Evening star., 1926-12-09
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

~ ENE TUNNEY'S future as a
fighting champion of the
world is yet to be determined.
~ But right now it is estab-
lished that all records, past
and present. in the way of original
thought and polished verbiage and in
telligent interest in the deeper things
Of hfe are safely and irrevocably in
possession Of the titleholder.
The other day Gene was comforta.
bly, seated in a Pullman car deep In
the perusal of the well known-or are
they well -'Meditations of
Marcus Aurelius," when he was ac-
costed by a Princeton student repre-
senting that daily student organ, the
Princetonian.
Champion Is Not Feazed.
Tunney was ready for him. In fact.
having crossed swords with Bernard
Shaw, this young Tiger journalist
meant no more to him than pork
and bean heavyweight-even granting
that the Princeton Journalist was by
no means a pork and bean scribe.
In the course Of the interview 1'un-
ney, who has that habit peculiar TO
great men in turning the tables OF IN
ouiry upon an interviewer. ELECTED the
fact that Pripceton does not award
Astonished. outraged. the champion
thereupon expressed views concern
ing the relative merits of boxing and
foot ball that are entitled TO wider
audience than that Of a college daily.
YOU mean to tell me" exclaimed
Tunney. that Princeton awards no
insignia to it's boxers when it gives
major letters to foot ball men who
play game which demands no skill,
A{,-fI 4 ~ N
only the faculty to take orders,
faculty which is good in the soldier
but never good in the creative mind!'
To fall into the vernacular Of some
Of Genes ring associates. can you
beat that?
Is Surprise to Gene.
"Do they give letters for foot ball, "
Tunney went on, do they give let
ters for sport which does not re-
ouire creative qualities and then re-
fuse to recognize a sport which de-
mands both physical and moral cour-
age. individual and competitive
thinking. years Of planning and prep
aration and true sportsmanship?'
Leaning back in his seat. Tunney
stared at the inauiring reporter. who
bushed and stammered and ad-
mitted that this was even so.
well" Gene paused a moment to
marshal his thoughts and then
went on:
There is no compar rison between
the necessary preparation which a
boxer and a foot ball player must
undergo.
"In boxing a man must always
have his eye toward the. physical and
mental conditions which control his
49, n,>I hot
logically and SensuOuSly, while the
foot ball hero trains only for A brief
period.
From my observation of both
sports would far rather he the hest
boxer in a university than the best
foot hall player. ] would know in
the former case that I had realized
my position as result of individual
effort and merit. thus making for the
most complete qualification.
Believes In Control.
Like everything else, boxing
should not be permitted to run riot
without any check. | would like to
see 1t fostered as college sport
more for the development Of manli-
ness and self.reliance than for the
fame Of an institution. which. after
ALL is intended primarily for learning.
"As an intercollegiate sport. boxing
among the colleges could do no more
harm than foot hall. ! am positively
not in favor. though. of college men
taking ur boxing as profession.
There is Just SO much good to be got
out of the sport and 1t is worthless
to look beyond that point"
How about boXing as means of
enabling a man to take care of him
self" Tunney was asked. '.-.
Nonsense" replied Gene. That
is fallacy; for il is so seldom that
gentlemen ever become mixed up in a
fight that if this We're the only motive
boxing would he a waste Of time. The
one motive should he the development
OF four great virtues--individual