The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-02-16
Washington as an Athlete.

Numerous tradions have come down
to us of the abilities of George Waeh.
lngton as an atl-round athlete; he is
said to have thrown silver dollar
across the Potomac-whlch brought
out the remark in after years that mon.
ey used to 60 farther in those days
and he is said to have jumped farther
with run than any man who ever
lived. Whether these things are true,
or whether they are mere myths cling
ing about the reputation OF man SO
great he is almost demigod, like the
story of the Ratchet and apple tree, Is
a matter quite immaterial-the fact Is
that he was man OF enormous
strength and powers of endurance the
greatest. These two points have been
brought out more clearly than ever
before by William Blake in his new
edition of allow to Get Strong and
How to Stay So" recently published.
It is the more Important to take the
authors view of Washington, because
he Ia himself an athlete AMI an expert
in all the matters of which he treats
of Aany years. standing.
WASHINGTON was man who stood
not less than feet z inches. Ktcent
measurements of the uniform he wore
when taking leave OF the continental
army show that his chest measured
Az inches unInfated, a good two
inches larger than the chest of John
l.. Sullivan In his prime. All his
alter his rise to fame,
bear witness that he was man of
most exquisite proportions, and Mr..
Blake himself records that he took
one of the great university athletic
performers and experts to see the
portrait of Washington in
the New York city hall, where, after a
long and careful survey of all his
points, the expert burst out with,
that's the best-built man I ever
saw" This is the more to be depend
ed upon as Wasbington's own kinsman,
Curtis, says that this particular por-
trait is but one of two instances in
which all Washington's excellencies in
physique have been adequately paint
ed. Those who recall Washlngton's
inexhaustible energy during the whole
OF the war of the revolution and the
manner in which he kept the British
ousy Will Lever deny to him a most
wonderful development, backed by
nothing less than superb.
1t is not q matter of doubt how
Washington came to be a man so
strong. A constitution, like a heart
for great deeds, may be matter of
but no man ever gained
real personal strength except by work.
ing Tor it-there is no royal road to
any more than to knowledge.
reared with little or no school
Ing, In the technical sense of sittina
under the instruction of a school
master. Washington was, we know, a
surveyor of reasonable skill when Ii
years old and in the employment of
Lord Fairfax. The Rev. NJ. L. Weems,
who was the rector of his parish notes
In the history he wrote of him that he
lived the "labor1ous life of a woods
man" for three years or more and that
be boarded during most of the time
with Widow Stephenson, who had
seven great sons of tremendous height
and strength. He tells In some detail
Of the wrestling, boxing and jumping
which went on every nlght-the long
lays toll through the woods, CARRYING
chains, holding rods, telling trees and
The like being all insufficient to
luench their energies for real play.
In bis best days, Curtis, his step-son,
again records that he never exceeded
2lO or 22O pounds, keeping between
these weights for many years until his
was rather from the igno-
rance of medical practice In those DAYS
han from any real disease of a fatal
nature. This weight is exactly what
I man OF his height should weigh to
be at his very best.
Washington was a horseman so fine
IN his equestriansh1p that a professor
of riding ricketts,, a celebrated man in
bis day, was known to say: 81 go to
him to learn to ride" Bancroft, the
historian, after consulting all the au-
thorities, says: "Few equaled him In
strength OF arm" And Blake him
'elf, after mature deiiberation, does
not hesitate to state without reserve
hat he could leave Sandow far behind
N walking and similar arts, while he is
assured that if Washington could have
net Sullivan when both we're in their
prime. the Father of His Country
would not have had the worst of it!
For Over Fifty Years