A track and field competition is taking place in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

A black athlete crossed the final hurdle and crossed the finish line, before he raised his arms high to celebrate, as he had just won the 220-yard low hurdles.

Soon, the referee announced his time: "22.6 seconds!" ”

"Oh my God! What we just heard! ”

"22.6 seconds, did you hear that? 22.6 seconds, a new world record! ”

"This is his fourth world record today, right?"

"From the first 100 yards, then the long jump, then to 220 yards, and finally to the 220 yards low hurdles, four world records, he only took 45 minutes!"

"It was definitely the greatest 45 minutes in track and field history!"

Countless spectators began to cheer, and they all looked at the black athlete, and his name was engraved in everyone's hearts:

Jesse Owens!

It was May 25, 1935, and the 45 minutes that had just passed have been hailed as the greatest 45 minutes ever recorded in the history of sports!

Jessie Owens, a 22-year-old athlete from the United States, broke the world record in the event with a time of 9.4 seconds in the 100-yard (about 91 meters) race.

The world record was just the beginning, and a few minutes later, Jesse Owens jumped 8.13m in the men's long jump, breaking Chen Qiang's Olympic world record of 8.01m and improving the world record by a full 12 centimeters.

What's even more unexpected is that Jesse Owens broke the world record in the long jump, and did not use a standing or walking take-off, but only the most primitive and simple squatting take-off, but it was this simplest way that helped Jesse Owens break the world record. This is as if to tell the world that in the face of absolute strength, any fancy technology has no effect.

After the long jump, Jesse Owens ran another 220-yard dash, then he broke the 220-yard dash world record again with a time of 20.3 seconds, and in the subsequent 220-yard hurdles, Jesse Owens ran another 22.6 seconds, breaking the world record for the fourth time in one day.

Only 45 minutes have passed since he broke the world record of 100 yards, which means that Jesse Owens has broken the world record in four events in just 45 minutes!

On this day, Americans were boiling, not only because of Jesse Owens' performance against the sky, but also because of the new hope for American track and field.

At the Los Angeles Olympics three years ago, Americans lost to Chen Qiang in the sprint and long jump they are best at, which even brought American track and field into a low period, coupled with the impact of the Great Depression, the sports environment in the United States is getting worse and worse, which makes many people feel that the powerful American track and field is likely to slump from now on.

The appearance of Jesse Owens is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for American track and field, and Americans have found that they finally have athletes who can compete with Chen Qiang!

In the media in the United States, there was a call for Jesse Owens to participate in the Berlin Olympics, and Americans felt that Jesse Owens would definitely avenge the Los Angeles Olympics for American track and field, and he would definitely help American track and field regain its glory!

……

At this time, Chen Qiang has also begun the return journey. He took a train along the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way east and then returned to Shanghai by boat.

Of course, Soviet newspapers do not report sports news in the United States, so Chen Qiang knows nothing about Owens' rise.

At this time, Chen Qiang was still counting the harvest of this visit to the Soviet Union.

During his visit to the Soviet Union, although Chen Qiang did not meet high-level political leaders in the Soviet Union, he met several celebrities, and under the recommendation of Stanislavsky, he met the great writer Gorky, although Gorky's health was somewhat weak, but he still met Chen Qiang.

When Chen Qiang returned to Shanghai, it was late June, when he learned from the newspaper that Jesse Owens had broken his world record in the long jump, and in addition to the news that Jesse Owens ran a 10.2-second time in the 100-meter dash in a race in Chicago in June, tying the world record held by Chen Qiang.

Chen Qiang knew that if it weren't for his own crossing, this 10.2 seconds would be a new world record for the 100-meter dash, and this world record also belongs to Jesse Owens.

Chen Qiang is no stranger to Jesse Owens, he is known as the best track and field athlete of the twentieth century, and in the minds of Americans, such as Carl Lewis, John Powell and other good people, are not as good as Jesse Owens.

The rise of Jesse Owens has given Chen a sense of urgency, and he knows that at next year's Berlin Olympics, he will inevitably face off against the greatest track and field athlete of the 20th century, perhaps the most formidable opponent of his career.

Continuing to flip through the newspapers and periodicals in his hand, an article attracted Chen Qiang's attention.

This is an article written by Cheng Dengke, a professor at Central University, and the main content is about military sports.

When Chen Qiang edited the textbook, Cheng Dengke strongly advocated the militarization of sports, and he believed that physical education in schools should focus on military training programs.

Now, Cheng Dengke has proposed that physical training should be added to military training in order to improve the physical fitness of military personnel.

At that time, the troops were indeed uneven, not only in terms of physical fitness, but also in terms of training, atmosphere, equipment, and logistical support. On the part of the Central Army, it is better to say that at least the equipment and logistics are guaranteed, but the weapons and equipment of the other miscellaneous armies are the "Museum of Weapons of All Nations", and the training is not a day or a day, and the local security regiments are even worse, and even a lot of ruffians and hooligans and big smokers are mixed in, and the situation of empty salaries at the grassroots level is also very serious.

This is also due to historical reasons, many of the troops at that time were adapted from local warlords, so it was naturally a mixture.

In addition to being a physical education professor at the Central University, Cheng Dengke is also a physical education instructor at the Central Army Military Academy.

……

Chen Qiang did not leave Shanghai immediately, but he was interviewed by several media outlets to give a general account of his visit to the Soviet Union.

After the visit was completed, the time had already entered July, so Chen Qiang simply stayed in Shanghai and did not return to Tianjin, because in October, the 6th National Games would be held in Shanghai.

If Chen Qiang returns to Tianjin and then returns to Shanghai to compete, it will take more than half a month to go back and forth, and there is no air conditioning in the train at that time, taking the train in summer is like being stuffed in a can, which is not pleasant, it is better to stay in Shanghai and wait for the start of the National Games.

Of course, if you take a first-class cabin, the environment will be much better, and it will be much more comfortable along the way, but Chen Qiang calculated that the price of a first-class train ticket is enough for him to rent a small house in Shanghai and live for two months.

Only in terms of training, Chen Qiang doesn't have to worry, with his current status, he can go to any university in Shanghai to train, and people will be very welcome.

……

Compared with a few years ago, the rent in the concession is much more expensive, and since the Japanese called, many wealthy people have rushed to the concession to buy houses and land, and the housing prices in the concession have soared like a rocket.

Therefore, Chen Qiang can only rent a house in the Zhabei area. At the time of the "128 Incident", more than half of the buildings in Zhabei District were destroyed by the Japanese, so there are many new houses in Zhabei District now, and the living environment has improved a lot.

The landlord knew Chen Qiang's identity, and he didn't ask for a deposit, and invited Chen Qiang to have a meal at home from time to time.

Chen Qiang thought that the landlord was looking at himself to win glory for the country, so he refused to accept the money, but it was not until later that Chen Qiang learned that the landlord wanted to introduce his big fat girl to Chen Qiang.

The landlord's daughter is actually not very fat, with a height of more than 130 pounds of more than 1.6 meters, and the whole person looks quite plump, but in this era of general malnutrition among the people, the landlord's daughter is definitely a big fat person.

Since learning of the landlord's intentions, Chen Qiang did not dare to go to the landlord's house for dinner, and every day Chen Qiang would deliberately go home late and miss the time to eat, so as to avoid meeting the landlord's family.

On this day, Chen Qiang ate his rice bowl outside, walked around the river again, and saw that it was getting dark, and felt that the landlord's family must have finished eating, so he returned to his residence.

Chen Qiang came to the door, but saw a car parked in front of the door, when Chen Qiang approached, a man in a shirt and trousers got out of the car, and he walked directly towards Chen Qiang. Chen Qiang immediately guessed that these two people were coming for him.

"Is it Chen Qiang and Chen Jianjiang?" The first one asked.

"Yes, I am Chen Qiang, may I ask Your Excellency?" Chen Qiang then asked.

"Contemptible Cheng Dengke!" The other party spoke.

"It turned out to be Professor Cheng! Look up for a long time, look up for a long time! Chen Qiang said immediately.

Chen Qiang is not saying kind words, Cheng Dengke's name, Chen Qiang has heard of it for a long time.

Chen Qiang didn't know what Cheng Dengke was doing when he came to find him, but he still invited Cheng Dengke to the room, and after the two sat down, they exchanged a few words of greeting, and then Chen Qiang asked: "Professor Cheng, I don't know what you came to me for?" ”

Cheng Dengke took out a newspaper from his arms, handed it to Chen Qiang, and then said: "General Chen Jian, I wrote an article about military sports before, and I ask you to give me advice. ”

Chen Qiang saw that this was the article he had read a few days ago, so Chen Qiang said, "Professor Cheng, I have already read this article of yours. ”

"What do you think?" Cheng Dengke asked.

"Very well written." Chen Qiang replied honestly.

"That's not what I'm asking." Cheng Dengke shook his head, and continued: "I mean, in terms of military sports, what do you think?" ”

Chen Qiang thought for a while and said: "Professor Cheng, I am an athlete, and I don't understand military training, so if you ask me how about this military sports, I really can't say." ”

Cheng Dengke knew that Chen Qiang was telling the truth, he sighed and said: "Let me tell you the truth, our army is indeed a little unsatisfactory, far worse than the Japanese, and even more incomparable with the Germans!" If we start a war with the Japanese tomorrow, our army really won't be able to defeat the Japanese! ”

"So you want to strengthen the army through sports?" Chen Qiang asked.

"Yes, the backwardness in terms of equipment, this is temporarily irreparable, but we can improve from the training." Cheng Dengke paused, and then said: "Actually, the training of the Central Army is still okay, the key is that some local armies, they do not have such good training conditions as the Central Army. Especially in a large number of security regiments, how can there be serious training, standing in a queue is considered training. Therefore, I would like to improve the training of local armies and security regiments through military sports. ”

Chen Qiang nodded, and then asked, "Then what does Professor Cheng need me to do?" ”

Cheng Dengke opened his mouth and said: "I want to ask you to help me promote the sports of military divisions. ”

"Yes." Chen Qiang agreed without hesitation.

Although Chen Qiang did not know whether this method could achieve the goal of "strengthening the army", in this special era, the Japanese still had more than a year to attack Shanhaiguan, and any method that could "strengthen the army" was worth trying. Even if there is only a little effect, then when fighting the invaders in the future, there will be a little more strength.

Cheng Dengke didn't expect Chen Qiang to agree so happily, he was slightly stunned, and then said: "According to the information I have received so far, the high-level officials in Nanjing are very interested in this military sports, and they have planned to conduct a feasibility study, one of which is to ask some well-known athletes whether sports can really strengthen the quality of soldiers. I think that when the National Games are held, the research team in Nanjing will definitely ask you. ”

"I understand that when I am asked, I will tell them that the training of running and long jump helps to improve the physical fitness of soldiers, thereby strengthening their military literacy. I'll try to illustrate this from a scientific point of view. Chen Qiang said.

"Not only that, but I also want you to compete in the discus throw event at the National Games." Cheng Dengke paused, and then said: "I read the news reports of your visit to the Soviet Union, and I know that you will throw the discus. ”

"Why should I go to the discus throw?" Chen Qiang then asked.

"You can speak for the athlete in the run and jump, but not in the throwing event because you are not an athlete in the throwing event. Therefore, I hope that you will participate in the discus throw event of the National Games, and it is best to win a championship, so that we will have the right to speak in the throwing event, and we can also persuade the Nanjing research team to add the training of throwing events to the militarization of sports. Cheng Dengke said.

"I get it, and I'll tell them that practicing discus throwing helps them throw grenades farther." Chen Qiang said with a smile.

"Throw a grenade? Further? I didn't think of that! Cheng Dengke patted his head: "I should write this into the report, just because the grenade can be thrown farther, and Nanjing will also promote the throwing movement in the army." ”

Chen Qiang looked at Cheng Dengke, and he could feel that this Professor Cheng really had the dream of a "strong army".

Cheng Dengke is a microcosm of the people of insight in this era, who cherish the dream of strengthening the country and the army, hoping to wash away China's century-old humiliation, make the country strong and the nation rejuvenated. But they couldn't find a way to strengthen the country and army, so they had to run around and try every possible way.

"Maybe it's because Cheng Dengke once went to Germany to study and saw the strength of the German army, so he also hopes that China's army will also become a world-class army." Chen Qiang said secretly in his heart, and at the same time he couldn't help but sigh lightly.

"What are you sighing about?" Cheng Dengke asked subconsciously.

"Professor Cheng, do you really think that our army is only a gap in equipment and training compared to the Japanese?" Chen Qiang said.

Cheng Dengke was stunned for a few seconds, and then said: "In terms of command, it's not something we can change. ”

"Professor Cheng, you misunderstood what I meant, I'm not talking about the matter of command." Chen Qiang lowered his voice, and then said: "In the war over there in Jiangxi, Nanjing has suffered a lot of defeats. As far as I know, those people in Jiangxi are all from peasant backgrounds, and compared with Nanjing, they are better equipped, more trained, and have more troops, and the officers are all from Whampoa, right? The result? ”

"Be quiet, be careful that the wall has ears." Cheng Dengke kindly reminded, and then he also sighed: "I'm not a military expert, I don't understand what you're talking about, in fact, I don't know why well-equipped elite troops can't beat a group of peasants!" ”

"I think it's because these well-armed troops don't know what they're fighting for!" Chen Qiang sighed lightly.

At this time, Chen Qiang couldn't help but think of the Sichuan army, they had extremely poor discipline, weak combat effectiveness, and incomplete equipment, and were known as the "double spearmen" with a smoking gun and a rifle in one hand, but such a poor and weak division was called the praised "iron-blooded division" in the future War of Resistance against Japan, because they knew why they were fighting!

"If one day, when our Chinese soldiers know what to fight for, it will be more meaningful than excellent equipment, hard training, and excellent command!"

……

The venue for the 6th National Games in old China was the Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, which began construction in 1933 and became the largest stadium in Asia. The cost of counterfeiting reached 1.2 million yuan.

The date of the National Games is still October 10, and this year is the year of the outbreak of the North China Incident, the Japanese stepped up the pace of aggression, and the ins and outs of the North China Incident almost throughout 1935. It was also in this year that the contradiction between China and Japan gradually became the main contradiction.

The people's anti-Japanese voices are getting louder and louder, and this kind of large-scale sports meeting is inevitably linked to the patriotic spirit.

Chen Qiang originally thought that this National Games would be like last year's East China Games, with anti-Japanese patriotic slogans everywhere, anti-Japanese patriotic voices everywhere, and even cheerleading scholars Nankai University, who used flags to put out the words "Don't forget the national shame".

However, Nanjing gave clear instructions, so the "anti-Japanese" remarks were not allowed to appear on the field.

As a result, the slogans on the scene became "National Sports Conference, Exercise the Physique of the Whole People", "National Sports Conference, Carry Forward the Spirit of Struggle", "National Sports Conference, Promote Sports, Pay Attention to Inner Cultivation, Cultivate Group Cooperation", "Promote Sports, Promote Happiness", "Everyone Enjoys Health, and Uses Sports to Entertain Body and Mind".

At the opening ceremony, Nanjing's bigwigs did not come to the scene because they were busy "suppressing bandits," and some other Nanjing bigwigs did not mention the content of resisting Japan and saving the country in their speeches.

For example, President Wang of the Executive Yuan talked about it for most of the day, and the general content was to say how important sports are, which can strengthen the body, enhance intelligence, and cultivate sentiment, so everyone should pay attention to it, and the whole people should work together to exercise. All the speeches have been talking about sports, and there is no mention of half a sentence about saving the country and trying to survive, but it is really strictly not related to the military and politics.

Such an opening ceremony, although the scene was quite huge, Chen Qiang was quite disappointed in his heart, and more of a helplessness of "intentionally killing thieves and powerless to return to heaven".

……

Since Chen Qiang promised to help Cheng Dengke promote his military sports, he naturally would not break his promise, so in addition to participating in sprinting, long jump, and hurdles, he also participated in the discus throw competition.

In the 100-meter sprint, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Liu Changchun, whose time was 10.8 seconds.

In the 200-meter sprint, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Fu Jincheng of the Malaysian overseas Chinese team, whose time was 22.9 seconds.

In the long jump event, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Malaysian overseas Chinese player Ye Sui'an, whose score was 6.76 meters.

In the triple jump event, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Zhang Jiaxie from Shanghai, whose score was 14.12 meters.

In the 110m hurdles, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Shanghai's Lin Shaozhou, whose time was 16.3 seconds.

In the discus throw event, the champion was Chen Qiang, and the runner-up was won by Guo Jie, a player from the Northeast, whose score was 37.60 meters.

Judging from the results, the strength of the Shanghai players is still excellent, and the strength of the overseas Chinese team should not be underestimated. However, there is still a big gap in strength between them and Chen Qiang.

For Chen Qiang, there is no difficulty at all in participating in domestic competitions, and the National Games is a simple copy of the championship.

During the competition, sure enough, an official of the research team found Chen Qiang and asked about military sports, and Chen Qiang replied according to the rhetoric that had already been discussed with Cheng Dengke, which can be regarded as fulfilling his promise to Cheng Dengke.

As for whether Nanjing will implement military sports, it is not something that Chen Qiang can control.

……

The National Games are over, and Chen Qiang also plans to leave Shanghai and return to Tianjin.

Chen Qiang was packing his luggage in the room, and the "King of Balls" Li Huitang knocked on the door and walked in.

"Brother Li, is there something wrong with me?" Chen Qiang asked.

Li Huitang nodded: "Chen Qiang, I came this time to invite you to visit our Nanhua football team. ”

"Go to Hong Kong." Chen Qiang hesitated, he had not returned to Tianjin for nine months since he left for the Soviet Union in February.

However, Li Huitang looked very sincere, and repeatedly invited, which made Chen Qiang a little warm.

In the end, Chen Qiang agreed to come down and go to Hong Kong with Li Huitang first, and then return to Tianjin for the New Year.

——————

6,000 words for a monthly pass.