Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1883-12-27
AMATEUR TILL Ell CS.


Physical Advantages Not All By
Any Means on the Side OF Rural
Life.
In an article of on the amateur athletic
capital of the world, II. G. Bunner In the
January Harper says The natural con-
conditions OF rural life are the moat favor
able to health. But the artificial con
ditions are not always the beet in the
world. Rven In our small towing the
social organization la too loose jointsd
and spiritless to enter heartily into
schemes for the thorough education OF
the body and as to farm life, there is
vast deal of balderdash talked about that
Aroadian mode of existence. Bad food
and i'll. ordered work are the rule on our
American farms. Saleratus bread ,neavy
pastry and fried meat do not form the
best diet for an athlete, And whether
he is ploughing, or hoeing, or digging, or
pitching hay, the young farmers labor
is little better 10 kind than that OF the
drain digger on our boulevards.
Careful consideration OF these facts
may convince the most fettere6 slave of
childkood's fond delusion that the male
dweller In the city need not be an abso-
lute physical wreck. There ia saving
muscular grace for the town man, aud it
is found in what known as "amsteur
8thletios." But even he who has some
genuine light GU the subject will be sur
prised to learn to Whist an extent and
how successfully the young New Yorker
seeks after this saving grace, and will
receive with inoredulity the statement
that New York Is in fair way to become
tina nfnataur ntl,lattn oayNita1 If Tho 1ynrld
II does sound somewhat startling; but
1t ia true. In the first place, nature has
given the child of Manhattan every pos
sible facility for making his recreation
literally re.oreation--s building up of
new strength Of body controlled in its
development by gymnastio skill. 1t
seems almost az though the original plan
| of New York island and the surrounding
region had been laid out with this end
| solely in view.
Look at the map. To the south Of the
long, high backed island on which the
city sits ia broad bay, at the confluence
Of two rivers. The bay opens, by pms
sage miscslled the "Nsrrows," to another
| still larger bay, and that has wide
| doorway t. the open sea. This spread of
| waters offers sCcommod atoms to all kinds
aud conditions Of crafts, from canoe to q
| Cunarder. OF the two Rivera, the one
has been described ss "ths largest of its
size" in the world. It is q broad, deep,
| powerful stream, wilh enough volume of
| water ia It to make an Ohio or Rio
| Grande, il economical after the western
fashion. In New York it hss to be
crowded TO make room for few lakes
| which we have up in this north Of the
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