Can a 90-lb. chimp clobber a full-grown man?
Dear Cecil: The other day I told some friends a story about how when I was 14 and living near Washington, D.C., I saw this 90-pound monkey at a carnival who could literally pick a grown man up and toss him out of a boxing ring. A crowd of people listened to a man (probably the trainer) dare anyone to stay three minutes in the ring with what appeared to be a large chimp. There was a fee to try your luck and a $100 reward if you stayed in the three minutes. Well, I’ll tell you, I saw these big guys get in there with this monkey and get tossed right out. It seems the trainer had this whistle and whenever he felt inclined he would blow it, which was the signal for the chimp to do his thing. It was a delightful experience (to watch, at least). Anyway, I don’t think my friends believed me. So you have to back me up, Cece: isn’t it true that a 90-pound chimpanzee can throw a full-grown man through the air? P.S.: Their great strength notwithstanding, is it possible to keep chimps as pets? — To
