The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-28
WHAT THE SPORTING EDITOR OF
HARPER'S SAYS ON THE
SIIRIEGT

(Caspar Whitney in Harper's Weekly.
There are some-not many, regret to
say-iu the various fields of amatcel
sport from whom we expect little of theil
own volition. They are like the wei
known criminally disposed on whom th,
police have ever a watchful eye. W.
noted their unhealthful tende at tn,
preparatory schools, and Throughout
their college athletic career have beer
| uncertain of their good inten tons
| When such as these are free of all re.
straint, 1t is natural they should be
found indulging the disposition held In
| check at the university. For these in
dividuals as Individual we care not; a
man seeks his level first or last, no mat
| ter how much the finality may be de-
layed. For the influence every intelli.
gent man who has studied the field Of
competitive sporr must be aware. It IL
an insidious influence, and its effect Ii
| fatal to healthful athletics. 1t superia-
duces hysteria in competition that pre-
cludes the best work of teams, engenders
win-at-all- spirit that creates scan,
Gal, and undermines the whole athletic
1hhrlc with an artificial enthusiasm that
is certain to lose it's vitality in hard
contest. Beyond that. and, to my mind,
Its most alarming effect, is upon the i'm :
pressible young boys who are brought in.
60 contact with it's deleterious workings,
and frequently betrayed into its utter
most viCiousness.
1t is from this point of view that ask
club gov errors and college faculties
and fathers to unite In muzzlinR the
athletic FOUNDER and putting him
where he may no longer offend against
the ethics of wholesome sport nor seduoe
young men with weak characters and In
different fathers
An illustration of the effect of this
athletic corruption upon young boys is
furnished this senson by the Bangor
lMaine) and Portland (Maine) schools
In recent football game between the
two. the teams of each had boys who
were not mem bers of the school they
pretended to represent. 1t has been stated
repeatedly, and without contradiction,
that several of the Bangor team either
attend school for the sole purpose OF foot.
ball or play without any pretence of con-
nection with the school. 1t is also true
that not less than four of the eleven
playing for Portland were not entitled to
represent that school in any capacity.
portland's offence Ia even greater. for il
involves a direct deception of the princi-
pal of the school by handing him q set of
names of alleged players for approval.
and subsequently changing several OF
them. Indeed, the atmosphere enveloping
the football of these two schools is
noisome TO degree, and proves beyond
question how needful is good example.
and how necessary the tireless vigilance
of schoolmasters and all concerned In the
healthful education of youth
1t is the imperative duty of the author
tiles of these two schools to put q stop to
these scanualous practices at once. If
boys at school are not given a careful
drilling in the ethics Of sport. what
may we expect from them as young mon
at college? What, indeed, may we ex-
poet from them as business men? The
question of ethics In sport is not one of
mere athletic Significance. 1t Is great
moral question of utmost Importance
and brosdest application. A bows
character is fermiBg in his school-days:
if he becon addicted to cheating then
ne will ohe& when he reaches college. he
will swindle when he en- barks in the
serious occupation of his life. If he ia
willing to defeat school rival through
dishonest means, you may be sure he
will not, later In life, abandon the dis
honest tendency. 1t Is not question of
degree; 1t is question of principle.
Manly, wholesome sport makes honest.
plucky men. / never in my life knew a
true sportsman who Was liar.