New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
TIE DISCUSSION or COLLEGE SPOR rs

TIE DISCUSSION or COLLEGE SPOR IS.
Whatever may be thought of President Eliot
views I'm regard 10 college athletics. the dis
cusson that has been provoked by them can
not fail to be beneficial. II is bringing TO the
front certain Fundamental principles that nced
always to be kept clearly In view.
one Of these principles is that physical culture
in colleges ought io have for It's ultimate object
thc bodily development Of all the students
This sounds like truism: and yet obvious aS
+, is II has been frequently lost sight Of Many
college BOYS. and some older boys no longer III
colloce opprar 10 think that the only value OF
athletic supcrlorlty lies I'm the distinction 1t may
,ivo ,hcIr alma mater OF course. the desire
for victory must always be- powerful stimulus
., ,hose who take part In athletic contests
and II Is entirely right that such should be the
c,s. Eut college ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Is in Itself
an Inadequate reason for promoting physical
culture. When there Is 10 other object than
that I'm view two things inevitably happen
First. few except those who are most fit phys
coIly take part in athletic contests the result
being that the students who stand most IN heeu
II physical development do not get IT, In fact
rs rule. all tn" exercise they ever think or
taking X yelling for their team or groaning at
The team ti ll' fb'Iills ih' ''h'' ''''' ''''
If intercollegiate competitive athletic contests
Is the temptation 10 achieve a victory by me
us,. ~ unworthy devices and tricks. which, in
so far rs they are successful. take III" contest
ont OF The category OF physical prow"Ss. and
urn II into n contest ~ misapplicd wits.
We shall not be suspected of opposing inter
COLLEGIATE contests because 81 possible evils that
NAV or do arise out Of them. That would be fool
Ish In view Of the great good resulting from
such contests and in view also Of the fact that
every good thing may be- abused. All we de-
sire to do is TO remind the college boys. and the
older bows out Of college aforesaid, that the
cultivation Of the highest ideal OF physical man
hood among all the students Is the only ground
Oh which college athletics can stand. The value
az the great connective contests lies In the
opportunity they give 10 those whose physical
development is already high. and in the slim
Mus they give To Il much larger number, whose
minds are thus turned In the direction Of physl-
cal training But there is a residuum OF weak
md anacmic students In every college, who
are actually discouraged from taking part In
any athletic contests because the intercollegiate
cracks have made the average standard so
high And vet these are the students whom
athletic exercise would most benefit.
There Is another important fact, to which at
tepton f. called IN 1.-THE Medical Record"
The praise OF exercise and training has been
sung SO much. 1t says that most people have
come TO believe athletic proficiency and sound
health to be almost Identical things. But. as
a matter Of fact athletic exercise OF the more
strenuous sorts is not always needed, and Is
sometimes pernicious. Life insurance exam
iners agree that professional athletes are short
lived, while the amateur may or may not have
n long life In n word, rs already said. those
whom athletic exercises would most help are
often the very persons who do not cultivate
them.