Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-05
STAR ATHLETES
DIE At EARLY AGE
CHAMPIONS ARE WARNED or
TOO STRENUOUS LIFE WHILE
IN COLLEGE
Heart Trouble often Attacks Young
Men in Later Life.

Is the concluding sentence of warn
! ing appended 10 a long report which
the federal government has prepared
ON the lives of athletes. The ques-
tion as 70 whether hard training for
the more violent sports really tended
10 shorten the lives of athletes was
regarded by the public health service
as Of vital interest TO the country, as
indeed il is. for If the youth of the
country are to place in jeopardy their
future usefulness. ii is necessary that
steps should be taken to preserve the
quality Of the manhood Of the coun-
try. In making their investigation
the government officials relied almost
entirely upon the opinions of men
whose long connection with school
and university athletics entitled them
to speak with authority.
DR.. W. G. Anderson, professor at
Yale and director of the Yale gymna-
SUM pointed out that, until 1905. the
Yale men who had achieved distipc-
ton in the more strenuous sports as
a rule lived longer than those who
paid less attention to sports, but
since 1905 there has been an increase
in the death rate Of Yale athletes, es-
peeially among those who go in for
rowing. This increase is thought 10
be due to the hard competition which
has marked college athletics in recent
years.
On the other hand, Dr. James \.
kase, physical director of Indiana uni
versity seems To voice the opinion
Of the majority of experts consulted
when he says that the reason college
athletes sometimes suffer from heart
trouble within a few years of their
graduation is that they subject them
selves to a violent change in habits.
He says that man who INDUCES In
strenuous sports for six or seven
years. accustoming his heart to ey-
traordinary strains, should upon grad
uation continue 10 indulge in sports
which will afford occupation for the
full capacity of his heart, and then
gradually reduce his exercise. But
in many cases athletes take IN office
or other sedentary work and neglect
to take a reasonable amount of exer-
else. This, according to Dr., Case is
matter which requires serious atten-
ton. This opinion is also held by Dr.
Thomas u. Wood, who for TWENTY-FIVE
years has had opportunity to observe
athletes at Columbia University But
while he believes that excessive indul-
eence in athletics is dangerous, he il
firmly convinced that moderate irdul-
gence tends to increase the length OF
the athletes life.
Or. c. " P. Young, director ~
Cornell's gymnasium. agrees with DR.
Case and goes further by saying
that in his opinion basketball and
the quarter and half mile track
events put athletes to strains which
have little or nothing to commend
them as contributing toi the physical
welfare Of the contestant" Or. C.
L. Brewer, director Of athletics at the
University Of Missouri, however, il
strongly OF the belief that athletes do
not die younger than other men. He
calls attention to the publicity given
TO the deaths OF great athletes, and
says that he believes this tends to
create a popular belief that athletes
stand less chance Of Ewing to an old
age than other men. ,Many OF the au-
thoriues consulted by, the government
officials stated that Ina sketball was to
be INDUCED In with great care and on.
~ by picked men. 1t is generally play
ed indoors and is cons dered by many
TO be the most strenuo us of all sports.
Opinions as TO wha kind of exer-
else men Of 80 and As. could take with
safety were also asked for. The au-
thoritles agree that a. man of 30, who
in his youth has new err gone in for
strenuous sports sholL be very care
full about them. But the man Of 80,
who has engaged in. athletics, can
with perfect safety Fccftinue to en-.
gage in nearly all sports excepting
those requiring sudden strains on the
heart, and, If he trains properly, even
these sports viii do him no harm But
the man of as had better confine him
self to tennis in rhodepation, golf,
bowling, handball, swimming, moder-
ate rowing, horseback riding, tramp
ing and fishing, but he should by the
time he has reached that age in
stnctively realize that he is ineapa-
Bile of hard competb ion and govern
the amount of his ex ercise according
~. However the repdrt cites instances
of great athletes of former times who
still indulge in vigorous exercise at
the age Of 70, They 9are the men who
have recognized the| need Of regular
exercise as safeguard against de.
generation of the heart tissues.
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