ did 10.2sec in the quarter finals and 10.3sec in the trials and also in the final, but all these marks were not 1 allowed because of favouring wind. So though his name is down on the Olympic record schedule in the 200 - metres (20.7sec) and the broad jump (26ft 5 21-64in), the 100 metres is still held by Eddie Tolan at 10.3sec.