The Detroit times., 1915-01-11
Attributes Downfall of "Phe'
noms'' TO over-Zealous At
tacks On Hotel Menus "
TOO MUCH WATER DRUNK
IN BASEBALL, HE SAYS
I Tiger Trainer Says Keenness of
Batting Eye-Depends Largely
on Digestion
BY HAROLD V. WILCOX.

Tiger Trainer Tuthill, taciturn sage
OF Cherry-st, has permitted himsei
to be interviewed for the public print
Breaking q silence OF years, he mas
recklessly engaged In some ooserVa-
/ tions on why ball players go wrong
and has graciously permitted his opln-
ions TO be passed along TO the fans.
Mr. Tuthili declares that IL is his
firm conviction that ball players drink
too much water, that many promis.
ing recruit has eaten himself out OF
the major leagues. that the keenness
OF the batting eye depends largely
upon the well-being OF the batters
digestive organs, and that there is no
great difference in the correct meth
DDS OF conditioning boxers, football
players and diamond performers
Working on the principle that the
| first shall be last, Mr. Tuthill plunged
at once into an amplfication OF his
assertions relative 10 the conditioning
OF ring, gridiron and diamond heroes.
Since he has been prominently con-
Injected with all three games In his ca
reer, he Is qualified TO speak with
authority. He believes that the best
possible training for any sport is con
tinual practice In that sport. Other
forms OF exercise, however, are al
ways introduced 10 some extent for
the sake OF the wind. stomach and
legs. Every athlete must be in per
feet condition in respect to those par
ticulars to attain the Tuthill ideal, and
the same methods OF conditioning
serve equally well in boxing. football
and baseball, according to his notion,
A sensible diet plays the greatest
part In caring for the second particu-
lar. and the Tiger trainer is a firm be
lever In track work for the other
two. He has no objection to handball
and similar games that develop speed
and agility. but holds that lots OF
early track work is the greatest thing
In the world for developing endurance
and powerful underpinning. invaluable
assets to every sort Of athlete.
But Tuthill by no means believes
that the average baseball player keeps
nearly as well conditioned as the av.
erage gridder or boxer, and he blames
over-indulgence In pure spring water
and hotel eats for that fact Harry
is very much opposed to the accepted
practice OF continually drinking wa
ter during a baseball game. He claims
that ii only increases thirst on a hot
day and that 1t waterlogs the players.
II is not permitted on the gridiron or
In the ring. and IL Tuthill had his way.
the bubbling fountain would be chas-
ed from the bench to the club house.
where IL could be interviewed after
the game.
The Cherry-st. sage attributes the |
failure OF many promising baseball |
recruit to outrageous assaults upon |
hotel menus. An amazing number OF
cracking good youngsters gorge them. |
selves out OF the major leagues, as.
serts he. and he seems TO have the |
cards to back UP his play.
''The average busher who gets a |
chance TO break into the big show |
goes TO training camp. and in his zeal |
10 make good gets himself into pretty !
good condition" says Tuthill by the |
time the team starts for the north. |
the youngster is frequently playing |
fairly good ball. and shows up fine be-
cause the veterans are having TO take
more time than the kids in llmbering |
up their joints. BY the time the |
season opens and the team goes on |
Its first road trip, the phenom is play. |
ing fast ball and looks like a regular. |
ihch hc BctS CTdCk dI the QOlel |
menus. Being allowed three OF four |
times as much money for meals than
he was back In the trolley league.
and facing real swell eats for the first |
time In his life, he wades in and |
gorges himself TO the limit. Advice |
Is wasted on most OF these youngsters.
and In two or three weeks the rich |
food gets TO them. They begin 70 |
slow up and lose their wind, and Just |
at the time when the veterans are |
reaching top form and the kids will |
have TO fight hardest for their Jobs.
they crack Then it's back 10 the |
jungle for them.
IF some way could be figured out |
TO keep secret from a 'phenom' Just
how much grub a first-class hotel can /
turn out for one meal, there would |
be lot more good young ball play
ers In the major leagues.
There have been some PLAYERS who |
could bat like demons regardless OF
their physical condition" concluded |