Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-26
PECK SHOWS MEDICOS UP
Grid Star Breaks Leg in 1918 and
Doesn't Find it Out Until Late
This Fall.
PLAYS DESPITE BAD INJURY
nv FRANK a. MuNKu

ny FRANK q. MENkE.
NEW YORK. Dec. 25-what vast diff
ference there is In the gameness, the
fighting spirit and the capacity for suf-
fering between the professional base bali
player and tho college foot bah player.
Whenever a base ball player contracts
slight headache. or bruised nose, or
skinned shin. he rushes Off to the doc
tors office, summons q flock of medical
gents and nurses, and then decides TO
take about four weeks layoff until the
ache or abrasion has disappeared.
But whenever the foot ball player Is In
jured-well read the case OF Bob Peck,
the brilliant All-American center OF the
University OF Pittsburgh eleven.
Refuses 60 Have Doctor.
During the Pittsburgh Washington and
jefferson game in 1913 Peck. who then
was playing in the halfback position.
was injured. He was In terrible pain for
many hours after the accident. but he
refused TO let tho doctor examine the
leg. fearing that the injury really was
serious ana that the doctor would order
him to the hospital.
Peck Insisted upon playing In the game
the following Saturday and played every
Saturday until the end OF the season. but
no was handicapped In his speed by a
decided limp In his right leg.
| When the Pittsburgh gridiron warriors
assembled for training In 1914 Coach Joe
Duff decided that Peck wouldn't do as a
halfhack. His leg continued TO pain him
and he had TO humof II. He tried to walk
without a limp so that the coaches would
give him Job on the eleven-but Duff
noticed the limp.
Peck Is a fiery. fearless player and one
whose aggressiveness helped greatly In
keeping up the spirits OF his fellows
Duff didn't want TO lose him 80 he trieC
him out at center where speed Is moi
90 essential as II a In the backfield. Peel
made good Immediately at that position
and, despite the handicap Of an ailinf
leg, he ranked as the greatest all-arount
center In the country at the end OF the
1914 season.
Broken Les No Handicap.
When the 1915 season began Peck wa,
back at center for Pittsburgh. and n wa,
his brilliant playing that aided the Pit
> eleven In winning It's eight straight VIC.
tories. The limp stin remained with
Peck; the pain In hts leg ofteutmes was
agonizing. But he ignored the advice OF
the coaches and his teammates 10 20 e
a doctor and have Il examined.
"WhAtll ! do that fort" he asked
Maybe there really lie something wron,
with II and then can't play any more
In the Carnegie game this year Peel
got In a scrimmage and when the players
untangled themselves Peck lay at IN,
bottom OF the heaE-semi-eonsc an,
with his leg doubled up under HIM
Position a. Called.
, lie was carried off the field and despit
Peclk's protests a doctor was called I,
! examine the leg. The medical gen
monkeyed with the leg. his face took OF
pushed expression, and then viii
some comment about "extraOrdinar,
, case" he called IN another physician. AM
this Was what they found:
Peck had broken his leg In that lsi
: game. between the shintone and the ankle
: and nature IN time welded together In
. broken parts. The bone, however. ha,
knitted In a ragged way and for tw,
: years the points OF the broken parts Ia,
been jabbing themselves into the flesh o