El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-01
MENTAL ATTITUDE MOST ESSENTIAL
ExIghtweght Champion Australia Compares Physical
Training Playing Breaks Health

professional pugilist. after a dozen
I years Of active service in the ring
l is q stale, listless specimen OF hu-
manity. II is the rule, when boxer
has reached the ''has-been class" 10
attribute his retrogression 10 dissipa-
l ton, but there are instances OF
! fighters who never dissiDated. who
are prematurely old at 81
Best in TWenties.
] 1T is the favorite contention among
I athletes that a man is at his best
! between the ages of % and 80. Mr.
Naughton's observation led him 10 the
conclusion that a professional boxer
who engages in the average training
and relaxing, is good for about ten
/ years If he starts his career at 20
years Of age and is kept fairly busy.
he will be on the down grade by the
/ time he reaches 80. There are excep-
! tons to this, as there are to every
rule. Bob Fitzsimmons retained his
I physical powers long after the allotted
span and George Godfrey. colored
heavyweight OF Boston, was stiu Tor
mida Die, as a fighter, long after the
/ ten years limit. Clearly Mr.. Naughton
attributed the early passing Of the
athlete pugilist TO the strenuousness
Of his game-the heavy tax II proved
on his physical system-and there
was, and is. a good deal to support
the belief, but that does not wholly
explain the matter In another part
Of the same article. Mr.. Naughton
wrote The percentage OF pugilists
who keep themselves in good condi-
ton, in and out Of season, is lament
ably small.
at is the practice. once the rigors|
Of training has relaxed and the con-
test for which preparation was made
has become a thing Of the past, 10
indulge the appetite with all the
things that were forbidden during the
q ~
soued foods, liquors, late hours and
all the other excuses which await
the class of men who are petted and
courted, help TO undo what regular
work and careful diet accomplish. BY
the time the pugilists signature is re-
agreement, not a vestige remains. s
rule. OF his splendid fettle Of a few
months previous Taking IL for
granted that the fighter, about to
enter upon a season Of preparation, |
has not attempted to exercise self de- !
NAL and has been taking things easy.
20 use no harsher expression, since
his last appearance in the ring, what /
must he do TO attain good condition? l
EFT is hard to say, hut Mr.. Fry's
contention that state Of general
Illness which condition boxer
has to gain before he feels he r.
in proper shape to fight. seems
TO be a very good idea. But this,
/ Think is the proper explanation
for the shortness OF n boxers nfh-
letic career. The exeesses. which
most boxers literally plunge into
Immediately their contests are
over, after rigidIy training for
weeks before and entering the
ring with their physical selves
strung up to concert pitch, do the
harm.
The system viii stand this strain i
more or less frequently according TO
the powers Of the individual, but j
there must come a time, sooner or
later, when the game Of playing fast
and loose with nature is sure to cost
the trifler dearly. Bob Fitzsimmons
and George Godfrey were boxes who I
took great care OF themselves.
1t VIII be seen, therefore. that the
life OF a professional boxer is not the
bed Of roses some people picture 1t
70 be A boxer may win his contests
quickly and easily, but the strenuous
training and the life he is practically
forced 10 live. undermines his consti-
tuition and vitality to such an extent
that his athletic career is a very
short one, even II 1t is sweet at
times"