Foreword by Dwight
Would you spar with President of the United States? Well that is exactly what Professor Mike Donovan did in the late 1800s. He wrote a book about his experience in 1909, titled "The Roosevelt That I know". Mike Donovan was considered one of the best practitioners of the sweet science at the time. This section continues with the perspective of Mrs. Carew.
Parries a Delicate One
"What sort of a boxer is President Roosevelt?" I Inquired. Professor "Mike" cocked a blue eye at me, wrinkled up his scarred forehead and said: "Did you ever hear Capt. Jack recite that great poem of his, 'Where the Hand of God is Seen'? No? Oh, Capt. Jack, will you oblige with 'Where the Hand of God is Seen'?" Capt. Jack, nothing loath, obliged with "Where the Hand of God is Seen," and for some time thereafter nothing was said about the President.
But after a while I induced Capt. Jack to entertain the Scientist, the Boy and the Chaperon with the story of his life, including his opinion of Buffalo Bill and the evils of cigarette smoking, and I drew the Professor away. He looked alarmed. "Did you ever hear anybody like Capt. Jack?" he said. "Did you ever hear such lovely sentiments, ma'am? By golly! I'd give anything to have his talent. He can talk right ahead without stopping for two hours. I never heard such language!"
Gently but firmly I detached his attention from Capt. Jack and directed it toward the President of the United States, and when I made it clear that I was not going to try to pump him about Mr. Roosevelt's letters to him or his projected engagement at the White House, he was greatly relieved and didn't mind saying everything else that was in his heart.
"But it makes me feel bad, those letters being told about in the papers," he said. "However, the President knows me, and he will know I didn't do it intentionally.. I wouldn't have told the newspaper boys about it for the world. You've no idea what a nice man the President is. He's the kindest, best, truest man I ever met. Oh, I've known him and boxed with him a long time. He calls me 'Mike,' and we're great friends." "Well, you don't really mind if I repeat all the nice things you say about him?"
"Oh, no; not a bit. I couldn't say too many nice things about him." "Is he a hard hitter?" "Oh, my golly! yes. He comes right at you hot and heavy. And strong - why, he's got an arm as hard as a rock!" "Is he a good tempered boxer?" "Oh, golly! yes. He wouldn't be such a good boxer if he wasn't good tempered. Why, he's a happy man. He was born with that smile."
The Professor set his teeth and peeled his lips in an imitation of the much caricatured Roosevelt grin. "He was born with it, and he's got it in his heart. No matter what happens, that smile is there. I tell you, he's a happy man."
Musings
As we continue to explore Donovan's book, it reveals the incredible aspect that martial arts brings to the ego and mind. If you notice both Donovan and Roosevelt treat each other with vast respect and don't tend to gloat about their boxing abilities. Since, they were both older at this point in time, experience probably taught them to let go that ego. Carl Jung once said, "Midlife is the time to let go of an over dominant ego and to contemplate the deeper significance of human existence." I am not saying that either Donovan or Roosevelt got deeper into level of human existence, but it looks as if they shrugged off their egos and just had a great time boxing. I believe we could all learn from that.
References:
Donovan, Michael Joseph. The Roosevelt That I Know; Ten Years of Boxing with the President--and Other Memories of Famous Fighting Men,. New York: B.W. Dodge, 1909. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=x7QaAAAAYAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA8&dq=boxing&ots=MYv8NVrKwf&sig=N21fmrbbSTU8P3S0scqcxphbg9M
