Evening star., 1937-08-31
GRID TRIM GAINED
BY CA[|STHEN|CS
Exercises He Gives Movie
Folk Best for Redskins,
Says Trainer Baker.
BY BILL DISMER, JR.

IN 70 SPORT can take the place Of
the old-fashioned xetting-up
" exercises or calsthenics, for
4 putting, or keeping one in the
best physical condition.
So says Roy Baker, assistant coach
| and trainer Of Washington's pro grid
Redskins, who should know, inasmuch
as he has year-around job by which
he may observe not foot ball players,
but also movie stars, who, too, must
keep in Al trim.
During the gridiron "oh" season
Baker has a job which was created
by a California insurance company
| which insures most of the big cinema
stars Whenever the cast goes on To-
cation Baker goes along, not for
training purposes, but to provide f1rst
aid in case of emergencies and to see
that an injured or sick actor is ham
died competently until medical doctors
can take charge. Baker does not have
medical degree. but he took three
years OF pre-medical study at the
University OF Southern California.
Through his association with the
| stars. among them George Brent, Leo
Carrillo, George OBrien and Jean
Parker, and producers like Jack War
ner and Darrell Zanuck, Baker has
learned that although most employ
| private trainers, nearly all follow the
same method for keeping in shape.
And all are built around setting-up
exercises, plus the old reliable weight
| reducing medicine ball.
Cowboys in Demand in Films.
pecially good swimmers and both
! throw the l5-pound ball around every
day. O'Brien, incidentally, is one OF
the few stars who never employs a
double for dare devil scenes, except in
| the most unusual where his studio will
| not allow him to take the chance.
Speaking Of doubles reminded Baker
| that one of the most sought-after dou-
bles in FINLAND is George Williams, a
| 55-year-old cowboy. Williams, in per-
| feet physical condition, never gets
hurt, it seems. although his work re-
quires such stunts as falling of Of
horses going at top speed being tossed
off cliffs and the like.
AS a matter OF fact. most studios
| employ regular cowboys for their big
| mob scenes, Baker says. Cowboys are
among the most toushened hombres
in the world today. and in the making
| Of The Charge OF the Light Brigade"
in uhirl1 PaRar phorua nf
! f1rst-aid Work--he SAYS there was only
one serious injury. This despite the
| fact that hundreds OF men were falling
of horses day after day.
| A good many Hollywood stars are
| playing polo. Roy says. after being
| started in the sport by the late Will
Rogers. At present. VIII. jr. is one
Of the best club polo players in Cali
tornia, and Sunday afternoon polo is
one of the most popular sports for the
movie stars TO watch.
Swimming Not for Gridders.
, A THOUGH he recognizes the value
OF swimming as a good all-around
body builder. he does not let the Red
SANi1Ao AiieoISN odl iiiS VIC plC-SSdSOIl
training. Swimming. he says, brings
into play muscles entirely opposite to
those used in foot ball and tends to
st1f1en players for future grid work.
Knowing that National Foot Ball
League rules do not allow a team to
| have more than 25 players on the
squad during the season, Baker is
iy,,i,,
he set at the University of Nevada
two years ago. That was the year
in which Nevada, with only a 25-man
| squad, went through the season in
near-perfect physical condition. The
otherwise spotless record was marred
| only by the fact that there was one
game in which one man was unable
| To yS1o