Arizona republican., 1916-08-28
SPORT COMMENT
rRepubllcan A. p. Leased Wirel

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug, 27.-Boyo Comstock, track and fled coach is quoted as making the interesting statement that any athelete can de- vcIop into a champion in two years Comstoc< turned out the pest team that ever represented the University of California This was in 1913 when the southerners defeated both the University of California and Leland Stanford, Jr., University. Comstock explains his theory as follows:
 Any fellow who can navigate around without the aid of crutches or 2. cane can be developed into | champion athlete within two years.
 Present day athletics may be com pared 10 twentieth century agricul- tural methods Intensives.
 T believe tEat an athlete will show progress in proportion to bis ability to absorb knowledge coupled with the physical capacity to bear up un- der daily grind.
 Tn other words, if exceptional inn provements in any event is desired sufficiently t. remove the sport ele- ment and make it a business the novice may become a champion. in q third of the time usually attributed to the acquiring of excellent ability.
 Roughly speaking. l believe two years of daily work with correct coaching will put any able bodied man in a championship class. If the mental and physical capacity for ab- sorption of knowledge and skill was equal to any strain which might be put upon the results could be ac- qIired in less than two annums.
 "EXcel.t in rare instances. however. this is not the case. The brain and lt ..e-f the unnatural strain and so limit the progress of the ambitious pupil. This leads to a condition which in athletic parlance is termed "staleness."
 "Staleness. be it or body or mind is nothing more or les than rebel of the system, caused by constant rep ition of one thing.
 Time and change of interest are the two antidotes for the nausea called 'staieness The stronger the mind and body, the quicker the re- covery.
 ,"The theory of perfect form in any one event may be explained to any thing athlete on the average in two months. The putting of these funda- mentals into practice presents a diff ficulty.
 The ordinary athlete cannot sue cessfully put into practice the com parativeiy few points which go tc make up form sequnece. The event which first must be disected ano presented to the athlete in the easi- est manner possible.
 Tt practically is impossible to give | the Fundamentals to the pupil as { whole. Not only the coach, but tho student. must know the why anC wherefore of every movement made Give me the thinker, in preference tt a well developed body.
 Unlike other major sports, tracl athletes are net always born but cal be made"
 Statistics kept by the park de partment of Seattle. Washington show that in July the attendance ol the municipal golf course showed gain of more than A per cent owe the best monthly figures of 1915 Gold enthusiasts consider this furthe evidence of the amazing growth an, popularity of the game throughou the country Few of the larger citie are now without public course am available figures show that, in man instances. the laying out of the frs course has developed players so rap
 idly that the installation of a sec |
 lowed
 The number of women who ar
 taking up the game is keeping pac
 with the men and this is borne ou by the fact that the Seattle repol
 shows that additional locker spac
 has been added to their departmer in order to accommodate them.
 That the practice of players carry
 ing their clubs about with them O trips as. a part of their regular lug gage constantly is growing is attes by a glimpse of any of the great bag gage rooms and on the authority , the men who handle the baggage . lny further rroof were necessary tt , Seattle figures show that more tha ! 2o per cent of the total number ( , players using the municipal links al . visitors and ourists.
 ? The check rooms of large hote : usually contain bewildering ara : of clubs and bags belonging to thes , travellers who carry implements P the game with them in ode to induls { their fovorite sport wherever the . happen to be.