New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
ATHLETICS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
DISADVANTAGES OF THE AMERICAN Gil
MATE-UNFOUNDED PREJUDICE.

George Goldie the veteran athlete, for years
the director of the Princeton College Gymnasium ana
now tho director OF the New-YorkAtnletic CLUB, was
smoking his morning cigar In the club reception room
the other day as he chated with TRIBUNE reporter
about athletics and athletes
aThere's not much to he said about the coming
season." said he beyond what has been already pub
Isbed The regular fixtures will take place. and outside
Of them there is little Of interest going In the athletic
world Our club will, hope and believe, sustain It's
reputation; aid all that can be done by nara WORK VIII
be DONE Besides our gymnasium and track work. our
oarsmen are In training the Harlem, and we snail
have a number OF crews in the championship races,
schu er the captain ohe club pulls In the eight oared
crew Morse the crack single scuer OF the Harlem Is
alan one of one mcmbers but believe that he pulls from
the Ataantas Next winters gymnasium work will be
thoroughly organized expect that a prize will be
offered for each ar paratus Mr. Trench and Mr. Travers
intend to offer these prizes and hope that they will
inspire some good contests In fac all the best work
done in this country done by amateurs They seem to
beat the professionals all departments OF athletics
cept perhaps the six dayS walks and contests of that
sort In this country professional athletes don't seem to
thrive With all athletic clubs nnd associations, 1t
seems strange say that there Isn't enough public
interest in athletics support professionals but that's
the fact There isn't that universal interest among all
classes OF society which necessary to keep professional
athletes alive This for instance, is athletic club,
but we havo "a gIeat many members who JOIN without
any intention Of taking part III contests They like to
come here 70 exercise anu sheS ,IJTy 1Hkng az Vic
selves that have comparatively Few OF the
associations and don't think that the club is anxious
TO take in that class OF men.
But still taking the Nation whole, there IA not
that passion athletics which you ind IN England and
Scotland. There COnests arc. continually coming on,
simmer and winter and all classes OF society the
House of Lords the aboer interested ia the
result. The English, yOi know, are great betting
nation They're always glad OF opportunity 10 risk
he'll mOne
Smiling his half-crown staked on these athletic
anaira Then there's another great advantage which
English athletes enjoy. Their climate IL far TOre
favorable than athletic training The American
climate IL very severe The extreme heat ard extreme
col are debatUg to men in training and much OF the
sysems vitality IL wasted In tine struggle against them.
The English climate Is uniform aud bracing Besides
this the weather never ntereres with the games The
Engshmcn hold their games IN inidwinter NJ well as In
midsummer They haven't the snow AMI the terrible
I'm handy ut athletic exhibition. As Tor rain. IL
doesnI Inconvenience thom the cast. They pat on
fheir Macknoshcs aud open their umbrellas and watch
the games cOutentedly rs n the sun were shining
brightly For ali these different reasons athletics in
Great Britain are a much important industry to
speak. than in America A good many men manage to
they re not particularly thriving Glass When they're
not In active training they usually spend their money In
dssintion so that they lead hand to- m Duth sort OF
existence The great annual contest In England the
Sheffield Handicap. Th. Is sprint race. and hundreds
ever any one ON the scratch The bail. the andcnp
ping The best record made 30 that no one except
the champion can be the scratch and not even he
nnless he "A beaten all previous records. The English
will have tough American 10 deal with this year In
Meyers who has gone over 10 compete In their cham
pionship games London. ! think he'll probably win
the quarter and half-mi.e IN he enters them.
In spite OF all this however. the American amateurs
do excellent work think that In some respects these
carefully and accurately arranged
than on the other side For instance In heavy weight
putting the shot and throwing the hammer the
Americans determine the weights TO be used with greater
accuracy than the Englshmen aud Sc0tchmen. great
many good people look with disfayOr on amateur
athletics they have somehow got the notion that
taste for athletics UNITS for all the serious bust
ness OF life They think that amateur athlete cant
make good doctor lawyer business Now, all
that's a mistake. or course there am tour pro
fessiOnas whose whole time s given TO athletics but
the great OF amateurs hand working business
men. VINO find only pleasant relaxation In their
athletic work. Take this club. for instance. When 30
up TO the track early In tho afternoon nd not
her. Later tetween and q o'clock. they bcgin 10
arrive. They exercise until 1880 and then home
to their dinners with better appettes aud Ia better
dltion to enjoy "A nights rest than N they hal gone
directly home after their Office work without brrat
frceh AIR anything TO put their blood Into healthy
circulation. When they oOne TO that time OF fo when
violent exercise longer necessary beneficial they
usually give up their active athletic work Those who
been very successful begin 10 feel that they have
earned their share of hOnOrs the track. and they
begin TO weary OF the monOtOny OF victory Those whose
records been brilliant begin tn reaEs that they
will never accomplish IN middle lie what they failed to
attain their youh. aid they also mOdestly retire
In this way II comes about that almost all amateur
athletes quietly settle down at thirty with the vigorous
constitutions which the result OF physically
active life 20 you that most OF the 0utcry against
Athletics which Is In the mouths OF many
peIions has 10 foundation"