The New York herald., 1922-12-03
HELMETS AND PADS
PREVENT INJURIES
Football Warriors Go Into
+. Battle Arrayed Like knights
of Old.
BALL PLAYERS GUARDED
k,oXers OF Bare knuckle Days
Amazed at Safeguarding
Methods To-day.
BALL PLAYERS GUARDED
ny CHARLES If. MATHIsoN.

The strain incident TO paucipatlon
In modern athletics is shown by the
armor IN use nowadays by boxers,
football players, baseball experts,
hockey players. and in fact by those
engaged in all rough, vigorous pas
times.
In the early days OF football the
players wore little except long hair
and a determined expression OF coun-
.tenance. The gr.diron heroes of to-
day cover their skulls with thick
leather helmet that is well calculated
TO withstand the shock OF the most
vigorous battering ram tactics i'll the
interest of alma mater.
In addition the ground gamers wear
that is laced tightly and is nearly as
effective as the steel cuirass worn by
warriors when. knighthood was in
bloom. IN spite of this protective
-precaution the game of football Is
conceded-to be a most strenuous form
of physical contest. and the young
sters who battle on the chalk lines
require much courage and loads Of
endurance and vigor. The accom-
panying illustration shows Johnny
Warren. tackle of the victorious Army
eleven, in full lighting togs.
Those of the gloveless, masisess, pad
less Baseball players OF forty years ago
who still live smiled pityingly at the spec
tacie OF modern diamond hero who
hides one hand in glove the size of
a Virginia ham, and the ball never
comes in contact with his barred digits
except through accident. The bacistops
who in the infancy Of baseball" tquota-
ton from famous speech Of Squire Eb-
bets) stood behind the bat with nothing
on hands, face or breast except sum-
mer tan thought the prediction OF mask,
glove and breast pad in the dim future
was merely Jules Verne romance.
These useful defensive articles came too
late to save the gnarled fingers and
flattened features of catchers like Silver
Flint. Charley Bennett and others OF the
early days Of the game. In the sunset
period Of their careers they used the
tools OF modern baseball, but the dam
age had been done SO far as their hands
were concerned.
Menace to ball Players.
The greatest danger now faced by
ball players Is in sliding TO base on an
attempted steal or lodging pitched balls
that are sometimes shot I'm close to the
batter with the purpose Of busting him
.ff' and inducing him to stand bit
further from the plate. After the death
of Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Club
'as the result OF being hit on the head
by a pitched ball. delivered by Carl
Mays, helmet was invented for the
al t1A
was tried by some Of the diamond stars
but did not seem to possess any special
advantages and was abandoned. In all
other respects the protective armor OF
the baseball player is perfect.
Squash players wear masks, basket
ball players protect themselves from in
jury by kneecap and elbow pads, and
hockey players wear shin guards like
cricket players, heavy gauntlcts on
p.{s and the goal tender dons a mask.
although boxers wear nothing when
IN contest except gloves and confident
smile there Is a different story to tell
when they are training for combat. Lew
Tender. who still aspires to the title
held by Benny Leonard. is shown above
in a training bout with his sparring
partner. Harry Brown. Each has a
heavy leather helmet on his head. with
pads over the ears to prevent injury to
[dulLlOWeTtQ dpptHudbcs. Cli
their hands are gloves of the twelve
ounce variety, with padded wrist cover
ing reaching well toward the elbow.
These precautions are not taken
through fear of blows, but to safeguard
the boxer who may be preparing for an
important bout. If he were to receive
cut on the face or were 10 injure
hand In hitting his sparring partner he
might have TO postpone the impending
match or call IL off entirely. with the
resultant loss of thousands of dollars.
That is the reason for the invention OF
armor--to protect boxers in training. for
when they enter the ring for contest
Z they are restricted to trunks, shoes and
gloves.
I'm Bare KuuckIc Days.
; Modern training of pugilst differs
radically from that prevailing In the
days Of bare knuckle fighting. Then the
fighters knew that each battle was
Z scheduled TO a finish and that only
when one man was so helpless his sec
onds tossed Ia the sponge would the
fight end. The London rules fighters
therefore trained chiefly for endurance,
and they did much road work I'm order
10 put their breathing apparatus In good
order. As they fought with bare hands
they picked their fists in strong brine
and also used the same on their faces.
BY way of removing all superfluous
flesh from the face the boxer OF early
days pulled a heavy wooden mask over
the head and face and kept u On during
their work. The knuckles cut and
bruised cruelty and the injurious effects
were lessened when there was little
flesh on the face.
The London rules fighters were also
required to be careful OF their hands.
for blow that landed on the skull
might pun a fist entirely out OF commits
sion. TIeenan shot a blow at Morrissey
ia their memorable fight and when Nor
rissey sldestepped ITeensn's fist c6llided
with a wooden ring stake. The Benicia
Boy could not punch any more and los.
the battle IN his crippled condition.
The bare knuckle fighters lid title or
no swinging. as there was great Hanger
- the hands. For the most part they
we're straight hltters. with the noss or
Dit Of the stomach as the earxets
When boxing with sparrtng pa rtncr
In training quarters the LCn.ion iules
warriors used four oun'e gloves.
with the adoption Of gloves breed
of swinging hltters has developed. there
being less danger 70 the hand when en-
oasod In a six ounce padded mitt.
Wins Canadian Rugby Title.
KINGSTON. Ont. Dec. 2.--The Queens