The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-07
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Il hear a lot about mental con-
troll, brains, nerve and co-ordina-
ton In sport" wites l. P. H., but
int It true that most Of the cham
pions are big men physically, with
a decided advantage in sheer
strength that counts more than
anything elseT'
Most Of the present-day cham
pions have a decided physical ad-
vantage, but this factor doesn't
count more than anything else.
without mental and physical CO.
ordination and the knack of ap-
plying their power. they would be
lot Of third raters. even il they
were twice as strong and twice as
big.
Physical and Mental.
By mental processes here we are
not referring TO any intellectual
superiority or. surprising brain
power.
"Rube" waddelI and Bugs" Ray
mond. for two examples were 81
per cent dumbbells in many re-
spects. but they were smart enough
on the ball field.
Every one has known certain
stars who were quick thinkers,
mainly through instinct, in GER
tain sport, but who could never
he rated as any intellectual pyra-
mids, towering above the run Of
ordinary existence around.
Many men are undoubtedly born
with a knack for a certain sport.
They take to 1t quickly, without
having to strain either brain or
nerve. For many of these the
game comes too easily to ever
leave them at the top.
Ty Cobb and Brickley had the
knack, but q big part of their sue
cess was due to the hardest sort
Of work and application.
The physical advantage is un-
doubtedly a big one. Babe" Ruth
weighs 22o pounds.
Ty Cobb weighs lsS. Jack
Dempsey weighs 1875. when pruned
down.
Hornsby and HeiIman are both
big, well-built entries. Paddock
has a world of physical power to
work on.
Miss Hollins and Miss Leiteh are
both powerfully Nbuilt,' and SO Is
Mrs. Mallory among golf and
tennis champions. Tiiden hasn't
bulk, but he has height, reach and
leverage. all decided physical ad-
vantages when properly applied.
The big man or the strong wom-
an in competitive sport can turn
the same trick with less effort and,
as rule, with greater stamina
over the long route. It is here
they get the big jump on the field.
Present Champions.
One Of the leading features at
taehed to the play of many pres
ent champions is the way they have
combined bulk and speed. power
and rhythm.
Dempsey. weighing around 200
pounds is as light on his feet as
featherweight and as quick as Q
lightweight.
There isn't an awkward move
ment in his repertoire. no useless
expenditure Of waste movement, =
The same applies to Ruth.
weighing around go pounds. he Is
still one of the easy playing out
nelders who gets there without
any numbering effort
At bat his swingSis in no way.
an awkward lunge. but a WELL
timed smash that carries perfect
rhythm, minus any type Of jerk
or lunge. 80
1t is the matter of Speeding up
the bat for the moment OF impact,
where the hands, and wrists come
in Just at the right moment, backed
up by a body that never gets in
ahead of the wallop.
Searching to watch.
= The entry with an excess of
PHYSICAL power may often be at
disadvantage in baseball, golf or
tennis. because he finds this sur.
plus power harder to control.
Most pitchers with terrific speed
the as wild as eagles. John
ron Is an. exception. because he has
a perfect pitching motion. No man
has ever come along before who
could hit baseball as hard a..
Ruth with as little apparenl efrort.
The big fellow usually bax -