But the deacons of the church did not approve, and Roosevelt soon
went to another church.
Meanwhile he was learning to box. In his own story of his life he
makes fun of himself as a boxer, and says that in a boxing match
he once won "a pewter mug" worth about fifty cents. He is honest
enough to say that he was proud of it at the time, "kept it, and
alluded to it, and I fear bragged about it, for a number of years,
and I only wish I knew where it was now."
His college friends tell a different story of him. He was never
one of the best boxers, they say, and he was at a disadvantage
because of his eyesight. But he was plucky enough for two, and he
fought fair. He entered in the lightweight class in the Harvard
Gymnasium, March 22, 1879. He won the first match. When time was
called he dropped his hands, and his opponent gave him a hard blow
on the face. The fellows around the ring all shouted "Foul! Foul!"
and hissed. But Roosevelt turned toward them, calling "Hush! He
didn't hear!"
In the second match he met a man named Charlie Hanks, who was a
little taller, and had a longer reach, and so for all Roosevelt's
pluck and willingness to take punishment, Hanks won the match.
He was a member of three or four clubs,--the Institute, the Hasty
Pudding and the Porcellian. He was one of the editors of the
Harvard Advocate, took part in three or four college activities,
and was fond of target shooting and dancing.
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