The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-09
ATHLETES WON'T QUIT THEIR POST IN AN EMERGENCY
Walter Camp Cites Instances Where Athletes Come
 Through in Pinch
Ny WALTER CAMP Special Corresppndcnt ef The Herald (CopyriEht. 1922. by The Age o-Horaldi

NSopyriEut, isSzs hy The AGo-HcraldS
 New York, July s.--In the Atlantic City railroad disaster of this week the outstanding hero was Jonathan Miller. better known as -Pos" Miller, the star backfield man of the Univers- ity of Pennsylvania eleven. Miller was working this summer as a brake man. and was on the wrecked train. For hours in the darkness he worked extricating the injured and admins tering first aid. tireless and self sacrificing.
 Miller Is but one of the many ath- letes who have shown when the real test came that they were prepared to assert their qualities of manly cour- age. Tillie Lamar was one of the greatest halfbacks that Prince ton ever turned out, a man who turned apparent defeat by Yale to victory back in 1ssS. He lost his life in an attempt to save a girl from drown ing. Fred Brokaw. the greatest Princeton catcher. gave up his life at Long Branch in an effort to save two young women from drowning.
 Athletic history Is filled with these events. So far as the war Is con- eerned. if one were to chronicle the deeds of our athletic heroes. 1t would require pages and pages. Many times the writer has been asked the reason why the athlete stands out in times of emergency. Why, among many men at Winsiow Junction, was 1t "Posr Miller who stood out as doing the greatest work?
 Athlete Won't Quit
 Well. there are excellent reasons why and they should convince even the most ardent critics of inter collegiate sport that athletics have a value apart from mere play. When the time comes for action the athlete Is always ready to serve, to risk danger and to sacrifice self utterly. In the first place, the cardinal thing the athlete learns is to go on, no matter how exhausted he may be, no matter how he may be suffering.
 The great sin in the dsealogue of the youthful sportsman Is to quit. That point Is drilled into him con stantly upon the athletic field. He must forget his own pain, his ex- haustion and go on with his job. Now this Is not Q natural act. The child has no courage until 1t Is drilled into him. The human impulse as soon as pain Is felt is to stop. The untrainad stop when hurt or frightened. So ths code of the athlete develops men who will not quit or run away or become paralyzed with fright or terror In an emergency. This is where training tells, There may be individuals out side the ranks of athletios--of course there are-who are brave and will help. but the athletes themselves have been steadily schooled until 1t Is na- tural for them to face pain and dan ger. This is what gives to the country the Pos Miliers. the Tillie I.amars lin civil life and Johnny overtons and Hobey Bakers and thousands of other heroes in time of war.
 Fond parents. who, in excess of timidity and anxiety forbid their boys going in for the rough. ylrile sports, should think of how they may be spelling their manhood. Bcys may be reared with too much caution. It is part of life. of success in life, to take chance. Look before you leap" is a good adage. but if you look too long you may fail.