The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-06-11
STA|D FOLK
BECOMING
ENTHUSED !.
BY Gene Tunney

DI LSJLA O1N3 ~ -
Ill am firmly convinced
that the day is rapidly nearing
when college men will play a
prominent role in boxing al
fairs throughout the country.
There are any number Of indica-
tions pointing in this direction right
now
Boxing win find itself in much
the same situation as baseball for
the past decade or so-recruiting
many Of its aspirants, for fame
and top-honors, from the schools
and colleges. 1t is not difficult to
recall the apparent prejudice that
the national game once harbored
against the college mentor no
particular reason, so far as l have
been able to find out.
But the advent of such players
as Christy Mathewson and Eddie
Collins changed all that Their
ability, personality and and general
conduct made them popular
fayorites with the baseball fans and
it was not long before the magnates
were concentrating their attention
upon promising coHeBldns'
II NAV or NAV not be gen.
orally known, but the fact re-
mains that for years a great
many of the leading schools
have devoted much attention to
boxing.
Not only do the students take
readily to the sport, but the
faculties have found it an excellent
way of endowing young men with
strong physiques. Then. too, there
is nothing like boxing for the up
building of morale.
They tell me that the interest
shown in the sport-not only by
the undergraduates but by the ''old
grads"-yes, and the towns people.
tools nothing less than amazing.
And frequently the most excited
and vociferous members of the audi
ence are the usually staid members
of the faculty.
I have seen intercollegiate tourna-
5nents in which the interest mounted
to fever pitch with the very first
bout, and was maintained to the
very end. These affairs are gen
orally incompatible for their brisk
action, every man seemingly being
spurred on to almost superhuman
efforts on behalf of his alma mater.
In a word. the boys always show
the same spirit and zest that has
made college football one Of our
outstanding sports.
Boxing demands not only n
rugged physique but a keen
mental "edge." and that is one
reason why / predict that col
legians, finely trained mentally
and physically. should be sue
cessful at the game.
The era of the "bruiser" is gone
from the squared circle. Now
comes the day Of the man with the
punch, with perfect condition and
with the highest intelligence neces.
sary to defend himself and to gain
the advantage over his opponent.
And, from what I have observed, a
great many of our colleges are now
equipped to turn out men possess
ing these requirements.
Some years ago it might have
seemed ridiculous to suggest to any
collegian that he take up boxing as
a profession upon graduating. But
such is not the case now. Boxing
is a trade" if you wish to call it
such. and it holds forth the promise
of as good financial returns as any
other occupation for which a man
.nay have trained during his four
years in a university.
Boxing has pushed it's way
past the old swinging-doOr days,
past the fight-tO-a.finiSh period.
Boxing has CLEANED house" It
has fully convinced the United
States that it is one of the great
est-if not the greatest-of all
sports. 1t is attracting to the
Trngside today thousands of men
end women who, few short years
ago, would probably have lifted
their hands in horror at the mere
thought Of attending such a sup.
posedly degrading spectacle.
Thus, there should be no preju.
dice on the part of collegians against
boxing, and certainly there should
be no prejudice in boxing circles
against cOllegians.
Copyright, 1923. by King Features
Syndicate. lnc.)
OFTEN 0E EIIMNEPc