Splendid Appearance

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 193, 30 July 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

Splendid Appearance

Often a Very Unreliable Guide to Ability

MEMORIES OF CHAMPIONS WHO WERE ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

Discussing, in the Sydney “Sun,” some recent theories about the source of speed and its relation to anatomy, and ideas that champions—horses or men—can be discovered by a process of anthropometrical measurements, Mr. J. F. Higgins., draws upon his varied experience of sport. He says:—

Certainly I agree that we must be careful not to pick champions on size, muscle, legs, or any one feature and declare that in that feature lies the real factor of speed. But even the seemingly perfect combination of all these discernible qualities leaves a lot of room for speculating on the reasons for the amazing success of many athletes whose abilities would grossly deceive the anatomical experts.

Apparent perfection in physical development is all too frequently astonishingly deceptive, both among bipeds and quadrupeds. In horse racing fortunes have been spent on thoroughbreds which had all the physical attributes of champions, but which could go no faster than the proverbial “hairy goat.”

On the other hand, we have the notable case of that miserable-looking beast, Sasanof, who came from New Zealand and confounded all the early critics by winning the Melbourne Cup. The old adage, “they race in all shapes and sizes,” seems to me to apply to both men arid animals.

In pedestrianism correct action, more than mere strength or length of limb, is perhaps the chief factor of speed. Jack Donaldson (The Blue Flyer) had the most perfect action of any sprint runner I ever saw. Compared with our amateur champion, Jimmy Carlton, he was small in stature and apparently had no great natural gift for running, as early in his career he was defeated, with 11 yards’ start, in the Stawell Faster Sheffield Handicap. Terry’s Versatility. Later he joined forces with E. R. (“Mick”) Terry, who is now trainer to the Australian team at the Olympic Games, and “Mick” made a worldbeater of him.

Terry, by the way, in his hey-day was himself the most perfectly trained man I have ever known. On one occasion I saw him win a wood-chopping contest, a Sheffield handicap, and a hurdle race in the same afternoon.

Those who met him in Sydney recently would hardly realise from any physical indications that he was formerly a world’s champion axeman, and that he secured the title in record time when he was only about lOst. in weight. Years ago in Victoria I was surprised to see a short, bow-legged sprinter—■whose “real” name I never learned—-

run a hundred yards within a tick of 10 seconds, and another little professional, known as Johnny Jones, who was a great match runner, no bigger than the average jockey, would fairly bounce off his toes and get within a couple of yards of even time almost any day of the week.

Very few heavy men are good sprinters. Sandow, who was the embodiment of physical strength, could probably run no faster than a lame duck. Yet I remember the American champion, C. E. Holway, weighing no less than 13st. 81b., running a hundred yards in 10 seconds, on the Sydney Cricket Ground, defeating that whirlwind sprinter, Postle, who was beautifully built for running, and other interstate champions.

Amazing Jerry Jerome Again, could any student of anatomy explain that physical paradox and famous aboriginal, Jerry Jerome, who seemed to be all paunch and no muscle, yet could run a 100 yards in little worse than even time, was middleweight champion boxer of Queensland, fought Dave Smith for the championship of Australia at the Brisbane Stadium, and next day attended a corroboree to celebrate his 47th birthday. In boxing, however, the physical anomalies are just as commonplace. What was the wonder thing about Griffo, the Sydney boy, who defeated the finest boxers that America could

produce and, according to report, trained on alcoholic beverages to win a world championship I And the freakish Criqni, the famous French boxer, with a ghastly complexion and a slim, white body absolutely devoid of muscle, who defeated the tigerish Filipino, Dencio, at tlio Sydney Stadium, and then went to America and took the world’s title from Johnny Kilbane. And I eould mention scores of others whose physical proportions gave absolutely no indication of their real prowess. As I have briefly illustrated, however, splendid appearance is very often a most unreliable guide to real ability. In the final analysis, of course, actnal performance is the only thing that counts.

But it might be added that if the Phar Laps of sport could be definitely selected by any particular qualities of physical structure, the anthropometrical advisers would indeed be a very happy and prosperous tribe.