The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-03
The intercollegiate Athletic Tourna-

ment.
1t is pleasant to note that arrangements are
in progress which promise to insure this
summer probably by far the finest athletic
meeting ever held in America. if not one of
the finest in the world AS all are aware, the
University race is set down for the 14th of
July. Often, as was natural, there gathered
around this important event other contests of
an interesting nature this year there being
two-one between the freshmen of the various
competing colleges, and another between
the best scullers selected from all the
classes These altogether will occupy two
days, and, judging both from last summers
gathering and from the fact that where there
were then but nine colleges represented there
are to be fourteen this year, will prove
sufficient to bring together thousands from
oil sections of the country to witness the re-
suit of the great aquatic battle.
Having this in mind, and with the view OF
rendering the programme of the regatta week
still more attractive, the Saratoga Rowing
Association has very judiciously decided to
establish an athletic meeting, substantially
similar to those held annually at several Of
the British universities, this reunion TO take
place the day following that Of the intercol
legiate race Though for nearly twenty-five
years these contests have taken place never
till year before last, at Springfield, was there
an opportunity for any general display of the
students skill and powers of endurance other
than at the oar A good beginning was eff
- .Io klax
will be remembered, proving to be fleet
footed Canadian from McGill Coll ege. Mon
treaL Last year. instead Of one event only,
there were five, with nearly fifty entries, the
tournament proving exceedingly interest
ing in every particular, and, in the opinion of
some, more entertaining than the boat race.
The programme for the coming athletic
games is not entirely made up, but is under
stood TO embrace substantially the contests of
last year-namely, the hurdle hundred-yard,
one and three mile runs and the seven-mile
walk-while it is not improbable that other
events will be added, among them quarter of
a mile running and one-mile walking race.
At the annual Dublin University Athletic
Club sports, in June, 1873, there were twenty
nine different events, extending over two days,
the interest eliminating in the seven-mile
walk. The contests in question, coming, as
has been noted, on the day after the boat
race, will enable the one hundred and thirty
eight rowers to take part and afford an excel
lent opportunity for their friends and the pub
lie generally to see the winning oarsmen in
dulge in another branch Of outdoor exercise,
and as often happens, the college proving the
victors in the one sort Of contest losing in the
other, thus affording an equalizing consola-
ton healthy in its results.
While the association purposed giving very
liberal prizes a suggestion is in order which
might add an element to these meetings and
render them more interesting. 1t is this:-
As the morning is to be devoted to the under
graduate contests two or three of the prin-
cipal and more arduous ones could be re-
peated in the afternoon and thrown open to
graduates only. This would bring up many
of the good men Of former years, would show
where lies the superiority the athlete Of
then or now-would bring about many pleasant
reunions under very happy circumstances,
would help solve the problem whether man
is tougher physically at twenty or several
years later, would bring together just the men
whose hints toward the conduct of these con-
tests would be most valuable, acquaint the
younger members with the very men at whom
many Of them had looked as models and
would entail many other manifest benefits.
But what We have chiefly in mind, and
which, to our view, is worth more than all
the rest, is that at last We are in a fair way to
see vigor and health Of body not confined, as
heretofore, to very small proportion Of the
more favored youth Of our land, but to see
these almost priceless attributes become gen.
eral, il not universal When it can be said Of
each Of the fourteen institutions which pur-
pose being represented in the University race,
as Charles Astor Bristed said Of Cambridge
University, England, when he was there, ''that
there was hardly a man out Of the whole
twenty-five hundred students who did not
daily take respectable constitutional, and that
even single case Of consumption among them
was unknown it will be bright day for our
country and, from present appearances, much
Of the credit for bringing about this welcome
result may justly be laid at the door Of the
Saratoga Rowing Association.
THE STATE PRIsoNs.-An unworked mine of