The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-03-06


In training.
Every morning there was . short
stroll along the hard white sand of the
beach before breakfast. This was not
really exercise, but playspeH IN the
open air by way of an appetizer. Ned,
Bert and Mollie, handsome collies.
played with me and raced with one an
other after sticks thrown into the sea.
With breakfast shortly before O'Clock
the real business of the day began.
Fruit. chops. tea and toast were the
usual thing Sometimes the bill OF
fare was varied with chicken or steak
or bit of fish. While on the subject
of diet | may add that nothing was
barred at any meal except pastry and
fancy sauces There was bottle ct
beer at dinner every day and sometimes
one at supper. I drink tea instead OF
coffee.
With cheerful companion at my
side 1 usually covered eight or ten
miles every morning in rapid walking,
varied now and then with run-good
for the wind. After boxing and wrest-
ling 1 enjoyed the luxury OF a rub
down until thoroughly dry. then
q bath in tub of sea water or per-
haps swim for five or ten minutes.
Upon being rubbed dry again l was
stretched on high couch and thor
oughly rubbed by my trainers with a
Hniment of alcohol and witch hazel
This is one of the pleasantest things
about training. To be well massaged
after a Turkish bath is well enough,
but there is not half the comfort in it
that an athlete enjoys in thorough
rubbing after brisk mornings work.
Billy Delaney managed the job, and
Donaldson, McVey, Creedon and Tracy
did the rubbing. No brushes or nit
tens were used.
The appetite that comes to one after
such a course of work, bathing and
massaging is something enormous. No
one will believe how much he can eat
under the circumstances until he has
actually enjoyed the experience The
chief meal of the day was eaten about
noon. Our dinner table was jolly
meeting place. Breakfast did not al
ways bring us all together, so my wife,
her father, Mr. and Mrs. Brady and all
the rest of our party met for the first
time in the day at dinner.
There was always couple OF hours
of whist. lounging, chatting and letter
writing after dinner.
Then, instead OF walking, there
came an hour or more of hapdball fol-
lowed by boxing, wrestling and bag
punching. A rub down like the ono
described above ended the days work.
Besides the exercises mentioned above
/ used wrist machine every day.
This is long wooden shaft. AS you
turn it (using none but wrist power)
it hoists a weight that can be In
creased or lessened at will. This is a
fine way to strengthen the wrists.
The good effects derived from playing
handban would fill a book. 1t is
splendid work for a boxer. Not only
does it exercise every muscle from his
scalp to. his heels, but it gives him
good Judgment of distance, cultivates
quickness of the eye and teaches him
how to dart either hand exactly where
he wants it at precisely the right
moment. And there's exercise enough
in it to tire Rocky mountain ram.
slept nine hours every night.
No two men fight alike. Indeed, il
one teacher should instruct a class OF
twenty men. and they should see nc
style Of boxing but his they would all
use different tactics at the end of a
year. There are many styles Of boxing
and most of them are excellent. 1t
has always seemed to me that boxer
should study his own peculiar abilities
and endeavor to make the best use OF
them. When I began at the game
found myself taller, longer in the
arms and rather quicker on my feet
than most men. Next to hitting
straight and hard found quickness on
the feet to be most useful There is
nc way to cultivate this so well as by
boxing. Therefore / always box
while in training. It is true that
many authorities contend that a
fighter risks hurting his hands by do
ing this OF course he does. But
doesn't he risk spraining a groin or a
knee or an ankle when he runs, OF
walks, or plays handball?
It is quite as important for fighter
to avoid punishment as it is for him to
punish the other fellow. Therefore let
him cultivate the ability to get in and
out of hitting distance with all the
rapidity possible. Now and then we
hear of fellows who are 'gluttons for
punishment. They ought not to be.
IN the game of pugilisin one must take
as well as give blows, but he is the
best man who takes least and gives
most. He who can strike quickest
ought to win, provided he can protect
himself from counter or return blows.
Very early in my career found that
! could get my punch in most rapidly
by starting it from "half-arm posi-
tion"-that is, with the elbows not
drawn back past the ribs. Suppose
two men are boxing. John Doe hits in
the old style, drawing back his fist
and launching it out with all his body
weight behind it. Richard Roe, le,
us say. starts his blow without draw.
ing back his fist. Whose blow should
get there first? Certainly the one
that has the least distance te
GO 1t is the blow that get.
thSre first that does the business
l soon found that while this blow was
very successful in reaching its mark
there was not steam enough in it te
suit. Undoubtedly there was some o.
the weight of the body behind it. fol
in boxing stand with my feet close,