The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-05
Today's Sport
 Parade
By HENRY McLEMORE


 United Press Staff Correspondent)
 Daytona Beach, Fla, April B. (UP)-If you don't want your boy to be a soldier, then raise him to be a baseball player.
 The chances are that by the time he has played a year or two in the majors he will have developed so many bizarre ailments that he wouldn't be called to the colors un- til the invading enemy was tram bling down the cherry trees in Washington and making collect long distance calls on the White House telephone.
 If you don't believe me, just give yourself the sports page test by reading of the wholesale misery now being suffered in the baseball train ing camps. Things have been so bad this spring that fellow hardly knows whether to read the news ,, papers or the American Medical Journal for the latest news of his diamond heroes.
 Half the photographs sent out from Florida and California and Texas have had hospital room back grounds, and players fever charts are as well known as their batting averages. The baseballers have showed no favoritisln in picking their ailments, but have played the f whole field. Cracked shins, twisted muscles, vibrating vertebrae, tortur- ed toes, and ornery elbows all have come in for mention. If something isn't done about 1t soon the John Hopkins staff will have to throw out the first ball of the season, and Dr. Dafoe will be named high com- missioner.
 Just think of the headliners who are out of kilter! Gehrig, Bartell, and Hubbell, Dean, Rowe, and Mungo, to mention few. This is the one hundredth year of base ball, and considering the fragility of its players it is surprising that 1t has lasted so long. Certainly 1t won't be with us another hundred years unless steps are taken to re- inforce the fiber of tine players.
 The first step that should be taken, perhaps, is to quit pampering the players the way they are pam pered in the major leagues. No rare orchid, no heir to the throne, ever was handled with such care and solicitude as major league player. He is rubbed and oiled and examined. He Is baked under lamps, and X-rayed. He is put on special diets, and given special shoes, and braces and glasses and heaven knows what not.
 And, oddly enough, the more that is done for him, the more he is cod dled, the faster he falls apart. In the minor leagues, where money is scarce, and 8 player is lucky to get a shower after finishing a game, players are healthy as mules. They dress their own wounds, put few steaks inside of themselves, and re- port for duty day after day. It isn't until players get to the majors, where the pay is better and the conditions as refined as those surrounding Miss Edwards school for young ladies, that their bones begin to snap with the rapidity of castinets, and they require a pre- scription for each hour of the day. Don't get the idea that am try ino tN he harsh with thn haceha II players. I'm not. I have their best interests at heart and want them to be hale and hearty. Because If the game keeps gaining invalids we regular baseball writers will lose our jobs. They'll go to internes with the medical training necessary to report contests between teams corl- posed of patients.
 Copyright 1889 by United Press)