Life, 1927-06-02 · page 11 of 46
Life — June 2, 1927 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines satire with advertising. The top cartoon mocks a football star's modest winnings—he receives only flowers and a potted plant after winning "all them games," satirizing how college athletes (despite their fame) received minimal material rewards. The main section is a **composite advertisement** for Turkish tobacco, written as if a cigar retailer is endorsing the product's superiority. It humorously positions the advertiser as an "employee" who feels entitled to speak frankly about quality. The bottom cartoon, "Graduation from the College of Hard Knocks," depicts chaotic slapstick violence—people being knocked around—as a visual pun on the phrase's meaning: life's tough lessons learned through hardship rather than formal education. The page reflects early 20th-century American humor styles mixing commentary on athletics, consumer goods, and working-class wisdom.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Football Star: WeL1, 18 THIS ALL 1 GET FER WINNING ALL THEM GAMES? The Composite Advertisement Reader Visits His Tobacconist & ELL, Mr. Employee of the largest cigar retailers in the world, 1 am the man who feels entitled to life's better things, I have reached a point where price is no longer all-important, and I have a natural prefer- ence to pay a few cents more for that extraordinary cigarette, the overwhelming choice of experienced smok- ers with skillful blending, contentment, satisfaction, a rich aroma, unchanging good taste, just enough Turkish, solid deep-down enjoyment, the tang and zest of the North woods, smoking refreshment that never ends, and the password to friendliness everywhere. It must be the one cigarette sold the world over in a famous red box, be toasted to bring out the hidden flavor, the utmost in cigarette quality and the first different tobacco in a generation, endorsed by the brother of the King of Spain, Royal Highness, world traveler, thoroughbred sportsman, and distinguished social lion, a com- bination millions can’t resist, with a sensational fight to popularity which, of course, must be deserved, there’s something about it I'll like, and I'd walk a mile for it but I've recently ban- ished the tobacco habit and now have no cr: the weed in any form on account of a cure which is not a substitute, can be taken in my morning coffee, and is absolutely guaranteed or money refunded, so all I want to say is the happiest words in the world. May I use your telephone? I thank you.” W.W. Scott. Object: Muscularity ‘YHEERLEADER: Going back to the old ice wagon this summer? Star Harraack: Curerteaper: What's the matter? Star Hatrsack: There won't iy wagons, I'm afraid, with all these electric refrig- erators coming in. Curertraper: Then how do you expect to keep in trim? Star Harrsack: some tough games ahead of us. Saturday Evening Posts. Nope. That's out. be ice I don't know — we've got I think I'll deliver Graduation from the College of Hard Knocks comicbooks.com