The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-16
GLOVES AID
COL | { GE=
STUDENTS
BY Gene Tunney
Heavyweight champion

Worlds Heavyweight Champion
Compulsory boxing in colleges
found myself asking that ques
finn the other evening at a MOVING
nicture show where news reel sho'
was shown picturing the gymnasium
-tsns a southern university where box
Ing, had been made a part OF the
Irregular course of study. Perhaps 9
- hundred students were engaged ~
what looked like one of those OLD
fashioned battle royals which useo
to be a feature of fight programs.
= OF course, regular boxing instruc
4ion will take the place or the
scramble shown in the picture ana
am going to be keenly interested In
the results, for am convinced tnat
boxing should be made not mater
of choice for student, but com
pulsory. =. :.
think 1t would solve a lot OF
student problems that keep college
officials worried today, and woulo
result in a higher standard OF
scholarship, better athletics ano
more successful men after gradua-
ton.
Not long ago read a press
aisnafeh with the heading.
ssStudents With Tummies Prove
a Re Dummies. 1t went on
q saw that q general college
survey had shown cOnCtuSlvely
4haf the fat students were slug.
gish.minded and almost always
Far behind the average IN their
{ class marks.
=.
shortly afterward I read another
story of how one of the big unlver'
stiles had refused to admit 30 stu
dents until thev took off a to1al
Of one ton Of flesh.
The professors believed that the
fact that they were overweight would
he a mental handicap and that
thew would retard their more pre-
cocious classmates. The story also
stated that the findings at that
college were that most students
were found to be overweight ana
that their marks in their studies
suffer accordingly.
These are but two samples OF
many instances of student problems
which are being given weighty con-
alteration and all kinds OF remedies
are being suggested. ] think COM
-pulsory boxing would stop all the
discussion.
n the first place boxing is the
only kind of exercise at which
man cannot shirk. He may be told
: Ia work out so many hours a day
IN q gymnasium, but the lazy
minded fellow or the one who feels
that he is in good shape enough as
. he is, will find a way to slip
through his routine without exert
ing his muscles.
p When was q yOungster IN
the gymnasiums knew . lot
of BOYS whose ambition was to
develop big biceps or thick
chests or broad shoulders and
> they couldn't be induced to
take aII-arOund exercise. But
Of what use are bulging biceps
in later life Of the weaker,
neglected parts Of the body be-
gin to break down?
Another thing is that the college
s'grind' would get a benefit tnat
he never got before. Instead OF
becoming hump shouldered over
his books, boxing would keep ms
body and mind in such shape tnat
ne would absorb the contents OF
! his books with twice the speed:
Moreover, constant tip-top physical
. trim would give him self-assur.
lance after leaving school that
would permit him to make the
best use of the knowledge he so
eagerly sought.
Anyone who has seen a bril-
liant honor man in college slip
down into some bottomless rut in
e business life because Of his lack
ssof seIf.assertiveness should agree
with me readily on this score.
- And the college athlete wouldn't
escape a boxing regime either. ac-
cording to my plan. AS a matter
Of fact, he would be one of the
principal beneficiaries of compul-
bory boxing. I never took very
seriously the stories of football
players who spent vacations doing
ahe heaviest work they could find
IN order to be lit for their games
In the fall.
It is a fine, loyal thing for an
athlete to do for his school but
don't think it is the best way
Swinging a pick and shovel is
more likely to make a man muscle
bound and stale than it is to put
him in the best shape for swift
muscular obedience to brain and
nerve.
For such strenuous activity as
football the only way to prepare
: Is by building up every muscle,
every tendon by easy stages
until each fiber of the body is
- ready for the severest shock.
- Boxing is the best exercise in
/ the world to accomplish this
Is building up.
+ Again, boxing would do a lot IL
! tprevent injuries in college sports
s.and it wouli solve the problem OF
1.-THE let,down between football and
= basketball and track seasons. AND
the athlete who emerged from school,
in the spring in perfect shape un
ks doubtedly could keep in shape by
boxing throughout the summer and
II step back again in rare form, ready
Il for anything.
HI Parents and college officials neeC
/ no. be afraid that the student!
would turn into a wholesome lot o.
! fighters and DULLES. Boxing neve
/, did that for any man, at least sine,
men of the ring have been boxers
instead Of unscientific lovers o