Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-08-05
FREAK ATHLETES.
Physically imperfect, They Sue.
coed Through Sheer Grit.
ARMLESS BILLIARD PLAYER
A Pitcher Minus Fingers, Crippled
Swimmer and One Legged Cricketer
Few Examples of Manned Men
Who Astound Observers.

Swimmer and One Legged crickete
Few Examples of Manned MeI
Who Astound Observers.
A billiardist with both arms gone, E
champion boxer with a dislocated ell
bow, record breaking swimmer who
is a cripple, a pitcher who is shy two
fingers and a cricketer with only one
leg-sounds like the widest of fiction
doesn't it?
Yet the names of these remarkable
athletes, who have achieved promi
hence despite serious disqualifications
dispOses of the old idea that to be sue,
cessful an athlete must have the per
feet body.
The armless billiardist is Albert SUIT
ton. He has appeared all over the
country. He has played the best OF
the two armed champions on even
terms and has only had to yield to
men in the front rank. Sutton has
been playing for many years, and yet
he has only two stumps, both arms
being off above the elbow. 1t is
worthy of note that he gets the better
of it all the time.
When the Chicago Nationals won the
championship last year, large part of
the credit was given to Pitcher Brown.
He was far and away the teams win
ming pitcher, and with him on the
slab there seemed no way the Cubs
could lose. Yet Brown is a mutilated
athlete. He has only three fingers, or
rather two fingers and thumb, on his
pitching hand. The first finger he lost
in an accident.
Another ball player who is known all
over the country, Bill, Coughlin, the
handwriting third baseman of the
Detroit Americans, is minus one finger
on his throwing hand, d but no one
would ever know it from the way he
plays the bag. ansaas
But even more remarkable in base
wall way is Sam Griffith, the one
armed pitcher of Philadelphia. Sam lost
his left arm many years. ago, yet with
the right alone he has been able to
earn an excellent living. Connie Mack,
manager of the Philadelphia Ameri.
cans, thought enough of Griffith to give
him a trial, but he was not quite fast
enough for big league company.
The successes of Battling Nelson in
the ring have perhaps been more i'm
portant than the work of any boxer of
recent years. From an unknown resi-
dent of an almost unknown town,
Hegewisch, H., Nelson fought his way,
beating man after man till he finally
landed the championship.
Sportsmen have backed Nelson and
won big money on the outcome of his
fights Perhaps they would have been
less willing to take chances had they
known that the Battler is virtual
cripple His left arm was injured at
the elbow and is so stiffened that he
cannot straighten it out. This makes
it almost impossible for him to jab,
for he cannot deliver the straight left.
But Nelson says that, far from being
a handicap, his crooked elbow is help
to him. 1t enables him to deliver a
terrific blow at short range, and he can
hike up the stiff left with as much
energy as though he had it filed in
with cement at the elbow to prevent
any give when he lands a blow.
England has high class cricketer,
Lunt of the Knotty Ash Cricket club.
who is good enough to hold his place
against the competition of athletes who
have all the parts with which nature
endows mankind. Mr. Lunt Is only
thirty years old and is extraordinarily
strong in the arms and shoulders.
When playing he is usually assigned
to keep the wicket. With a crutch
under one shoulder he supports him
self without apparent discomfort, and
once he gets his hands on the ball it is
sure catch. He is really remarkably
agile in the duties of the position and.
stumps many a batsm&n. by his speed.
e. FL. Adams of the New York Ath-
Ietic club is a name that frequently
figures in the sporting records. A fore
most member of the leading swimming
club in the United States. the organiza-
ton that produced the champion of
champions in the water, Daniels, Adams
has won so many events in competition
with club members that now he is
called on to represent the n. 7. A. G.
in matches with other organizations.
Adams is a cripple. Some hip trouble
shortened his left leg, and he walks
with a decided limp. But otherwise
he is a notable specimen of manhood,
and his chest would do credit to a
great wrestler.
Season before last Chicago university
had a one armed guard in the football
team, and he was so good that no OPP
ponent dared take any liberties with
him.
Mrs. A. o. Lee would like COM
petent girl fol house work to go with
l.