Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-12-03

n. GEORGE &c ST. ANDEs EW'S
ATHLETIC CLUB.
opening Day-The VarlOus sports
A Gay Crowd and Much Enjoy
ment.
For some time past the officers and
members of the st. George and st. An
drew's Athletic Club have been in
dustriously pushing forward the pre-
paration of their grounds, just outside
the city limits, for the purposes of
their grand opening on Thanksgiving
Day. The grounds, comprising ten
sores, have been terraced and graded,
tracks for the various sports have been
laid off and topped with clay, fences
have been built, grand stand, capa-
BILE of seating many hundreds. has
been erected, the cricket ground has
been laid off and turfed, and a battery
for rife practice has been erected.
The gentlemen who conceived the
idea of forming an athletic club in
Wilmington, and had the business tact
and ability to inaugurate the institu-
ton on its present extensive plan,
deserve not only the conmendatlon
and tn anks of the entire community. but
deserve to have their names Inscribed
on an enduring monument, &C mmemor-
alive of the event OF Thursday.
Nothing can be be tier calculated to
bring our people out together in social
Intercourse upon terms OF fraternity
and good feeling, one toward another,
than an exhibition of the manly sporte
of the gymnasium, participated III by
men and youths whom we daily meet
and associate with. Besides this, the
physical development Of the system,
and the beneficial results to the health
of those whose business overtakes the
mind and enerVate5 the body, are the
rewards which such an organization
will freely shower upon Its members
The enthusiasm for athletic sports
among the Greeks, their love Of the
beautiful, which was gratifed III the
1ynanasid by the sight of the finest
forms in tie prime of youth, and by
the halls and colonnades adorned with
statues and pictures, and occupied by
teachers of wisdom and philosophy,
rendered these places the favorite
resorts of the old and the young.
gymnastics even formed an essential
part of the celebration of all the great
festivals, and to be unable to partici
pate in these manly exercises, from
physical incapacity that arose from
want of development, was case for
the bitterest reproach. "He can
neither saOins nor Write," is the we'll
known term of reproach which the
Greeks heaped On all such. Swim
ming and running were much esteem
ed, and the Olympiads wee named
from the victors in the race. Riding
on horseback. dancing and wrestling
were preoticed to the fullest extent,
Dancing was practiced, not for social
enjoyment of the society of the fairer
sex, es with US, but for the purpose Of
giving grace and confidence to the
orator On the rostrum and in the forum.
With the decline of Greece, the
gymnastic art naturally degenerated,
and became gradually reduced to the
exercises of the professional athlete,
which survived the ruin of the land of
their birth. The Olympic games con-
tinued to be celebrated several CEN
turtles after Christ, and it is thought
by some modern travellers that they
could find traces of the ancient games
continuing to the present day. "You
have the Pyrrhic dance as yet" says
Byron. The Romans initiated the
gymnasia, as they did everything
Grecian, but with them, these sports
never became national, as they were
with the Greeks.
Now We are strong advocate for q
free bestowal of public support, both
moral and peouniary. upon the noble
efforts which the st. George and st.
Andrews Athletic Club is making in
this direction. It has made a brilliant
BEGINNING, and all that is now needed
10 make it q grand success is the
patronage and encouragement of the
community.
The weather on Thursday was Pre-
pitious to the opening. A bracing air
but not too cool. a cloudy sky, but nc
%o-0ra1 hn of h.
athlete and the spectators. Notwith
standing the Club flag did not arrive
in time to welcome it's visitors and
wave over the joyous assemblage, it,
officers in charge OF the entertainment
had provided everything necessary to
exhibit a hearty welcome to all. Al
an early hour the grounds were
thronged with the better class of Will
mingtonians. "Youth and beauty,
the old, the young, and the middle
aged were all there. All day long,
from 10 O'Clock, until the shades OF
evening closed around them, groups OF
merry men and youths could be seen
assembled at different points in the
grounds, either witnessing or partici
pating in the various sports. Kind
words and cheer full greetings bespoke
the Joy of the hearts within, and gave
evidsnce of happy day for all whC
were present.
RIFLE MATCH
At 1890 o'clock the rifle team COM
menced firing at the targets, 200 yards
distant. Tie Judges were, Messre.
D. MoRae. Joseph Price, E. G. Barker
and e. Lilly. The entries were 80 in
number and were entitled to three
rounds each. and repeat, to be fred al
two targets, numbered 1 and 2.
At target No. the following gentle
men fired and made the score attached
to their several names:
Junius Davis, 2Os; II. N. Latham,