Warren sheaf., 1897-07-15
MODERATION IN ATHLETICS
Americans Are Believers in Plenty
of Exercise.

~1"eFAcHAS are Be1everS In Plenty
of Exercise.
r 1t can no longer be said that Ameri-
cans are too sedentary people. The
advantages and pleasures of recreation
in the open air are now so well appre-
ciated in this country that campaign
of education in that direction has be-
come superfuous. Both sexes are prac-
tical believers in the benefits of fre-
quent outing. Dwellers in cities are
encouraged to seek the open air by the
establishment of large and attractive
parks and by low fares for long rides
to pleasant suburban places. Of course
the wheel has been leading cause of
the genial revolution in favor of ex-
ercise in the breathing places of a city.
So rapid has been the change that the
hygienist is now more disposed to talk
of moderation in athletics than to per-
suade people to get out of the house
and do something for their health. The
eager, nervous American Temperament
needs to be calmed a little, at least in
the department of the more active ath-
letics. 1t is far better to avoid the evils
of overtraining than be compelled to
seek their remedy, trite argument,
but not uncalled for.
There is the wheelman, for instance,
who is deeply interested in century
runs. 1t is, perhaps, impossible to con-
vince him that he is the victim of ri
diculous 4delusion that the arbitrary
figure of 100 has any particular merit.
But it must be admitted thatsthis pas.
sion for setting fixed boundaries in the
future is not confined tocycling. Many
money breeder is more anxious for the
second million than the first. An Eng
lish notability who resolved to win the
derby, marry the richest heiress in Eng
land and become the British premier
realized his hopes, but he cut rather
sorry figure as premier and the world
has almost forgotten him. A run on
the wheel, stopping short Of serious fa-
tigue. is the sensible thing to under
take, and the same rule of leaning to
the side of reasonable conservatism
holds good of all forms of active rec
reation. Prof. Sargent, of Harvard,
says that the idea of carrying athletics
to- excess is most erroneous, and that
"a great many young people do them
selves, injury by their excessive zeal in
the practice of competitive exercise"
Another authority contends that people
who work hard either with body or
brains need amusement for their leis-
ure rather than active exertion..
Not long ago the papers mentioned
the case of a number of boys of larger
growth who engaged in q tournament
to see which could stick out his tongue
the furthest. The one who triumphed
injured himself to such an extent that
he was in the hands of the surgeons for
two weeks. It was an expensive "cen.
tury run" but perhaps the sense of hav.
ing broken the record was an adequate
reward and a vindication of the youths
American blood. Enthusiasts in ath-
letics should remember that the average
life attained by prize fighters is only
~ years, and they are men Of exceptions
al physique and constitution. A care
full and leared adviser on this subject
says that instead of working under high
pressure for a short time much more
can be accomplished and with less risk
to health by working under low pres
sure for q longer time. H,Shakespeare
asks, "sweet recreation barr'd, what
doth ensue but moody and dull mel
ancholy ?' It will be noticed that the adj
jective qualifying the recreation means
the opposite Of violent or excessive.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
1 f
About the Sise OF II.
"Slicksmith was arrested yesterday
for showing the queer
That is passing, strange. =.
Journal. 81,