The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
HONOR in ATHLETIC SPORTS
Bairds Valuable Suggestions to Amateurs
Eastern Club Nethods

found that he was not five seconds ahead,
instead of making claim and disturb
ance he quietly asked if his was second
place, and on being so informed went off
to the dressing-room and refused to be in
dignant. The paper in question mar
yeled at $50 much frankness, which, it
stated, ''is refreshing in this era of chican-
ery."
There is point on which find partic-
ular fault with the clubs and colleges on
this coast. There seems to be an idea pre-
vailIng that a man to be your competitor
must necessarily be your enemy. In some
sections of the country club would ap-
plaud a fine performance achieved by a
member OF another club almost as vigorous
ly as if the successful man was their own
clubmate. That is generous, and like to
see it. This favoritlsm do not like. like
to see an admirable performance applauded
by everybody, regardless of who he is or
where he is from, provided he is a worthy
man and fulfiIls the rules. At set of
games held recently on this coast it was
depressing to see the assembled mem
bers OF certain institution. yell them
selves into convulsions if comrade won
race, no matter how insignificant the
performance may have been otherwise.
On the contrary, if member of another
club or college should perform in an ex-
ceptional manner be was received in chill
ing silence by the members of said
institution. This shows narrow
spirit. A man does not have one
atom less OF esprit-de-corps by show
ing a broad and generous spirit toward
others. 1t is this good feeling that bene-
fits athletics in general and thereby the
clubs in particular. What L like to see is
for beaten man to got to his more sue
cessful rival after the race and congratu-
late him. 1t costs nothing, makes your
competitor feel kindly toward you, and
lifts you up and sets you apart from the
common herd of mankind.
Suppose now a member of your club
gets beaten by the member of another.
Stop and think what the effect on the
other fellow and the other club would be
if you and your clubmates were to go to
him before he had left the grounds, con-
gratulate him and say something compli
mentary about his performance. Do you
not think that he would tell his friends
that you were all good fellows?
Some years ago I read story which
impressed me deeply. At a set of games
held by high school in England on the
occasion OF what we call a commence
ment, two boys were pitted against each
other in hurdle race. The significance
of the result is best understood when it
is explained that the winners of the re-
spective events would dine with the
faculty at the annual banquet
One of the boys was an aristocrat and
the other a plebeian. The former entered
the race with full intention OF winning,
but when half way through and he passed
the grand stand leader by few yards he
heard pathetic cry and caught sight of
two white and anxious faces in the front
row, which he Instantly recognized as the
mother and sister of his rival.
Then it flashed across him how much
more it meant for the other boy to win
than himself-the dinner, the association
with the professors, the prominence for
one of humble station (something we lit
tie understand in this Republ:c). There
were two more flights to be taken, one was
cleared in magnificent style, and then the
friends of the leader wondered why his
foot caught the last hurdle. They are
probably wondering yet. but he knows the
reason. Can you guess it? At any rate it
is not difficult to determine the moral
character of one who would make such
sacrifice.
Among the contributors to the columns
of Harper's Weekly is young writer by