The Washington times., 1928-07-05
TOUCH JOB
TO LIZ
'EV ALL
BY Gene Tunney

SPECUlA1OI, M l., July
5. - Strange as it may seem
one of the most difficult tasks
afacing a heavyweight cham
pion is the giving Of interviews
to newspaper men, discussion
of events of the day with
strangers, and expression OF
opinion when the mind has
been tagged out by physical
exercise.
I often wonder whether other
men in whom the public is inter-
ested find themselves sometimes in
the same position. There is only
eOne way to meet the great body OF
boxing enthusiasts and that is
through the newspapers. Sometimes
am afraid have neither done
! myself nor the newspapers full
credit, by giving interviews Wnen
mentally fatigued.
During the training season sports
writer's assigned to my training
cannn here live at Bin Osborne's
Hotel. d few hundred yards from
the cottage where ! stay.
They spend most of the day
with me and their companions
shin Is one Of the most pleas
ant of the camp contacts. They
1 are free TO see me, visit with
me walk with me at all times,
and many of the writer's gain
most Of their material from
contact OF that kind.
After. the daily workout, how
ever. is the usual time for q gen.
eral gathering and discussion Of
plans for the next day as well as
anything that may have cropped
out durinE. the days lahors. In
fortunately that Is a time when
lam not at my best. for hard work
at the punching bags aud IN the
ring. Is just as firing to the nina
as ii Is to the body.
The writers look then Tor the
final news OF the day. But my
thinking naturally Isl not as clear
Thea as it should be- But that IS
tha time when I'm called upon to
axt1ress views for all the fans I
can never hope to meet.
IL is difficult to he, profound
when the mind is tired and many
81 the questions asked me call for
deer consideration. Sometimes
faretious answer, intended only as
i min. ig taken too seriously
william Muidoon, member or
The New York State athletic COM
n,ission and the greatest conditioner
! ~ nan the world has ever known,
an expert in health and mainte-
4 nance OF the body, said once that an
athlete must relax three times as
HING al he exercises in order TO
Keen intact the proper equilibrium
hefggeen mental and physical con-
dition. -
That Is the reason why, after
stenu0us work, / sometimes am
abrupt. my thoughts are DIS
connected and / am prone TO be
Al OvercautiOus i'm the conservation
OF nervous energy. 1t Is the
- natural result of too much work
m given period with too little
chance for complete relaxation.
During the day people come into
camp from the surrounding country
or motor to Spectator from New
York to sea me- Most of them are
people | have never heard of and
are sent to me by someone VINO
knew me or met me at one time
or another. They want 10 meet
stEe champion. shake hands, and
obtain autographed photographs.
Many well-wishers come to the
Acan1p with good.Iuck tokens, con-
fidea1t that no punches can hurt
me il / carry their charms into the
9 ring. Sometimes there are gifts
OF clothing and food that | appre-
s cite greatly because of the feeling
behind the offering.
But it is safe to assert that II
] did carry all the good luck
charms that have been offered me
into the ring at the Yankee Sta
dunn all my strength would be
& necessary to get them on my
shoulders.
Copyright. 1923. King Features
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