Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-16
ATHLETICS AND CHARACTER,
No Proof That Sports Make a Nation
of Heroes.

From the Spectator.
One would like to know, IL Il were possible
to find out, what the precise effect Of their
devotion to gymnastics was upon the Hell
ienic people. 1t may be reasonably doubted
whether 1t enlarged their mental powers for
all Greece shared in this passion. and the
triumphs Of Greek thought and art are al
most confined to Attica. One does not even
owe intellectual gratitude to Spartans or
Boeotians. II did not make them exception
ally heroic. for the Macedonians, who con-
Quered them and the world, were not spe-
cially devoted to sport and were we fancy
till the time OF Philip at all events. excluded
from the contests at Olympia. II did not
save the nation, for Greece was utterly sub
dued by the Romans, who gained their
physical prowesS in another way and IL did
not keep them alive, for, although the Greek
may fairly be held TO have survived the
Roman, whom he indeed in a way abs orbed
the Jew, who abhorred and still abhors gym
nastic training, survived both Roman and
Greek. Except an extraordinary feeling for
form, We cannot trace any result from the
games upon the Greek cha racter and IL in
doubtful whether this was universal or con-
lined to a few rich citizens in Greece gem
orally, and the 10000 Shareholders OF At
uca, VINO, for most purposes are to modern
Europeans "th. Greeks
That question of the influence of these
games on chara cter has some Importance for
the modern world, for the passion for COM
petitve athletics has caught hold of IL and
everywhere, especially in England, France
the united States and the great colonies
they begin TO play more important part In
life. Fifty thousand Englishmen go at a
time to see a foot ball match cricketers are
watched as carefully as statesmen. and an
International running match excites almost
the interest OF a battle. The papers are
everywhere crammed with the reports of
athletics, and a man who can make a
record is as much honored among the
younger generation as ever he was in Greece
~ is probable as prosperity Increases and
the workers gain more leisure that the pas
sion VIII develop further, and we shall be
curious TO see what influence IL has uDon the
national sentiment. IL need not be a bad
one, Tor we suspect that a certain barbara
clsm-~e want that word greatly as distIn-
suished from barharism-is essential 10
the vitality and lighting prowess OF any
race that dwells in cities, but We can see no
reason for believing that il will be sperially
good one can hardly affirm that the games
preserved the manliness of the Greeks and
they certainly did not preserve them from
ihcessaht internal war. international ath-
letlcs, we see in newspapers. are to furnish
new bonds to bind together the nations"
Dut III TREY are only bound as the Greek
states were the advantage will not be con-
splcuous. The probability is that Olympic
games. ancient and modern. had and Will
nave the effect OF games merely, that is of
dlStracuons, innocent or otherwise accord-
ing TO circumstances, from the peremptory
work OF the world. They are not worse than
other amusements, and, being enjoyed in the
open air and under thousands of ewes thew
are probably better than some Of them
Rather population of foot ball players than
a population devoted, like the Chinese 20
CARDS, or, like the Bengalese to gossip but
that Is about as much as it IS as yet justi-
fable to say.