Show I r 0 RICE Pr IPHIS THIS HIS matter we are about to tackle may be a trifle over our head but well we'll take a shot at it just the same It concerns concentration concentration tion reflexes and instinct which at least work together although entirely entire entire- ly different But they are the main foundations of any winning effort Reflex action as you probably know is co response of eye brain and muscle to some situ situ- For example in boxing the eye sees secs an opening as brain and muscle respond in a split second Theres There's no wasted delay But as one gets older reflex action gets M slower The eye will k i see the opening but the muscle usually arrives a trifle too Y late s As a concrete illustration illustration il illustration il- il consider Mel Hein in foot foot- ball Year after u year ar Mel had a q quick flash of what hat was happening and he was usually on i Gene Tunney top of the play He Hei i can still see what is I taking place in a half-flash half but natI nat- nat i I after so many seasons of II wear and tear his legs may not quite I get there in time although it is stillI still I amazing how many times big Mel is ison on hand at the right second I Instinct and reflexes are someI some- some I I I thing that cant can't be taught You Yon have them or you yon dont don't have them Eddie I Arcaro and Ted Atkinson will tell tellI I you that in any close spot it is inI instinct in- in 1 I that directs the next move for it must be done in less than a breath The instinct and the reflexes of such ball players as Ty Cobb Babe Ruth and other leaders worked perfectly perfectly per per- as a rule They did the right thing subconsciously without any direct direct direct di di- di- di conscious thought attached They rarely did the wrong thing Jack Dempsey will tell you in his two closing fights with Gene Gene- Tunney Tunney Tunney Tun Tun- ney that he could see openings which he could have used effectively effective effective- ly in his earlier years But he was no longer the Dempsey of Toledo Toledo To To- ToI I ledo especially against the cleverness cleverness cleverness clever clever- ness of a Tunney Mental Discipline But concentration is another af af- fair It doesn't call for the split- split second the powder-flare powder speed the theother theother theother other two ingredients demand Concentration Concentration Concentration Con Con- demands the discipline of the mind or brain that in turn controls controls controls con con- muscular movement It is one of the rarest of all the competitive competitive tive species since it goes with mental mental mental men men- tal punishment It is something that must be forced and watched Itcan It Itcan Itcan can never be taken for granted as asit asit asit it may slip from your hold 1 lAe le e a greased eel To begin with any extended concentration concentration concentration con con- means punishment One of the reasons I quit tournament tournament tournament ment golf Bobby Jones told me was that I got tired of taking the beating I had to take through 72 holes of play where I knew I couldn't afford to take my mind off the job I i Jones was one of the best of all concentrators I find I can hit the ball as well as ever Gene says butI but I cant can't keep concentrating as I used to I cant can't keep thinking through every shot to be played My mind begins to wander Tunney was one of the best concentrators concentrators concentrators concen concen- in all aU sport Gene worked as ashard ashard ashard hard on directing his mind as he ever worked on his legs or arms A few hours before facing Dempsey Dempsey Dempsey Demp Demp- sey in Chicago Tunney read some book book Ive Ive I've forgotten the name But Buthe Buthe Buthe he could tell you everything he had read in that book That means the top of mind control with control with a million dollars at stake stake and and Jack Dempsey's Dempsey's Dempsey's Demp- Demp sey's punch just on ahead Few would believe the number of hours Tunney forced himself to practice this combination And it wasn't any fun he added It was the hardest sort of work Walter WaIter Hagen could kid with you and laugh with you one minute and anda a second later concentrate entirely on the shot to be played Few are that t luc lucky Think o of 0 Next Play Few football players know the value of concentration as Mel Hein knew it While the opposing team had the ball he continually faced the possibilities of a pass a hidden ball a line thrust a spinner or an end run A good defensive back ora or ora ora a defensive lineman must have complete complete complete com com- control of his thinking apparatus apparatus apparatus appa appa- ratus through every playing second Hamberg of Navy belonged in this class Blanchard and Davis of Army have this ability Most Notre Dame teams have been keen alert able concentrators tors on the next play I HI want your bodies physically relaxed your minds always alert Knute Rockne told and taught them Jack Johnsons Johnson's concentration was almost entirely on defense Jack defense Jack Dempsey's on attack Ty Cobb used to map out certain plays weeks in advance and then be ready to use them when the right time arrived He rarely overlooked the right time Without concentration you might not be able to use such natural gifts gUts as reflexes or instinct |