The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-05
On ATHLETICS.
a Writer Deplores the Lack of
Interest in Sports.

local OF Thursday mornings issue
about foot ball, l am led to write a
few words about athletics in Homo
lulu. Your correspondent has
watched with a great deal of curl
osity the development, or rather the |
non-development, of athletic sports
during his several months visit to
the Islands. 1t seems to be a IA
tally among the friends of athlet-
les in Honolulu to engage in sports
with enthusiasm at first, and after
a short time to give up all interest.
This climate is a perfect Para
disc for the lovers of outdoor
games In base ball, tennis, row.
ing, foot ball and cricket enthusi-
asts may indulge to their hearts
content the year around. How our
friends on the other side of the
Pacific envy you
''They must hang up the racket and the
ball,
For their season closes with the Fall;
Their bats and boats they put away,
And wait for more convenient day"
Some time since an Instructor
was engaged to train classes at
at the Armory and many fathers
began to take an interest in the
physical development of their sons.
[ believe officers were elected,
constitution drawn up and the out
look was very suspicious. But for
certain reasons there was not
enough encouragement to make the
association success, so the athlet-
ic apparatus was sold and thus
ended this soap bubble. 1t is in
deed a sad commentary upon the
athletic interest and spirit of Ho-
nolulu to have allowed such an in
stitution to die so easily.
To be sure, the National game is
success here base ball has come
to stay. TIE games played last
year proved that there was good
material for frst-class base ball.
Some of the games were exceed
ingly interesting and sharply con-
tested. l love to watch a good
game of base ball, and l believe
the excitement is a healthy one,
and surely there is need of it here
in this Paradise Capital. The Ka-
mehameha boys were the victors
this year. | am informed that they
were the winners two years ago
, Are you going to let them win next
year? If not, then you will have
to work to prevent them. In most
all of the games there is lack OF
interest and snap among the play.
ers which ought to be rectltied
Surely this is not due to the heat
for in the summer months L have
witnessed many a game played
under sweltering sun and there
was a snap and dash about the
play very interesting to watch.
After a series of maneuvers or
the part of the captains of the He
,nis and Myrtles boat race wa
anged this year to be pulled
over the course at Pearl Harbor
The former crew won and | an
rather inclined to believe that
was for the best interest Of tn
boating community. 1t will surel
be lesson to the Myrtle boys, an
they will make an extra effort
win back their lost iaurels; on tn
other hand the Healani crew has
reputation to keep, so they will b
spurred on to improve their Gre
work. May the best crew alway
be victorious.
Outside of rowing and base bal
we have no sports OF common II
terest. Is it not possible to arous
an interest in tennis, foot baI
cricket, and the field sports?
believe there should be regul
tennis association here, well orga
lied, open to all players in Hon
lulu, and to make the affair su
cess there should be an annu
tournament to decide upon t
merits of the best players. The
should be some incentive to indu
tennis men to practice. Let sor
kind, philanthropic enthusiast of
a prize to be competed for; let
games be played in some pub
place where the people can wat
the game, and let every man, wo
an and child that has racket pl
tennis. This game is especla
adapted to this climate and
exercise of a light character, II
unsurpassed as sport,
And now few words about t
game which is characterized
brutal by the untutored. The I'M
collegiate game has been pla,
here for two years. Some g
PLAYERS have been developed,
pecially among the Punahou bt
am quite anxious to see tn
meet good eleven. l b
heard so much about their p
1t is exceedingly interesting
know that you have foot