Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-15

" /
JOHN TETNTD.
Besides this and to my mind Of greater
importance, is the rapidly incroaslug num-
Der Of boat clubs in every part OF the
Union. Go where YOU please, and IN
every place YOU viii find a club and gem
orally good one. Even in such small
city as Montpelier, VT. there IS ahrsi-class
organization which practices every DAY
upon that badly-named but beautiful
river. the Onion. So along the Long Island
sound and the Hudson river there appears
10 be a clubhouse every ten miles, and the
traveller along the Harlem river and
around the beautiful shores of S'a-
ten Island VIII be amazed at the
number and at the excellent ap-
pOiutments OF the clu1-hOuses that are
t. be seen there 10y the score. l nave
never heard how many there are, but
Judging from what ] have seen and know
] should say that there were at least 1000
boat clubs in the United States with
membership Of over half million young
men. These figures may seem large. but
when YOU think of such affairs rs the New
York Athletic Club. the Atlanta and Man
haitian Athletic Club, the New Jersey. Will
liam burg, Brooklyn, and Staten Island or
carnations, each one Of which mustcrs
full regiment, the numbers seem under
stated rather than Otherwise. Why. there
are successful clubs on such little lakes as
Greenwood and Ronkon Roma, and IN such
little towns as Bristol, Rhode island, and
Shecpshead Bay in New York.
Is there an Improvement IN rowing Z"
"Of course there is and I'm every respect.
Everything connected with aquatlcs has
UNDERGONE the same change for the better
rs has everything lin all tho other fields OF
life. The oars or souls. m the hrst place,
are finer and moro Efficient to-day than
ever before. The substitution OF the spoon
for the fiat blade of the past was q vast i'm
provemeut. OF almost equal Importance
have been the unnOticed alterations made
in the shape and finish Of the handle, N
tho tightening Of the oar rs a whole, IN
the curvature and outline of the
blade. and even in the selection and
treatment of the wood from which 1t Is
made. The modern scGll Is lighter, strong
er. handsomcr. and more effective than
any past model known. There Is the same
devclopment in boats. Whether made Of
cedar or paper. they are finer and lighter
than ever before. and their lines have less
resistance and friction. Patent braclng,
uatent Outriggcrs, patent sliding seats,
patent fOOt-rasts, patent metal cut
waters, and patent dlagonals tell the
story Of how much thought and III
ventive genius have been devoted TO
the rowcr's art and of how much pro-
press has been the result One cOnse-
ouence has been the shortening Of the time
in every event. All records when eXam-
ined turn out to be of recent date and CO.
incide with the Introduction and use OF
the inventions mentioned. Many of the
great oarsmen of thirty years ago were bet
ter men than some Of the champions OF to-
day and could have beaten them on even
terms But the Improvements / have re-
! forred to have given the latter great ad-
vantage and enabled them 10 eclipse tho
former in every feat from singles" to
"eights'
There has been huge improvement in
training methods, thanks 10 our doctors
and experts. II ls moro ike some Chinese
school OF medical treatment than anything
else 10 read how oarsmen were put into
condition in the old days They took salts
and SIENNA. sulphurand magneSla, cathartlc
pills and blue mass until the wonder IS that
they did not die from excessive drugglng.
Then there was at that time a holy horror
ooainst fat. and the luchleSS oarsman
had to wear Sweaters" which are
the thickest Jerseys that can be knitted
ont of woollen yarn, heavy over
coats. two ana three sultsot clothes, tnlck
| shoes and stockings. and sometimes oven
! cOmfortors and tippets a order 20 produce
/ cOpious pcrspiratiOn and melt the tat
| through the pores. Beyond TINS there
were all sorts Of useless exercise. Dumb
| bells and Indian clubs. lifting heavy
WEIGHTS. and shaking unWieldy bars were
o small part of the training had TO under
20. Dieting was another feature. The
/ candidate was not allowed to smoke OF
/ drink. and was restricted 20 a bill OF fare
! from which sugar, fats. starch, many meats,
all pastry, CONNECTIONS, and sweetmeats
/ were vigorously excluded. he result OK
! this treatment was disastrous IN any num-
| her of cases. IL weakened the man NJ his
| strongest points and threw nccdless strains
/ upon other parts Of his body. Ih0re Is no
/ doubt that the famous sculler Brown came
| TO an untimeiy end from the unnecessary
strain upon his heart produced by TINS
/ method of training. II bad one humorous
! phase. however. III producing bolls All over
! the body of the rover, and especialiy
| where he came in contact with the stat; Oh
! one occasion three Of the famous Column
| LIN College crew Of 1875 were troubled N
! this way. and for two weeks We're unable
! TO sit down, and in fact TO hardly move.
/ The,same trouble occurred 10 great crews
! of Harvard and Yale III this country, ana
/ To Oxford and Cambridge IN England.
| This STYLE. / an glad 10 say, IS now out OF
vogue not only IN aQuatlcs, hut IN every
! form OF athletic exercise. People know
| more about the laws OF healtha and strength,
and apply their knowledge IN very sen
sible and satisfactory manner.
The present style Of training 10 sim
plicity itself. It's first principle Is the
| avoidance Of any shock 10 the body. The
| smoker is not compelled 10 give up to-
| bacco and so suffer indescrible nervous
pain, but merely to moderate and limit
| his use OF the weed. The drlnker IS
| treated similarly and Is allowed his bottle
! nj Bass. his claret or Rhein wine with
| his meals. The regular course OF ma
ture is followed as far as possible. The
athlete must 90 TO bed and get up
early. He must take long walks ana
runs, eat well. and eat everything he
/ desires that is not intrlnslcally IN
| wholesome He must battle so as 10 keep
| the skin clean and allow the pores and
! glands to do their best work. In his eXer-
| else he must pay particular attention 10
| the organs upon which his success de-
| pends These are not so much the great
muscles as Is commonly believed, but the
lungs and heart. When these are in bad
form the oarsman, minute after no has
started, is in distress. The lungs are
moving faster and the heart IS oyerpOwered
with blood. The result IS that the BRAIN
| becomes surchargCd and the man sees IN
distinctly. the breathing becomes hot
fast, irregular, and then painful and,
finally the muscles refuse to do their
| proper work. TO put these organs into
good shape all that is necessary Is to, use
| those forms Of exercise which call them
most into USE Running, playing football.
| jumping the skipping rope, rowing, SWIM
ming, sparring, fencing, and the IKE are
invaluable in this respect. AS to reducing
weight, there is no need for heroic mea-
sures. The Schweninger system OF drink