"Lindgren . . had barely climbed off the plane in San Francisco . . . before Clarke had him in tow and was taking him off for an extended interview. When he tottered back to his hotel room several hours later, Clarke seemed badly shaken.
'That fellow is either a physical marvel or the greatest con artist in history,' he said, preparing to type up his notes [on Lindgren's training].'"
The question posed by Clarke remains; and the answer could be: both.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1079575/2/index.htm