第7章

supposeitsoundsarchaic，butIcannothelpthinkingthatthepeoplewithmotorboatsmissagreatdeal。Iftheywouldonlykeeptorowboatsorcanoes，anduseoarorpaddlethemselves，theywouldgetinfinitelymorebenefitthanbyhavingtheirworkdoneforthembygasoline。ButIrarelytookexercisemerelyasexercise。PrimarilyI

tookitbecauseIlikedit。Playshouldneverbeallowedtointerferewithwork；andalifedevotedmerelytoplayis，ofallformsofexistence，themostdismal。Butthejoyoflifeisaverygoodthing，andwhileworkistheessentialinit，playalsohasitsplace。

Whenobligedtoliveincities，Iforalongtimefoundthatboxingandwrestlingenabledmetogetagooddealofexerciseincondensedandattractiveform。IwasreluctantlyobligedtoabandonbothasI

grewolder。Idroppedthewrestlingearliest。WhenIbecameGovernor，thechampionmiddleweightwrestlerofAmericahappenedtobeinAlbany，andIgothimtocomeroundthreeorfourafternoonsaweek。

IncidentallyImaymentionthathispresencecausedmeadifficultywiththeComptroller，whorefusedtoauditabillIputinforawrestling-mat，explainingthatIcouldhaveabilliard-table，billiardsbeingrecognizedasaproperGubernatorialamusement，butthatawrestling-matsymbolizedsomethingunusualandunheardofandcouldnotbepermitted。ThemiddleweightchampionwasofcoursesomuchbetterthanIwasthathecouldnotonlytakecareofhimselfbutofmetooandseethatIwasnothurt——forwrestlingisamuchmoreviolentamusementthanboxing。Butafteracoupleofmonthshehadtogoaway，andheleftasasubstituteagood-humored，stalwartprofessionaloarsman。Theoarsmanturnedouttoknowverylittleaboutwrestling。Hecouldnoteventakecareofhimself，nottospeakofme。

Bytheendofoursecondafternoononeofhislongribshadbeencavedinandtwoofmyshortribsbadlydamaged，andmyleftshoulder-bladesonearlyshovedoutofplacethatitcreaked。HewasnearlyaspleasedasIwaswhenItoldhimIthoughtwewould“votethewarafailure“andabandonwrestling。AfterthatItookupboxingagain。

WhilePresidentIusedtoboxwithsomeoftheaides，aswellasplaysingle-stickwithGeneralWood。AfterafewyearsIhadtoabandonboxingaswellaswrestling，forinoneboutayoungcaptainofartillerycross-counteredmeontheeye，andtheblowsmashedthelittleblood-vessels。Fortunatelyitwasmylefteye，butthesighthasbeendimeversince，andifithadbeentherighteyeIshouldhavebeenentirelyunabletoshoot。AccordinglyIthoughtitbettertoacknowledgethatIhadbecomeanelderlymanandwouldhavetostopboxing。Ithentookupjiu-jitsuforayearortwo。

WhenIwasintheLegislatureandwasworkingveryhard，withlittlechanceofgettingoutofdoors，alltheexerciseIgotwasboxingandwrestling。Ayoungfellowturnedupwhowasasecond-rateprize-

fighter，thesonofoneofmyoldboxingteachers。ForseveralweeksI

hadhimcomeroundtomyroomsinthemorningtoputonthegloveswithmeforhalfanhour。Thenhesuddenlystopped，andsomedayslaterIreceivedaletterofwoefromhimfromthejail。Ifoundthathewasbyprofessionaburglar，andmerelyfollowedboxingastheamusementofhislightermoments，orwhenbusinesswasslack。

Naturally，beingfondofboxing，Igrewtoknowagoodmanyprize-

fighters，andtomostofthoseIknewIgrewgenuinelyattached。I

haveneverbeenabletosympathizewiththeoutcryagainstprize-

fighters。TheonlyobjectionIhavetotheprizeringisthecrookednessthathasattendeditscommercialdevelopment。OutsideofthisIregardboxing，whetherprofessionaloramateur，asafirst-

classsport，andIdonotregarditasbrutalizing。Ofcoursematchescanbeconductedunderconditionsthatmakethembrutalizing。Butthisistrueoffootballgamesandofmostotherroughandvigoroussports。

Mostcertainlyprize-fightingisnothalfasbrutalizingordemoralizingasmanyformsofbigbusinessandofthelegalworkcarriedoninconnectionwithbigbusiness。Powerful，vigorousmenofstronganimaldevelopmentmusthavesomewayinwhichtheiranimalspiritscanfindvent。WhenIwasPoliceCommissionerIfound(andJacobRiiswillbackmeupinthis)thattheestablishmentofaboxingclubinatoughneighborhoodalwaystendedtodoawaywithknifingandgun-fightingamongtheyoungfellowswhowouldotherwisehavebeeninmurderousgangs。Manyoftheseyoungfellowswerenotnaturallycriminalsatall，buttheyhadtohavesomeoutletfortheiractivities。InthesamewayIhavealwaysregardedboxingasafirst-

classsporttoencourageintheYoungMen’sChristianAssociation。I

donotliketoseeyoungChristianswithshouldersthatslopelikeachampagnebottle。Ofcourseboxingshouldbeencouragedinthearmyandnavy。Iwasfirstdrawntotwonavalchaplains，FathersChidwickandRainey，byfindingthateachofthemhadboughthalfadozensetsofboxing-glovesandencouragedtheircrewsinboxing。

WhenIwasPoliceCommissioner，IheartilyapprovedtheefforttogetboxingclubsstartedinNewYorkonacleanbasis。LaterIwasreluctantlyobligedtocometotheconclusionthattheprizeringhadbecomehopelesslydebasedanddemoralized，andasGovernorIaidedinthepassageofandsignedthebillputtingastoptoprofessionalboxingformoney。Thiswasbecausesomeoftheprize-fightersthemselveswerecrooked，whilethecrowdofhangers-onwhoattendedandmadeupandprofitedbythematcheshadplacedthewholebusinessonabasisofcommercialismandbrutalitythatwasintolerable。I

shallalwaysmaintainthatboxingconteststhemselvesmakegood，healthysport。Itisidletocomparethemwithbull-fighting；thetortureanddeathofthewretchedhorsesinbull-fightingisenoughofitselftoblastthesport，nomatterhowgreattheskillandprowessshownbythebull-fighters。Anysportinwhichthedeathandtortureofanimalsismadetofurnishpleasuretothespectatorsisdebasing。

Thereshouldalwaysbetheopportunityprovidedinaglovefightorbare-fistfighttostopitwhenonecompetitorishopelesslyoutclassedortoobadlyhammered。Butthemenwhotakepartinthesefightsarehardasnails，anditisnotworthwhiletofeelsentimentalabouttheirreceivingpunishmentwhichasamatteroffacttheydonotmind。Ofcoursethemenwholookonoughttobeabletostandupwiththegloves，orwithoutthem，themselves；Ihavescantuseforthetypeofsportsmanshipwhichconsistsmerelyinlookingonatthefeatsofsomeoneelse。

SomeasgoodcitizensasIknowareorwereprize-fighters。TakeMikeDonovan，ofNewYork。HeandhisfamilyrepresentatypeofAmericancitizenshipofwhichwehavearighttobeproud。Mikeisadevotedtemperanceman，andcanberelieduponforeverymovementintheinterestofgoodcitizenship。IwasfirstintimatelythrownwithhimwhenIwasPoliceCommissioner。OneeveningheandI——bothindresssuits——attendedatemperancemeetingofCatholicsocieties。Itculminatedinalivelyset-tobetweenmyselfandaTammanySenatorwhowasaverygoodfellow，butwhoseideasoftemperancedifferedradicallyfrommine，and，astheeventproved，fromthoseofthemajorityofthemeeting。Mikeevidentlyregardedhimselfasmybacker——hewassittingontheplatformbesideme——andIthinkfeltaspleasedandinterestedasiftheset-tohadbeenphysicalinsteadofmerelyverbal。AfterwardIgrewtoknowhimwellbothwhileIwasGovernorandwhileIwasPresident，andmanyatimehecameonandboxedwithme。

BattlingNelsonwasanotherstanchfriend，andheandIthinkalikeonmostquestionsofpoliticalandindustriallife；althoughheonceexpressedtomesomecommiserationbecause，asPresident，Ididnotgetanythinglikethemoneyreturnformyservicesthatheaggregatedduringthesametermofyearsinthering。BobFitzsimmonswasanothergoodfriendofmine。Hehasneverforgottenhisearlyskillasablacksmith，andamongthethingsthatIvalueandalwayskeepinuseisapenholdermadebyBoboutofahorseshoe，withaninscriptionsayingthatitis“MadeforandpresentedtoPresidentTheodoreRooseveltbyhisfriendandadmirer，RobertFitzsimmons。”IhaveforalongtimehadthefriendshipofJohnL。Sullivan，thanwhominhisprimenobettermaneversteppedintothering。HeisnowaMassachusettsfarmer。JohnusedoccasionallytovisitmeattheWhiteHouse，hisadventalwayscausingadistinctflutteramongthewaitingSenatorsandCongressmen。WhenIwenttoAfricahepresentedmewithagold-mountedrabbit’sfootforluck。IcarrieditthroughmyAfricantrip；andIcertainlyhadgoodluck。

Ononeoccasiononeofmyprize-fightingfriendscalledonmeattheWhiteHouseonbusiness。Heexplainedthathewishedtoseemealone，satdownoppositeme，andputaveryexpensivecigaronthedesk，saying，“Haveacigar。”IthankedhimandsaidIdidnotsmoke，towhichheresponded，“Putitinyourpocket。”Hethenadded，“Takeanother；putbothinyourpocket。”ThisIaccordinglydid。Havingthusshownattheoutsetthenecessaryformalcourtesy，myvisitor，anoldandvaluedfriend，proceededtoexplainthatanephewofhishadenlistedintheMarineCorps，buthadbeenabsentwithoutleave，andwasthreatenedwithdishonorabledischargeonthegroundofdesertion。

Myvisitor，agoodcitizenandapatrioticAmerican，wasstungtothequickatthethoughtofsuchanincidentoccurringinhisfamily，andheexplainedtomethatitmustnotoccur，thattheremustnotbethedisgracetothefamily，althoughhewouldbedelightedtohavetheoffender“handledrough“toteachhimaneededlesson；headdedthathewishedIwouldtakehimandhandlehimmyself，forheknewthatI

wouldseethathe“gotallthatwascomingtohim。”Thenalookofpathoscameintohiseyes，andheexplained：“ThatboyIjustcannotunderstand。Hewasmysister’sfavoriteson，andIalwaystookaspecialinterestinhimmyself。Ididmybesttobringhimupthewayheoughttogo。Buttherewasjustnothingtobedonewithhim。Histasteswerenaturallylow。Hetooktomusic！”WhatformthisdebasingtasteformusicassumedIdidnotinquire；andIwasabletograntmyfriend’swish。

WhileintheWhiteHouseIalwaystriedtogetacoupleofhours’

exerciseintheafternoons——sometimestennis，moreoftenriding，orelsearoughcross-countrywalk，perhapsdownRockCreek，whichwasthenaswildasastreamintheWhiteMountains，orontheVirginiasidealongthePotomac。MycompanionsattennisorontheseridesandwalkswegraduallygrewtostyletheTennisCabinet；andthenweextendedthetermtotakeinmanyofmyold-timeWesternfriendssuchasBenDaniels，SethBullock，LutherKelly，andotherswhohadtakenpartwithmeinmoreseriousoutdooradventuresthanwalkingandridingforpleasure。Mostofthemenwhowereoftenestwithmeonthesetrips——menlikeMajor-GeneralLeonardWood；orMajor-GeneralThomasHenryBarry；orPresleyMarionRixey，Surgeon-GeneraloftheNavy；orRobertBacon，whowasafterwardsSecretaryofState；orJamesGarfield，whowasSecretaryoftheInterior；orGiffordPinchot，whowaschiefoftheForestService——werebettermenphysicallythanI

was；butIcouldrideandwalkwellenoughforusallthoroughlytoenjoyit。Often，especiallyinthewintersandearlysprings，wewouldarrangeforapointtopointwalk，notturningasideforanything——forinstance，swimmingRockCreekoreventhePotomacifitcameinourway。OfcourseundersuchcircumstanceswehadtoarrangethatourreturntoWashingtonshouldbewhenitwasdark，sothatourappearancemightscandalizenoone。OnseveraloccasionswethusswamRockCreekintheearlyspringwhentheicewasfloatingthickuponit。IfweswamthePotomac，weusuallytookoffourclothes。I

rememberonesuchoccasionwhentheFrenchAmbassador，Jusserand，whowasamemberoftheTennisCabinet，wasalong，and，justaswewereabouttogetintoswim，somebodysaid，“Mr。Ambassador，Mr。

Ambassador，youhaven’ttakenoffyourgloves。”towhichhepromptlyresponded，“IthinkIwillleavethemon；wemightmeetladies！”

WelikedRockCreekforthesewalksbecausewecoulddosomuchscramblingandclimbingalongthecliffs；therewasalmostasmuchclimbingwhenwewalkeddownthePotomactoWashingtonfromtheVirginiaendoftheChainBridge。Iwouldoccasionallytakesomebig-

gamefriendfromabroad，SelousorSt。GeorgeLittledaleorCaptainRadclyffeorPaulNiedicke，onthesewalks。OnceIinvitedanentireclassofofficerswhowereattendinglecturesattheWarCollegetocomeononeofthesewalks；Ichosearoutewhichgaveusthehardestclimbingalongtherocksandthedeepestcrossingsofthecreek；andmyarmyfriendsenjoyedithugely——beingtherightsort，toaman。

OnMarch1，1909，threedaysbeforeleavingthePresidency，variousmembersoftheTennisCabinetlunchedwithmeattheWhiteHouse。

“TennisCabinet“wasanelasticterm，andofcoursemanywhooughttohavebeenatthelunchwere，foronereasonoranother，awayfromWashington；but，tomakeupforthis，agoodlynumberofout-of-townhonorarymembers，sotospeak，werepresent——forinstance，SethBullock；LutherKelly，betterknownasYellowstoneKellyinthedayswhenhewasanarmyscoutagainsttheSioux；andAbernathy，thewolf-