New Britain herald., 1925-12-24
RUTH IS TRAINING
 FOR BIG COMEBACK
Physical Instructor Predicts He
 VIII Have Greatest Year

New York, Dee. q P-Babe Ruth not only will stage q comeback next season but also will enjoy one of the greatest years he ever has had on the diamond, in the opinion of Arthur McCiovcrn. veteran physi- cal instructor at whose gymnasium the big Yankee a,uEgor has started his training battle for 1920,
 Two weeks of faithful and pers- piring exercise have borne results worth while. Ruth's 222 pounds may not seem exactly sylph-like, but this represents a loss of eight pounds, besides which the royal waist-line has been reduced moro than four inches. The Babe is dieting consctcntiously for the first time in his career. Abstaining from all stimulants, and the progress he has made so for toward getting into condition conyinccs McGoVorn that the big fellow will win his strenu- ous battle.
 Most of baseball fandom. is watch ing Ruins comeback efforts. II was something Of a national calamity. In the minds of baseball fans, when the Babe collapsed last spring from the effects of the flu" and his sub- aoqucnt slump, after returning 10 the game, was q hard blow to the gam" as wcll as to the Yankees. This slump, however. was not due to loss of his batting eye, for Whcn he was physically lit to play his best he was banging the ball over the fence with his' customary abandon. | In this connection NcGovCrn OK pressed tho opinion that when the Tabe Ects out of condition, which he does very easily, it is not be- cause of any form Of dissipation which he has been continually ac- cuacd Of, but simply because ho has let up on his exercise, which he has 10 keep up at all times to stay in condition"
 Tho temptation to shirk the "drudgcry" Of hard training is inc thing that costs many champions their form, McGovcrn pointed out, Ii is especially so in Euth's case be- cause of his unusual proportions. He requires at least an hours workout daily to avoid taking on fat and having his muscles become soft and nabby.
 "Erth can gain as much as 10 pounds in 24 hours" McGovcrn revealed. This may seem c%aggcr- atcd but l have known pugilis's who ! weighed only 1l5 pounds on tho day | of the contest but weighed l25 tho 1 following day. It is generally known feet that Johnny Dundee, who has held several boxing titles, changes 15 pounds in q hours. Of coursn, such weight fluctuations are
 mostly lody liquid, because if we were 10 abstain from liquid for two days We would vary from three 10 ! jon pounds"
 In 1o years of baseball Ruth has lost tho equivalent of about two and : onc-half tons in wcirht. More than my other 7'hlctc who is forced 70 train consistently. McGovern fig urcs, This is based o0 an estimate that thc Babe loses an average of three pounds daily during the train- ing and playing seasons about 1SO days a year. Al this rate. a loss Of l54o pounds yearly, Ruth's 1O-ycar 2rsregato is 5.4oa pounds.
 Ruths training course during the past two weeks under NcGovcrn's direction has consisted of two hours of varied oynrclse daily. Tossing tho medicine hall, playing fandhall and hoving IIe expects 10 kocp up this program until about February 10 when he will 20 south to complete his conditioning.
 Tho Raho is declared hv McGov- crn 10 be one of thc fastest hig men ho ever haa trained. This speed frequently has enabled him 10 out last two opponents at handball. i Boxing is one of the big fellows hobbies and McGovern believes he would have made a good ring rec