Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-09
ATHLETICS MEAN
MUCH To FUTURE,
EDWARDS ARGUES
School Boy of Today May Be
Soldier Of TomorrW, "Big
Bill" Former Princeton Foot
ball Star, Points Out
SPECIAL DISPATCH 70 MORNING JOURNAL
Uy Y. TIcanor.)

By '. Trcanor.)
New York, Jan. Sew are there
more qualified to discuss the physical
training of the younger generation
than Big Bill" Edwards, a football
player of rare ability at Princeton in
his time, the internal revenue col
lector has never since lost interest in
athletics When we requested his
ideas on the subject he plunged into
the heart of the matter eagerly.
THE schoolboy of today may be
the soldier of tomorrow he said.
The great war that has just been
won by our wonder army proved be-
yond all question Of doubt the value
of physical training. Military lead
ers were quick TO realize the value of
boys who had won their spurs on the
gridiron, on the baseball diamond, OF
in the squared ring circle, In fact,
every branch of snort contributed its
share of the red-blooded thorough
breds--men whose training in attn
letics fitted them for the supreme test
they were called on TO face on the
bloody fields of Europe.
Naturally | always have advocated
athletics" continued the collector
"Ono of the first to recognize stth
letics was General Pershing. Soon all
the allied commanders recognized it.
Governments were quick to see its
value good athlete makes a good
soldier and good soldier always is
a good athlete | look forward to new
records in snort after all the bows
come home Their muscles have been
steeled bv their outdoor life and their
training behind the lines. Their cour-
age knows no limits"
"The war has nroved boon to attn
leties," we suggested
"None can measure the amount of
good that has been done for the
American youths who had chance
to get into condition at the various
training cams throughout the coun-
try" answered pig Bin and there
isn't n douht hut that this athletic
training made for an espirit de CORPS.
a morale that made the American
army inyincible. AS a result of this
athletic and recreation program car
RED on Nv the various ORGANIZATIONS
the fear that was expressed that our
bows were liable to degenerate as a
result of the war proyed il1+founded
In NV talks for the Liberty Loan, Red
Cross and other war activities. ] re-
ueatedlv declared that when our BOYS
returned they would be the fina;t
tvpes of manhood physically. men
tail, and morally IN the world This
statement is horne out bv the daily
arrival of these tboroughbreds on our
TRANSPORTS from overseas.
"you know ana know of some
lads" and big Bur' waxed enthus
iastic. "who went away to the camps
weaklinrs and after a few months of
rigorous training and outdoor life
came back with the glow of health on
their cheeks and their laws set to
meet The German
"A few DAYS ago prominent man,
war worker. who witnessed that
terrific fight at Chateau Thierry--
that battle which was the beginning
of the end of tho enemy-saw and
talked with a group of boys who had
inst returned from n dash into the
German lines, leaving many of their
comrades dead. one big fellow
hlurted ont.
will YOU tell us WHY Alexander
didn't mitch for Philadelphia this
vearp'
"Just think of il. Here was fell
Iow who had lust left the laws of
death and baseball was uppermost in
his mind"
(which snort in your mind is more
conducive TO tho COURAGE needed in
battle ?" we asked
"Wheu the final history of this war
is written-if n final history ever can
be written"-and Rig Bill was thor
o}ghlv in earnest in replv--'4he deeds
of heroes of the gridiron will fill