Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-02
AMATEUR ATHLETES.
DIR YOUNG PEOPLE GIVING ATTsN-
TON TO PHYSICAL CULTURE.
Points About Bathing. Boating, Fishfns'
Gynnastios. Boxing. Baseball Ten
uis. and Othsr Heaithful sports

II is rather n singular fact that our
word "virtue" is derived from the
Latin "pirsas," which signifies vaior'
rluck, and manhood. According TO the
Roman scceptation OF the term John H.
Sullivan. had he lived in the Augustan
arc. would have been the most "'ir-
tnous" man in America, but, however
inconsistent this sysppear to Us, there
"a a good deal OF hard sense in the ad-
miration the ancients had for a hne
specimen OF physical manhood.
II ue walk down ono OF our leading
thoronohfores and notice the pedestrians,
how few really graceful men, or women
eitber do We see Zone walk awkward
~. others carry themselves IN careless
manner, and the majority are narrow
ehouldered and fat-chested. In this age
Of science and invention few have
stopped to think that their physical con-
dition required attention, and go long as
they could move about and attend 70
business, no thought has been gwen 10
health and strength.
aYpsAsIuMs POPULAR now.
In the last few years. however. there
has been some reaction In regard 70 ath-
ietics. and since the craze created py
baseball the tendency to look after phy-
sical culture has been decidedly on the
increase. In the North gymnasiums
have been established IN almost every
city, and nearly every one pays more or
less attention 10 his physical conditloh'
Even in Richmond gymnastics are Ger,
tainlv becoming more popular and
tbon1h there are Of course many persons
who never give a thought to such things
the Younger generation, it can be truly
said. is quite sn athletic one.
IMPROPER DEVELOPMENT.
There are, Of course. many different
methods by which the muscles may oe
hardened and strength acquired, although
one should be careful not to exercise any
particular portion of the body too much.
Many peonle wonder why il is that some
meohsnics and laboring men, who are
doing manual labor oil day, appear SO
ungraceful and badly proportioned'
This is almost invariably due to the
fact that they exercise only certain por-
ems NJ their bodies, which become
developed, while other muscles are
neglected and remain flabby anu com
paratiyely useless. For instance, the
ssone-cntters and blacksmiths will have
powerfully muscular arms and chests
bnt very poor development IN their legs,
u,bicb thew use but little. Darwin calls
attention 70 the fact that many savage
tyibes whose ancestors before them
spent the greater part of their time IN
canoes. acquired powerful development
in their arms. chests, and bodies, while
their legs, from long disuse, became re-
markedly small.
For these reasons tho outdoor sports
like swimming, baseball, and tennis are
not only much more agreeable, but also
nuch moro beneficial to the partci-
pants.
A GOOD PLACE FOR BATHERs.
Richmond. on account OF her supe-
rior location upon the James river, has
always boosted OF her many expert SWIM
ners. and no inland city of its size IN
the country can furnish so many
.saouatic" individuals. There are ex-
celIent swimming pools here, and the
"Iake" is 20 conveniently situated
that il can be reached in q ten-mlnutes
walk from the business portions OF the
town. On a summers evening the
James is literally swarming with SWIM
mers and urchins dive into the waters
from every bank like frogs, displaying
perfect familiarity with the fishllke art.
SMALL BOYS WILL STEAL OFF.
The great mistake mothers make is in
forbidding their boys to so bathinl8.
Not one boy out OF Il hundred pays the
slightest attention to what his mother
saws in this matter, for when the SWIM
ming fever comes upon them they are
determined TO go. But after having
been forbidden to go, they take the pre-
caution TO avoid all the well-known
pools. where their "big brothers
or cousins are apt to be, and sees
some secluded spot up the canal or near
the Tbree-mile locks. AS a CONSCIENCE
they often get drowned, for they venture
in waters about the depth OF when theN
know nothing. 1t is rare thing lndee-
that one gets drowned in any of the regu
lar ba,hing-places here, for in the season
there are always numbers Of exper
swimmers on hand. who could rescue an.
one who got over his depth.
SWIMMING POETS.
Apropos to this subject, it may b
mentioned that our famous poet. Edga
Allan Poe, Was an excellent SWIMMER
and on one occasion, it is said, he swaI
from Warwick Bar to Mayo's bridge.
distance OF nearly seven miles Byro
was also at home in the water, anC
though afflicted with lameness, he WI
in nowise incommoded in the water, an
once swan across the Hellesport, 50 IL
story says.
SOME LOVERS OF WATER.
Among the "experts in natation
this city may be mentioned Messr
Joseph Jackson, Farley Cooke, Peni'
Shelton, Frank Rahm, Randolph Ma
shall. l.. McVeigh, William Pickre
Henry Williams, Dill Peasants, Ca
Shepherd, Robert Pegram, and Geor
Pegram.
When Captain Boydton was be
several years ago Mr.. George Pegra
swan with him from tho boat-house
Warwick Park, a distance of five mile
TnR VIRGINIA BOAT CLUB.
To the "Noble James is also due {
credit of many other muscles and sine
developed by our young men, for up
her waters the Virginia Boat Club b
"pulled" itsef into strength and 4
tiyity.
This club has sixty members, and (
following gentlemen, well known
business circles, are Its officers Beverl
I. Crump, president; w. G. Wattsc
secretary and treasurer Sydney PETE
las, captain; h. b. Pegram, first ma
and ]. Randolph Marshall, second ma
The clubhouse OF this organization
beautifully situated on Mayos lslar
and during last season il was repaini
and reading-room established IN CO
nection with it.
The past season OF the club was W
successful one, its membership havi
increased greatly, and all its debts havl
been paid. The failure to have q