A ‘founding father’ of American football (1859–1925) who invented the sport’s line of scrimmage and the system of downs. Hand-corrected typed draft, eight pages, 8.5 x 11, no date but circa 1917–1918. Draft for an article comparing quarterbacks to military pilots, heavily corrected throughout in Camp’s own hand, and titled by Camp at the top, “The Aviator, the Quarterback of War’s Gridiron.” In part: “The aviator is for the army or navy the eyes and nerves of the team…we should look after his physical, mental and nervous condition with at least the same solicitude as that shown by coaches and trainers in the case of a star quarterback…Every man in the army and navy should be should be strong, enduring and supple…The aviator is for the most part confined, especially in handling a gun, to movements in a sitting position where suppleness of the body and ability to work in a confined and possibly awkward positions of the greatest value. This ability may be very largely increased through certain exercises which at the same time have also a very favorable effect upon the physical condition of the man." He goes on to list eight points important for developing an efficient exercise regiment, and adds three handwritten paragraphs at the conclusion, in part: "Shall we not begin at once to take care of the quarterbacks, the eyes and nerves of that greater team of ours which is now going out upon war's gridiron?" In fine condition, with staple holes and a paperclip impression to the upper left. At the time, Camp was a member of the Navy Department Commission on Training Camp Activities, and his article was published in the January 1918 issue of Flying. Both the Army and Navy adopted Camp’s system of physical training, which became known as the ‘Daily Dozen’—a set of twelve simple exercises which were to be done every day, and could be completed in a matter of minutes. A one-of-a-kind work from World War I combining two of America’s greatest traditions—football and the military. Pre-certified Steve Grad/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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