The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-03-16
THE ATHLETES WAY
HOW stage is BRINGING UP HIS
SON.
Has Transformed q Rather Weakly
Infant Into . Prodioy-Feats by an
Eisht-Months-oId saby-surprisins
Ideas for Mothers.

Eisht-Months-oId eaby-surprising
Ideas for Mothers.
Alonzo A. Stagg. Jr.. son Of Prof. A.
a. Stagg. director OF athletics at the
University Of Chicago. In a miniature
SandOw. He Is baby eight and a half
months old. and has had a course OF
physical training since he was fouS
weeks old From that time the baby
has been able 10 stand erect balancing
himself on his fathers hand held AZ
arms length. He swings from a trap.
eye bar by his hands. stands on his
head. walks, and arches his back like
an athlete. He can lie fiat on his back
and put his big toe in his mouth. He
can lie fiat on his back and rise 10 a
sitting posture without turning on his
side or lifting himself by his feet or
his elbows This Is done entirely by
using the abdominal muscles. and ls
beyond the power Of nine men out OF
ten.
The Stagg baby is probably the
strongest child OF his age In the world.
A. a. Stagg, Jr., IL the only child OF
his parents and lac started In life with
physical equipment little below rath.
or than above the ordinary.
at four weeks old" says Prof.
Stagg. "the baby weighed just what
he did when he was born. He hadn't
grown "A bit. He had had a spell Of
Illness. and at the time we hadn't
much idea he would live through IT,
Well, when I saw the fight the little
fellow was having. IL occurred 10 me
that perhaps / could help him. That
Is the way his athletic training be-
gan"
TO hear OF this baby's athletic Prov
css Is TO imagine pugnacious over
sized child. or at least baby soL1c-
thing out Of tho ordinary at first sight
Stepping into the nursery, Prof Stagg
came back with "A small bundle Of hu.
manity huggcd up In his arms. The
baby was laughing and kicking, and
wore n white dress and pink wool
sack
There. now" said Prof. Stagg. toss
ing the little fellow down unceremoni-
ously on "A leather couch.
Instantly Alonzo Jr.. rlghted himself
and looked around. His eyes are big
and peculiarly bright; his head long
from front TO back. But the most
striking thing about the little fellow
Is his alcrtness. His whole body In
alert. ana he holds himself with an air
of confidence and sclf-reliancc. He is
not afraid OF anything Strange sights
and sounds interest him, but they do
not frighten him. He appears 10 be "A
unit instead OF "A duality. For example,
"A paper weight Is showed off "A table
with "A bang. Instantly, with three
times the mental and physical ability
of "A fencer. the child responds He
starts. he peers around curiously,
seemingly at the very moment the
sound Is made. Selling a small stick,
his father held II up on n level with
the baby's eyes. Alonzo. Jr., enjoys
nothing so much as going through his
gymnastic feats. He grasped the bar
and held IL I'm the grip of his chubby
hands as much as TO say, "All right.
ready His father raised the rod and
swung il back and forth vigorously.
The baby drew up his feet "A little.
threw his head back. and hung on
without difficulty. Then the father
picked the baby up and stood him on
his hand. holding him out at arms
length Prof Stagg tossed the boy up
and down lightly, raising him nearly
80 the ceiling. Alonzo, Jr.. balanced
himself easily, standing erect on his
sturdy little legs. and laughing as II
he enjoyed II thoroughly.
"Since he was four months old"
said Prof. Stagg. she has gone
through this performance six days In
the week. He accomplished It success
fully Mt the first trial, except that l
held my hand close to me and watch
ell carefully to save him from n fall"
what was the first exercise you
gave the youngsterY asked the visit.
or.
''lt was massage. properly speak
ing" answered Prof Stagg. you see
that. as n matter OF fact. the ordinary
baby gets very little exercise. He IS
handled with care, fed and put TO
sleep. | determined to give every mus.
Gle little exercise daily, for, as
said. the baby was not growing at all.
I commenced by rubbing him all over
| kncadcd his body. worked his arms
and legs and accustomed him to n few
knocks. See there. now" and the Pro
fcssor gave the young athlete sue
cession of right handed punches in the
abdomen. the baby standing erect on
the couch and laughing as IL he de-
rived great deal of fun from the
punishment. II first noticed an inn
provcmcnt in the muscles OF the neck
In very short time he could hold his
head erect. One day. when he was be-
tween four and five months old I put
him down on the floor. wondering II
he would try TO walk OF his own nc
cord. He struck out ut once bravcly
lifting his feet at each step rs far ns
possible from the floor IL looked quite
comiCal. He worked his legs up and
down precisely as | had been accus-
toned 10 exercising them for him"
Alonzo, Jr., is a first-rate pedestrian,
now at eight and "A half months, but
is not allowed TO walk oftener than
twice a week.
1T is not my intention TO make n
fceak of the baby" says Prof. Stagg,
"or TO see just how much muscle he
can develop. | want him To bc as
strong and rs healthy as he can be
naturally with his physique. avoid
pushing him to the limit just rs I
would avoid overwhelming a man"
A very noticeable result OF Baby
Stages physical training is his finely
developed sense Of touch and sight.
lie does not reach for things in the
aimlcss and futile way OF ordinary
babyhood. lie knows just which way
TO strike for n marble or card held
in front OF him, and makes no attempt
to get IL when IL Is out OF reach.
1t may he that by heredity Alonzo
Stagg. Jr. takes to athletics. Prof.
Stagg is a Yale man, an all-round ath-
irrc. ana mas nccn ulrrctor or physi.
cal culture at the University OF Chica.
go for several years. lie IL a splendid
nI "A xxft