The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-26

Doesn't courage depend more or less
upon physical fitness
Give TO a man splendid health ana
vou rarely will see him exhibit fear OF
ANYBODY or anything. Rob him OF II
and a pitiful condition results. Lacking
belief in his own physical powers ne
cannot have superb mental polsc-ai'o
incffic.ency usually is the result inns
anplies not only to athletes but to men
in every walk of life.
six months ago I encountered
vounester who had, during the years
previous, disregarded all advice as to
guarding his health. Late hours, IN
diligence in alcoholic drinks, overcat-
ing and too many cigarettes and fall-
IRE to exercise had reduced him to q
soft, PUPPY condition. He was at an
age when he should have been radlatlng
with life, energy and enth usiasm. But
instead that boy, just drafted into the
army, was living in fear of what the
future held for him. He tllked to me
about going into the army and his ev-
cry utterance would have caused an
outsider to feel that he was coward
~ it'll a big, wide yellow streak run
ming up and down his back.
A few months later 1 saw that boy
again, when he was in town on leave
of absence-and what marvellous
change had come in him. 1t seemed
that miracle had been performed.
The dropping shoulders were gone, the
face, once pasty in appearance, was
rosy and clear His step no longer
was sluggish and hesitating. 1t was
ouoyant, aggressive ana confidens. ana
the boy himself exuded a spirit of SUI
preme belief in himself and his powers
TO conquer anything or anybody.
How goes it?" l asked.
"Greatr' was the response. And
Jim l want to tell you that if those
army people don't send me over to
France pretty soon, I'll take the case
in my own hands and hop the first
boat"
And yet the same boy few weeks
earlier was frightened almost into con-
WILSON'S at the very thought OF getting
into action. What had wrought the
change? What Lad transformed him
from an apparent coward oe few
months before 10 youngster wildly
anxious to risk his own life for his
country? Not'''ng but an improvement
IN his physical condition.
Jim Jeffries, during the heydey of
his career was looked upon as the
gamest and most courageous fighter
of his time. He feared no man and
his dogged determination was ma
tional by-word. Courage was his--in
abundance.
Contrast this Jeffries with the JEFF
fries that fought Jack johnson in Reno
in 1910. The showing that Jeffries
made in the fight with the negro was
disappointing to an extreme. So feeble
was Jeffries defense and so impotcnt
his attack on the negro that many per-
sons declared that Jim Jeffries had a
yellow streak" that he was afraid
of the negro
But that Indictment of the great ring
man is not true. The difference be-
tween the Jeffries of 1900 and the JET
fries of 1910 is explained solely by
physical fitness-and the lack of it. In
the active days of his championship,
Jeffries was in splendid fighting con-
dition-he was physically fit. And so
he had confidence in himself, and
OF course. great courage. Even in the
times when he seemed beaten by other
foes that belief that his own physical
in the end, carried him along and ena-
bled him to win out in many hard
fought battle. But in 1910--how differ
ent he was! Jeffries went into that
battle a nervous wreck. He made a
miserable showing because he had no
confidence in himself-because he