New-York tribune., 1890-06-27
TIE GEE1T EOAIL1CE.

However the opinions of college faculties
and corporations respecting Undergraduate
athletic contests may vary, and however the
management and spirit OF these amateur COM
petitions may be criticised. there is 10 doubt
that they have been so conducted in recent
wears as 10 increase enormously their interest
for the general public The time is not re-
mote when they possessed attractions for only
a very limited circle outside of college walls
and passed absolutely unnoticcd by vast ma
iority of busy men. Within decade they
have acqnircd national prominence, and two
or three Of them are now feckoncd among the
most conspicuous, exciting, and enjoyable III
versions in the whole list of outdoor sports
The Princeton Yale football game for example
draws more spectators 10 the berkeley oval
than assemble anywhere else for kindred
purpose. except only when the suburban Is run
at Sheepshcad Bay Not more than two or
three times during the season are professional
games of baseball witnessed by ~ many thou
sands as gathered for the lae-PrlncetOn
matches on Two recent afternoons. To-day
hundreds Of thousands i'll all parts Of the coun-
Try will wait impatcntly for the result Of the
boat-race between Harvard and Yale at New
London, which probably ten thousand persons
will be there 10 see.
This very feature of popularity is the one To
which some critics Of intercollegiate contests
most strcnuously object. They complain that
if indicates how far beyond their legitimate
domain these riyalrcs have passed, and proves
the existence Of a strong professional spirit II
not Of Objectionable professional methods. II
does not seem 10 lis that this indictment Will
hold We should say rather that the natural
instinct which makes "A supcIlatve display OF
power and discipline and skill allluing rccog-
nizcs in these college contests the highest type
of physical competition. The guarantee of
absolute honesty and sincerity il perfect 1t
has never crossed the mind of the most pes
simistic Sccptic that any consideration except
an Unsuitable desire tC win artuatcs college
nine or team or crew and such unseliish cXhibi-
tions of loyalty and yalor are not 80 common
as to be incon>picuOuS.
The same conditions Of zeal and determine
ton have always prevailed but for many years
the standard of excellence in college sports
was comparatively low, and hence they were
unable 10 secure the attention of the general
public. But of late they have approached, on
every field, the measure of professional attain
mcnt, while i'll oarSmanship the colleges act
ually set the standard. There is no profession
al crew in the world which could reasonably
be expected to row down the winners Of to-
days race. That struggle will be one Of the
most beautiful and inSpirting spectacle, which
physical proweSS and perfection can offer.
The way of a ship in the sea- was ono of the
things which were " too wOndcriul' for the
inspired writer. Inc way of an eight-0arcd
boat propelled by college champions over the
placid surface of the Thames, whether in the
New World or the Old, i, not too wonderful,
but just wonderful enough for those who have
| the fortune TO behold it. May the better crew
win, and both crews break the old record