The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-14
tIsegIstered '. 5. Patent OiilCeD
By JACK CUDDY


 United Press stan COFFespOndent)
 New York, Oct. i4 - (u.P,) -out of Ithica, N, Yy comes on almost kisSed-of story that Commander Gene Tunney of the Navy, former heavyweight champion, has finally broken down and admitted that competitive sports have . value in service training.
 He made this about.faee while visiting Q Navy detachment Gt Cor- nell University, which is Q pro. football aS Y. D, R, Is pro-Demo- crat,
 Entirely unexpected was this Tunney admission, because Shake- Bp0aTenn Gene had been the fores most advocate Of muscle jerking" mass exercises, aB opposed to cons petitiye sports that stressed teain- work,
 Just what Tunney's status ln the Navy Is now VIC do not know. But We recall that he was "MF, Big" in deciding what exercises recruits should take when he was appoint. cd in 104i director of the physical training and athletic program of the Navy, with headquarters ct Wash. ington.
 TunBey, q stubborn felleF who shrugged of the long count against Jack Dempsey at Chicago in 1927 and fought on to retain his title, must have been sold on teamwork ID athletics as q preparation for service since late January, when no returned from q BiX-fn0nths tour or the Pacific battle areas, But he makes his admission now, a8 if he had just got through figuring it out with paper and pencil, About nine months latefI
 Helped Himself
 Ttinney has a good brain --an exceptional brain, He lifted hims self, with his own bootstFaps, higher than any person we can recall who was c professional fighter. The Marine of the last WaF-the poor Kid from New YoFks Greenwich Viliage-iB c muiti-mlllionaiFe, and socially prominent Which k nice gotn' in any mans language.
 But We were mighty surprised when Gentleman Gene went oil out for muscle. .jeFking. without giving q nod to the brain business of teams work in competitive athletics. Des cause Gene was one guy who fnouid- ed his body, and his movements and his blows alcng lineS't that were Gil. tiFely stfategieai during his ring days, H6 developed muscles and eos ordination and splitssee0nd timing that would provide teamwork for his lighting flla0i1ine-as he back pedalled miles on the road in the morning, left.jabbed the little pear. shaped bag, and spent hours per- fecting that straight right to the heart oil the heavy sand" bag,
 TFue-fuHney had grounds for fayoFing muscle Jerking -- i1assed exercises Of the Nazis, The physical condition Of most applicants for the Navy was none too good, He said th5ir general condition was woFse than for the last war because they were goft6f-not having benefited from as much Unconscious ifiuseu. lar 6xeFtion" as their fathers -- due t0 automobiles, no walking t0 school, 10 ch0ppiHg wood or bringing in coal after seh00i-als0 too much ice cream, movies and radio,
 Teamwork
 But it seems t0 Us that Conn InandeF Tunney could have dlscoYs cred earlier c happy combination Of fnuseies jerking, or b9dy.haFdehs ing, and teamwork. Teamwork has been one Of the big Feas0ns for OUT successes in the aiF; also for tic sucs Gesses Of our land and seq officers, ft might have helped additionally f the men who worked up 70 e0rpoFaB and sergeants iF the Army and to petty officers iH the Navy had cns