Omaha daily bee., 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
ny FRANK q. NTnNKE.

by FRANK q. MENkE.
NEW YORK. Dec. 25.--what a vast diff
ference there is I'm the gameness, the
fighting spirit and the capacity for suf-
fering between the professional base bali
player and the college foot bah player.
Whenever a base ball player contracts
a slight headache. or a bruised nose. or
skinned shin. he rushes off to the doc
tors office, summons a flock OF medical
gents and nurses. and then decides to
take about four weeks layofe 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 1918 Peck. who then
was playing In the halfbacl 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 and 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
he 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
halfback. His leg continued 10 pain him
and he had TO humof Il. He tried 20 walk
without a limp so that the coaches would
1nrlN IT, s-k -. -.
noticed the limp.
Peck Is q fiery. fearless player and one
whose sggressiyeness helped greatly IN
keeping up the spirits IT his fellows
Duff didn't want to lose him so he trleC
him out at center where speed Is moi
80 essential as II is in the backfield. Peel
made good Immediately at that position
and, despite the handicap OF an aflins
leg, he ranked as the greatest all-arounl
} center In the country at the end OF IN,
1914 season.
Broken Leg No Handicap.
When the 1915 season began Peck wa.
back at center for Pittsburgh, and Il wa.
his brilliant playing that aided the Pit
eleven In winning its eight straight VIC
tories. The limp still remained witt
Peck; the pain in his leg oftentimes was
aeonHing. But ne Ignored the advice Of
the coaches and his teammates 10 20 I,
doctor and have II examined.
"WhAtli ! DO that for3" he asked
. Maybe there really is something wron,
with It and then ! can't play any more.
In the Carnegie game this year Peel
got In a scrimmage and when the player
untangled themselves Peck lay at IN,
bottom OF the heap-semicOnscious an,
with his Les doubled up under him.
Position Il Called.
, lie was carried off the field and despit
, Pecl's protests a doctor was called 1,
! examine the leg. The medical gen
monkeyed with the leg. his face took OF
puzEied expression. and then witt
some comment about "extraordinal.
, case" he called In another physician. An.
this was what they found:
Peck had broken hts leg IN that 1871
: game. between the shinbone and the ankle
: and nature In time welded together IN
. broken parts. The bone. however. Ia,
knitted In a ragged way and for twl
; years the points OF the broken parts Ia,
been jabblng themselves into the flesh o