The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-11-21
CHAMPIONS OF MANY
SPORTS CALL ON Him
FOR MEDICAL SERVICE
Tunncy, Dempsey, Sharkey, Fir.
20 and Schmeling Have
Sought His Aid
TREATED BILL MEHLH0RN
Fralick Enabled Murchison to
Run Great Race Despite
Strained Tendon
By DOM SUTTON

by DOM SUTTON
New York. Nov. 2l.-Ircn-fistcd ac-
tors in tho punch-and bloody show
call him the mitt member"
TO others he is the Remaker o!
Champions.
But certain 1t is that the husky
parade that winds through the ante
room OF DR.. Wilfred G. Fralick's Of
flee here constitutes a who's Who
OF the boxing game-and Of the sport
ing world in general.
For DR.. Fralick operates a repair
shop to which mel with names made
famous by blazing headlines on the
sports pages bring mighty fists that
have crumblcd. strong rnls that have
been twisted by an awkward heave of
a baseball or a football. tissues and
tendons torn by the ill-timed swing
OF q golf club or a hockey stick.
Repair Of Athletes
Or. Fralick is. by profession, an
abdominal surgeon. with q dis
tinguishcd practice. but in the last
fifteen years he has built up a new
fame as q rcpairer of athletes.
Noted champions have beaten a
path to his door. Tunney. Dempsey.
Sharkey. Firpo and even the new
outstanding contender for ring hon.
crs, Max Schmeling. have taken their
physical and sometimes their mental
troubles to this friend OF the fight
game. Once an amateur boxer HIM
self. DR.. Fralick probably is more fa-
miliar than any other surgeon in
America with the peculiar physical
requirements Of the leather pushers.
DR.. Fralick isn't Just a "%bonesetter."
He is an expert surgeon who recon-
structs hands, arms and shoulders
with intricate and delicate operations
and ingenious splinting, and who
delves into the sensitive nerves. mus
Giles. blood vessels. tissues and tcndons
Of hands and arms.
Rebuilding 70. Pcrmancnce
The vocational surgeon must do
more for an athlete than just set a
bone back in place or temporarily
cure q shattered hand or broken
ARM points out Dr.. Fralick. The
affected part must be rebuilt as flrm
as cver-somctimes better than ever.
For instance, II q fighters shoulder
becomes d~iSlocated. it is a simple
matter to reset It and relieve his pain
so that he may take q job Is a house
painter or carpenter OF bookkeepcr
without fear of further injury. But
if he fights again and throws his arms
in the SEINE position that it was at
the time Of its previous i%njury-out
1t will go again"
Jack Delaney. in the midst Of his
short and brilliant career, suddenly
went bad and lost two fights in a row
His dynamite right lost its blasting
force and sports writer's were corlsign-
ing him to the fistic graveyard. Then
. friend called DR.. Fralick and De-
laney became his patient.
Dr.. Fralick discovered that a llga-
lnent in Delaney's right arm was
torn. the cartilage injured, and a bone
splintered In his right knuckle. He
mended the torn ligament and in
jured cartilage Of the center knuckle
and operated on the hand. Two
months later Delaney came back with
considerable gusto, 4 fast and danger
Gus fighter.
Tunney His Patient
Gene Tunney, . young man who
had tremendous driving power in his
arms but surprisingly weak hands.
owes some Of his success to Dr.. Fra
lick. The retired heavyweight cham
pion had taken his hands to the
Maine woods In an attempt to
strengthen them. but had little sue
cess. The bones In the knuckles were
badly shattered. Months before the
fight with Dempsey In philadelphia.
Tunney went to Dr.. Fralick, who later
sat At the ringside and watched the
fists that he had mended beat the
great Manassa Mauler into sub.
mission.
The doctor admits that it Is q great
thrill to witness the comeback Of the
fighters he has worked on. and he
seldom misses . major bout because
he has personally treated the big boys
who crawl through the ropes. The
betting ring. It Is said, would give 4
pretty penny for the knowledge OF
the condition Of the gladiators that
is under Dr.. Fralick's bushy gray hair.
Gave First Aid
A few years ago q packed house sat
In Madison Square Garden at an in
door track meet which featured the
famous Splinter, Murcheson. Just be-
fore the main event It vas discovered
that Murcheson had strained q ten.
don In his right leg. Fralick was in
the audience and the race was de-
laycd while he examined the runner
The doctor sent for splints and tape.
Murcheson didn't win. but he ran one
Of the best races Of his life.
A list Of Fralick's famous patients
includes most o. the best ringsters:
Fitzsimmons. Dempsey. McTigue,
Tunncy. Berlenbach. Bud Taylor,
Johnny Dundee. Sammy Mandell,
Kaplan. Routis, Harry wills, Jack De-
lancy, Harry Ebbcts. Sid Tcrris, Jack
Zivic. Tony vaccarclli. Young Strib-
ling, Benny lass. Persons. Sharkey,
SchmclIing and many q minor pug.
Frank Chance took an injured
wing to Fralick for repairs and he
.,vc Wild Bill Melhorn back to golf
~ setting En- injured fin-c,. "Be..'
/, Eat.aliuo. new worlds ~fcat.1eryc:sl,.