The Washington times., 1914-03-25
Block,
But Keep
Busy
TONY BDDLE.

TONY BDDLE.
r<Y CAN'T block" Stanley Kst-
chell used to say. Il don't
want to block. I just step
In and punch and let the
other fellow do the blocking. Then
keep on turning 'em loose ~ fast
as can and keep him busy block
ing EN- do all the punching and
let him do all the blocking. That
suits me fine. It doesn't hurt mS
any II he blocks 'em all. but sooner
or later he's sure to fail to block
one. and then his troubles begin"
Ketchell believed that Admiral
Farragut was right when he said.
Our best defense against the en-
emy's fire II . we'll directed and
rapid fire from our own guns"
We can all learn . lesson from his
way Of looking on life and his man
ner Of fighting battles It II not
the man who guards his skin the
most scrupuleusly who wins In tho
battle Of life. Timidity and over
conservativeness caused By anxiety
to block and avoid punishment have
resulted IN beatings that entailed
endless pain and humiliation. both
In the physical battles Of the ring
and in the strife Of daily existence.
Az In the ring It IL the man. who
plunges to the attack. turning loose
fifty punches at once and keeping
his adversary 20 busy blocking them
that he has no time for o0ense. who
wins battles; 30 it IL the man who
attacks his foes and problems in
life with a rush and keeps them al
ways on the defensive. never allow
ing them to threaten him or assume
the upper hand. who succeeds.
Don't trifie with your problems IN
life. Go at them with a rush a
soon as you realize that they arc
problems. Attack sinful and dubious
ipclinations at their beg1nninG. Put
them on the defensive at once Keep
them busy blocking your attacks
Don't allow them to become h4hltA
or one day you may awake to nnd
yourself waging . hopeless. defensve
fight against q foo you have allowed
to become so strong and aggressive
that your very lifA physical and
spiritual, Is threakened.
KetcheIl made no secret OF his
method Of fighting; indeed, he was
inclined to boast Of IT. When ne
fought Joe Thomas for the third
time admirers Of Ketchell told Joe
about it and pointed out how supe-
rior 1t was to the Thomas method
Of fighting. "An right" said Joa
krimly. IT he can do It I can I
won't block a punch either. and we'll
see who drops first" Joe was
strong young man, beautiful boxer
and q wicked punchef. He could
box. and until too much Ketchsll
used him up he could fight
Sportily inclined native sons still
tell Of that third Thoraas-Ketchell
fight. From the beginning neither
man made any ATTEMPT at blocking
or fefnting or stepping away or ex-
ecuting any Of the finer mansuvers
Of the boxing game. Each seemed
to desire only to stand opposite hiA
opponent. head to head, toe to tees
and Just punch away.
1t was slug, slug. slug. Blows
rained faster than the eye could fol-
low them- Often only their effects
were visible. Tortured red bodies
were twisted and driven this way
and that by the impact Of blows that
ratified and thudded on ribs and
flanks. Rage and pain-distorted
features were distorted still further
or quite obliterated as the mallet-
like fists rose and fell in whirling
frenzy.
Gradually Thomas seemed to take
the upper hand at the slugging
game. At last he tilted Ketchelfs
head back with q lifting left-hand
hook, then drove him clear across
the ring and floored him with .
storm Of blows
When the Michigan man got up he
was badly dazed; stin he rushed at
his foe and stood chest to chest with
him, trading him blow for blow.
Nothing seemed able to daunt his
indomftable heart
As the fight went ON both men
grew weak. Still Ketchen tried to
rush and slug and rough 1t as saw
agely as his waning strength would
allow him. Doubts began to assail
Thomas. He was in much better
condition than Ketchell, but he be-
gan to cover and block and stall:
1t was not cowardiee. No Drawer
man ever lived than Joe Thomas.
but 1t was conventionalisM. conserve
atism. habit Of fighting. Men In bad
condition always covered aud stalled
until they recovered. It was custom.
All good boxers did 1t. So Joe COW
cred and stalled.
Ketchell was not a good boxer.
He did not know now to stall, and
1t was his boast that he let the other
fellow do the blocking. So he
rushed and slugged and took all
kinds of chances, and in the end he
was given the decision. although
many said he didn't deserve 1t.