New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-24
COLLEGIATE ATHLETICs

CAN VIEW OF THE SAME SUB.
JECT AND OF INTERCOLLE-
GATE CONTESTS IN GEN.
ERAL - AN ANSWER
WANTED
London, septembera
Mr.. w. II. Grenfelrs article in the Septemh..
| "Fortnighty" entitled oxford VS.. Yale. =
something more than account and a discus
zion OF the memorable athletic contest betv...
the English and the American University n.
writer has taken the trouble 10 learn sometb,,.
about the recent history Of athletics in Amer,c.
That Is unusual In England. The English A.
many OF the English. will be surprised to ha..
| that the New-York Athletic Club has e,uh
house which cost $1,000 that the property Of n.
Boston Athletic Association Is valued at S4OOMN
and that the Chicago Club reckons Its riches A.
$500 OO0 These and many other facts equalv
novel and interesting to his countrymen has Mr.
GrenfelI CLEANED from some source or other He
is disposed to do full justice TO America, as might
be expected from an English amateur In and a.
80 many various kinds Of athletic pursuits
Mr. Grenfell is an enthusiast. and In his articla
as in his practice Of many games, is abundant
evidence Of his thoroughness No man Of hh
day. believe was his equal all round, and hh
day f. very recent one He was very much
what Mr. Fry, Of Wadham College. president Of
the oxford Club, is; supremacy good In several
different and difficult things. The austere critic
of athletes will do well 10 note that Mr.. Greu.
felrs liking for these pursuits did not prevent him
from becoming a Member Of Parliament at q
very early age, from applying his mind TO the
most dismal Of sciences If it be a science the
| currency. He Is a bimetalllst, convinced, apps.
tolic learned and jealous for the double stand.
ard az for the development Of the body by all
| sorts Of games and exercises
The judgment of such interna.
tonal contest is worth having, and his testimony
to the spirit shown by oul Yale boys. beth In the
contest and after their defeat, is all could wish
He quotes and adopts what was said by Mr. C.
| n. Jackson, treasurer Of the oxford University
Athletic Club. that there was nothing in the
course Of his long athletic experience TO which hs
could look back with more pleasure and admra.
ticn than the wonderful temper. the conciatory
spirit, and the thoroughly sportsmanke feeling
which were shown by the whole OF the Yale team
when their points Of difference with Oxford
were under d.scv: SION
Each of the nine events is narrated and dis
cusseG by Mr. Grenfell very fully. and with
CeRfte OF Importantly sufpliSiHS III an
man. 1t would even be surprising in an Amen-
can. II Yale wins, she has full Justice II she
loses she has full justice, and sometimes little
more for 1t Is not In Nr. Grenfells nature 10 be
only Just and nothing more to an opponent who
has done his best in vain When Mr.. l.. p shel.
don carries off the long jump-which was thought
a certainty for Oxford with his magnificent
the word is Mr.. Grenfels-22 feet II inches. 1t Il
thus chrcDiclsd:
The Stars and Stripes are run up to announce
en- unexpected victory and the winner Is most
Geservedly and loudly chesred by all present. not
only for remarkable performance put for the
style I'm which he jumped, which was universally
admired.
When Mr.. Cady falls in the hurdle race, Mr.
Grenfell expresses his regret that most exciting
| contest should have been marred by such an &C.
| cident. and plainly hints that, but for the fiu
and but for the fact that Yale Yielding the pointto
oxford. ran grass instead Of the cinder tra0
10 which they were accustomed. the result
might have been different. When Mr.. HickN
puts the weight Al feet ~ inches and Mr.
Brown OF Philadelphia. comes next with nae
throw OF 40 feet 2 inches" Mr.. Grenfell frankly
describes his oxford friends quite out.
classed" and says: -.
When Achmet, last Emperor Of Turkey, mace
n record for hammer-throwing, there W as reared
I'm cOnstantinOpe, Tor one EXTRAORDINARY case
which none could come near, two great pillars OF
marble Unfortunately 1t might interfere Win
the cricket ground. otherwise these TWO great
casts should certainly be recorded by the cree
ton of great pillars of marble which would ne
main both memento Of the visit OF the fsle
athletes to the Queens Club and as tinger-posu
to show how the weight can be put.
Al this Is perfectly consistent with the strong
est and most undisguised sympathy with tho
English team. Mr.. Grenfell is jus as English as
the Americans are American. That does not pre-
vent him from declaring his admiration OF the
Americans, and he sums up follows:
How far the change OF climate and other con-
ditions may have affected the runners from over
the sea Il Is impossible 10 say; and how Wen y,
how badly the oxford men would have Jared gao
| the meeting taken place on the other side OF ~
Atlantic ii Is also impossible 10 say. one tniHs
certain that the contest a grand one anu
stubbornly fought throughout. and that the nlns
men who represt nted Yale were as fine anu IKE,
| Unlocking speci'rens OF athletes as one "oue
wish to see
Not Mr. Grenfelrs only but that Of all Eng
ish athletes is the hope that this may not be the
| last occasion ION which the undergraduate
| youth Of the Engsh-speaking race may meet "
| try their strength on the greensward and the''
heetness on the running path" He sees, as every
body saw, that such meetings bring about oe'
| ter knowledge and a better appreciation eaeh VI
| the other. OF course they encourage athleues'n
| both countries. Mr.. Grenfell thinks they pW
| mote good feeling also between the two couh'n"
| That depends little on the spirit In when Wv
| tory and defeat accepted. and on that po'A'
| I will cite another witness an American.
Not long after the Oxford-Yale contest
| American wrote me a letter on the s"'''
| which may or may not have BEEN meant io' ~
| licaton, but from which will make an go go
or two without naming the writer Inc ''''
| is full Of interest, the writer, as you w" o.
| very competent person. and his views "''
| as to deserve consideration Whether "e,
| just or not Is point on which other A''' a.,
| might have something to say. omit nios' " -
| comments on the international games pu'
| say that he was dissatisfied with me io' NV