The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-10-07
EXERCISING WITH TAFT
Physical Directors Experience
While Training the President.
LIVELY WORK WITH GLOVES.

DR.. Charles u. Barker Of Madison.
Wis. has developed another 'phenom"
in the pugilktic world. The latest ce-
le6rity is President William Howard
Taft. Dr. Barker is President Tafts
physical director The president has
been put through all of the gymnasium
stunts known to the doctor. who has
qualified as an expert. Now the presi-
dent is teaching his tutor and giving
him the time of his life for an hour
each day at Beverly, Mass.
The new champ" tips the beam at
305, is six feet one inch tall and IL it
were not for bulge In front would
have a remarkable reach. His boxing
partner. Dr. Barker, is a middleweight
of 15S pounds. He stands five feet
ten and hah inches in his stockinged
feet and wea4 all elegant mustache
to be aimed m
The Presidents mustache puts him
in the erstwhile Champion John L.
Sullivan's class. The big blond mus
tache of the chief executive is con-
slant banter to DR.. Barker in the daily
morning bout in the Taft gymnasium.
In due regard to social proprieties. mel
ther the president nor DR.. Barker goes
for the face, but confines himself to
body blows.
President Has the Punch.
DIR. Barker's experience proves that
the president has a nifty wallop in his
right arm and vicious whip to the
body with his left. He is not as shifty
on his feet as the younger and lighter
man, but course in shadow boxing
will help some. Barker is quick. and
the president has Il busy five minutes
when he puts on the gloves with him.
The president does not desire TO pose
as q ring hero, and he is not encourag-
ing any undue talk from the doctor.
incidentally he is not entertaining any
bids for the moving picture rights ON
any of his bouts.
Wrestling is another feature OF the
Taft exercise. Dr. Barker says it takes
a pretty good man TO put the president
on his back, and a tussle with him is
like tug Of war with lot of healthy
sailors.
The little gymnasium over on the
second floor of the Taft garage is fitted
with several kinds of exercisers. There
are chest weights. rowing machine.
leg weights aud platform punching
bag. The president plays the whole
string out when be gets started, and
Robert and Charlie use the gymnasium
when their father is not engaged In
his exercises.
The work in the morning with DR..
Barker is routine feature of the day.
1t begins before breakfast, right after
the president has emerged from his
tub. He walks about 100 yards across
the lawn from his cottage and meets
DR.. Barker, who lives in Beverly and
makes the trip 10 the garage in
White House automobile.
Trained to Finger Tips.
Once at the gymnasium no time is
lost. The physical instructor puts Mr..
Taft through muscle exercises even
down TO the fingers. A rundown and II
thorough kneading follow. and then. to
loosen up, wrestling and boxing are
begun. After this the president takes
his shower and is ready for his
breakfast. In the vernacular of the
ring, lin the pink Of condition" Golf
follows the gym work. and 1t may be
said that all Of the presidents waking
. faIf. ffttasu
devoted to getting his body IN good
shape for his western trip. =.
That DR.. Barker is succeeding is
shown by the Indicator on the scales.
A year ago the president bordered on
$50 pounds. Hard work at Hot Springs
and Augusta got him down. it is said,
to 270. The campaign and the long
tariff siege sent him up to 326 and
then c. q. u. message for DIR. Bar
ker called tae physical director from
Washington. The tramps over the
Essex links. the automobile rides and
the daily work in the gymnasium
have taken of the flesh slowly, but
steadily. 1t is the hope of the two
athletes that the president will be
down to 2SO before the western trip
begins.
Good Body Builder.
Dr. Barker's reputation as a good
body builder was started by ex-Sena-
tor John G. Spooner. He prevailed on
Barker to go to Washington from
Madison. Wis. President Taft. while
secretary of war. heard of him and
got him to prescribe a diet and a
course of exercises. After the secle-
tary of war became candidate for
the presidency he sent for Barker
again.
One other doctor will be called in
soon to help the Taft body do its work
to the satisfaction of the president.
This is DR.. j. J. Richardson Of Wash
ington. throat specialist He accom-
panied Mr.. Taft Oh all of his speech
making tours and kept his Throat 50
that it could utter audible sounds
He has promised to make the western
trip with the president.l = Beverly
~ Fol fd