The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-08-19
FREAK ATHLETES.
Physically Imperfect, They Sue
coed Through Sheer Grit.
ARMLEss BILLIARD PLAYER.

/ n Ff1CneT HIHuS ringers SFlPPtG0 |
Swimmer and One Legged crieketer J.
Few Examples Of MANNED Men /
! Who Astound Observers.
"A bi1liardist with both arms gone, q
champion boxer with a dislocated ell
bow, a record breaking swimmer who
| is a. cripple, pitcher who is shy two ,,
/ fingers and a cricketer with only one
4 leg-sounds like the widest Of fiction,
doesn't 1t?
4 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.
i 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
Il terms and has only had to yield to
4 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. It is
worthy Of note that he gets the better
Of it all the time.
When the Chicago Nationals won the
J championship last year, large part of
the credit was given to Pitcher Brown.
VI 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 mutilated
: athlete. He has only three fingers, or
rather two fingers and thumb, on his
pitching hand. The first finger he lost
i In an accident.
Nj Another bali player who is known all
over the country, Bill Coughlin, the
\ Woodworking third baseman Of the
Detroit Americans, Is minus one finger
\ on his throwing hand, but no one
would ever know it from the way he
plays the bag.
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 trial, but he was not quite fast
. enough for big league company.
j The successes Of Battling Nelson In
D the ring have perhaps been more inn
8 portant than the work of any boxer of
recent years. From an unknown resi-
y dent Of an almost unknown town.
Hegewisch ILL.,, Nelson fought his way,
batting 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 stifTened that he
\ cannot straighten 1t out. This makes
It almost impossible for him to jab,
for he cannot deliver the straight left
y But Nelson says that, far from being
\ handicap, his crooked elbow is help
to him. It 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 filled in
with cement at the elbow to prevent
\ any give when he lands blow.
England has a high class cricketer
Y 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
u strong in the arms and shoulders.
= When playing he is usually assigned
\ to keep the wicket. With crutch
Il under one shoulder he supports him
self without apparent discomfort, and
once he gets his hands on the ball 1t is
sure catch. He Is really remarkably
agile in the duties of the position and
stumps many a batsman by his speed
= q. Fl. Adams Of the New York Ath
u letic club is name that frequently
- figures In the sporting records. A fore
u most member of the leading swimming
= club in the United States. the organiza
ton that produced tas champion OF
champions in the water, Daniels, Adams
Y has won SO many events in competition
= with club members that now he Ii
called on to represent the n. Y. A. G
q In matches with other organizations
Adams is a cripple. Some hip trouble
shortened his left leg. and he walks
Y with decided limp. But otherwise
u he Is a notable specimen of manhood
u and his chest would do credit to 6
81 great wrestler.
u Season before last Chicago university
8 had one armed guard In the football
u team, and he was so good that no op
"a ponent dared take any liberties will
u him.
-
81 Change In Basket Ball Rules.
u The collegiate basket ball rules com