The Washington herald., 1907-11-10


PhysiOgROmies-Ner Cause.
New York. Nov. s.-Not a new study.
but one that has been furthered by re-
cent d-breaking performances IN the
athletic world, is the athletic face. 1t
has become common to all those who
excel They show the marks of their
efforts in an unmistakeable degree.
Recently many causes have been ad-
vanced for it. Some have suggested that
competing on the open field in the face
OF binding sunlight has caused an
habltual squint. Others say nervousness
over impending conflict tends TO twitch
the muscles OF the face until they be-
come weak wrinkled and distorted. but
the most plausible reason for it seems
20 be that the strain Of combat makes
gradual but certain changes ia the
physiognomy which can be identified and
traced 10 the increased competition along
all lines of sport.
Why ii was not checked long ago. for
the athletes have seen themselves change
in appearance. is explained by the fact
that the average man does not care If
his face shows the results of some ath-
let!c contest. In fact. he is apt TO be
vain Of it. Various sports produce diff
ferent marks.
In boxing, aside from the "caulifiower'
ear. thick lips. broken nose, and SCARED
brows. there are other distinctions. Those
who are clever with their hands and
know how 10 defend themselves have
the sharp, piercing eyes Of the tiger, a
set jaw, high cheek bones. and scOwl
that becomes natural TO them, but which
they try 10 control. The boxer has the
marks of lis calling the same as the
slugger. who takes a battering for the
chance OF giving one punch. Neither Jim
COrbett. Kid Mccoy, Jack O'Brien. nor
Jimmy Britt has a swollen ear. a crooked
nose, or cut face. All have sustained
knockouts without getting SCARED, yet
they have the fghting face.
Battling Nelson Scared.
Battling Nelson has it more than
great many others. He is a rugged fight
er. with courage and ability TO with
stand pounding. His plan Of battle is 10
take a punch and land one. TO wade re-
lentIessly In. He has a large "cauli-
flower" left ear. which has been exposed
10 the merciless jebbing OF clever fight
ers. His face is pulled and marked and
never looks perfectly harmless in re-
pose. Tom Sharkey is another badly
marked fighter, as are Tommy Burns.
Marvin Hart. Joe Walcott, and Kid
Broad.
Baseball. while not as strenuous as pu-
gilism. nevertheless leaves just as unmis-
taxable marks on its votaries Playing in
the sun daily for months at a stretch
tans the professional player till he looks
more like an Indian than a white man
in some cases they become almost black.
Alertness is a quality demanded Of dia-
mond star almost above everything else.
At bat. behind the bat. IN the indeld. IN
the outfeld. or on the bases. the player
must ever be on the alert and full Of
ginger This concentration Of the faCul-
ties brings wrinkles and the man who
has been playing for a half dozen years.
though he may be young. gets his face
lined Ike person Of twice his age.
Track and field athletes are far from
Immune from the effects Of their special
viii be found in every case that one or all
of the faces show clearly the mental and
physical strain under which the con-
testants have lsbored. The last ounce OF
energy being gwen the difficulty Of
breathing as lungs on the verge Of burst
ing strive TO hold out till the tape is
passed. the Wild desire 10 win ard the
pangs when defeat is evident are all
marked IN the faces.
Charley Seitz's Case.
Charles SeiJz, the New York Athletic
Club sprinter. is only a memory Of his
former self. Light-haired and whits-
skinned when he first breasted the tape
at Georgetown, he was a picture OF youth.
To-day his face is drawn. even haggard.
after 4 race. John Daily who won the
ten-mile championship at the Polo
Grounds. and William Frank have drawn
faces that never fail 70 cau5e comment BY
spectators al athletic meets.
The hammer thrower always makes
face before he whirls the leaden ball on
its long trip, and every hammer thrower
OF note has signs on his features which
result from frequently making this ef-
fort Perhaps Flanagan, the noted weight
putter, shows these lines more clearly
than eny one. for few athletes in com
petition comfort the features as much as
he does. But Martin Sheridan. Ralph
Rose. and others look little Ike their
former selves.
Oarsmen Are Marked
Oarsmen do not escape the markings
that come with pulling an oar and sit
ting IN the sunlight Sunburn Is always
much more severe when obtained on the
water, and the man who rows a good
deal is certain to lose all the whiteness
from his face. But he lets it go in a
good cause, and what he gains in health
is worth a hundredfoId more than the
tints that are gone. Constance Titus has
drawn look, with crows feet and other
wrinkles that appeared long before his
years called for them
Football turns many a naturally pleas
ant face into a look OF ferocity. Coonev.
of Princeton, captain OF one team and
member of four. is naturally an amiabIe.
charming fellow, who would not harm
any one. yet on a football field he looks
like the hardest kind Of a man. Pickarski.
LamsOn, and Smith, OF the PENNSYLVANIA
elevens Of 1903 and 1904 all had this same
ferocious expression, so did fifty other
stars who might be named
Years ago persons used 10 speak some
what lightly of tennis. because il was a
game more or less affected by society.
but now the growing vogue of the racquet
game in variations has taught the sport
ing public that only the powerful athlete
with limitless endurance can shine on the
courts.
The tennis player who is in the game
frequently gets the lines in his face that
come TO the ball PLAYER They result