In Manila, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, contested in track sports. Filipinos, nimble as brown beetles, led; the disgruntled Japanese strove to retrieve the honor of their country. Their coach, one Okabe, held consultation with his trustees, made whispered suggestions. Curious sleights began, to make the yellow athletes perilous. They were warned. Noto, a Japanese runner, fouled a Filipino in the 400-metre event, was ruled off the field. Forthwith, his fellow yellow ones withdrew from the meet, refused to return. Said F. H. Brown, Y. M. C A. Director of Physical Education in Japan: “On behalf of the Japanese delegation, I want to apologize. . . . Our head coach, Okabe, was a very unfortunate selection for that position. He had never been in an international competition before. The desire to win, not sportsmanship, is most prominent in his mind.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now
- Mark Kelly and the History of Astronauts Making the Jump to Politics
- The Young Women Challenging Iran’s Regime
- How to Be More Spontaneous As a Busy Adult
- Can Food Really Change Your Hormones?
- Column: Why Watching Simone Biles Makes Me Cry
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com