The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-28
By JAMES j. CoRBET1

sary for success in every physical con-
test--and also for the preservation
of life itself.
What does it avail a boxer If he can
hit with the strength of a pole driver,
III he can't time his punch so it will
land at the right moment and on the
right spot? What good does it do
a ballplayer who has the power to
smash the ball out OF the the lot, II
he can't time his swing so he can
meet the ball fairly?
1t makes no difference what game
you play you never will be other than
a dub of the worst kind until You
have learned the knack of timing your
movements and of co-ordinating eye,
mind and muscle. What is true as to
the value of perfect timing in athletic
contests, is also true in everything
else in life.
You can cross a street THOUSAND
times day in safety If you time your
movements correctly. But If once your
timing Is incorrect instead of lodging
! the moving vehicles, you will be struck
| by one of them.
! AT the present time the war depart
ment commission on physical training
, for soldiers. of which l am a member.
is teaching the soldiers the necessity
/ of timing in bayonet work. Many
movements in boxing are similar to
those used In bayonet charges. In
1 each absolute success can be secured
| only with perfect timing. II you swing
a blow that is poorly timed you miss
your mark. II you jab a bayonet with
poor timing the thrust never viii get
home. And when life itself hinges
on the outcome OF successful bayonet
jabbing, one can realize Just how vital
/ - {a xN 80 Oh YS y,ya b ga ;rr,s.
every movement perfectly.
! The difference between mediocre
boxers and star performers in the
fstic world, usually is perfect timing.
There are scores of men in the ring
today who're in the dub class ana
ever wiz be. largely because they
haven't learned to time their move
ments. They swing blindly. The re-
suit is that nine times out of ten
they miss. They don't know how to
time their side-step, their ducking or
their blocking. And. therefore, are on
the receiving end OF blows that never
would have landed had they learned
how to time their defensive move
ments correctly.
- The wonderful success Benny
Leonard has achieved In the boxing
world during the past year or so.
has been due largely TO the faet-that
he has S pent weeks and months in
learning the value of perfect timing.
| He trained his eye so that 1t would
telegraph to his brain just when he
should swing his blows aid just when
he should duck oncoming blows. With
out this as an asset. Benny never would
have been able to go through so many
battles unscathed, nor would he nave
been able to shoot through his wal
Iops at the psychological moment.
|
| The success of Ty Cobb, Iris Speak
err. Joe Jackson, George Sisler and
the other batting stars is due to their
ability to time perfectly that fraction
of a second when the ball will be
within hitting range. II they swung
a fraction of q, second later or earlier
/ they wouldn't meet the BAH. Rut
they have the timing down TO a science.
They know Just exactly when to swing
and how to swing TO make their bats
meet the ball perfectly. Watch the
poor httters and you will see that they
don't know when to swing. They us
uallv strike before the ball is In range
or after 1t has passed beyond them.
! 1t Is the same in golf, in tennis and
in all other sports. The tennis player
must be able to time the swing of
!
rushing ball fairly and squarely. If
his timing is In the least bit faulty 1t
means poor returns-and ultimate de-
lfeat The golfer must know just how
hard the ball should be hit and must
time every swing to perfection.
An oarsnan, too, must recognize
1.-The value of time. In four or eight
Dared shell the slightest fault in the
stroke of erer-ene man wifi put the
whole shell out of rythym. Every
nam must time his stroke in perfect
co ordination with his mates, If he
dips a second too soon or second
too late the perfect sweep of the boat
is ruined.
| In trap shooting perfect timing again
is an absolute necessity. II the marks
man pulls his trigger too late or too
soon he misses the target He. like
the other fellows in sport, must have
a good eye and be able to recognize
the exact fraction of the second when
action with the trigger must occur.
Otherwise, he is failure In his efforts
Ito shatter the clays.
! Learn to time perfectly your every
action--if you want to win the best in
sport and Dfe.