The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-10
ONLY A BOAT RACE.

tomorrow the whole city Will
make holiday for few hours. The
reason? A few young men pulling
in a boat, and trying to see which
set can pull the best. To the cynic
this does not seem worthy of much
attention, let them SO Cd with their
child's play be growls, let ms alone
to brood over the ills of humanity
and the foolishness of mankind.
Yes, few young men pulling a
boat. But on the other hand young
men of the city who are going to
be put to test of endurance, which
is the result of weeks of self denial,
of careful training, of sober living
and of acquiring thorough skill.
A few young men who are going to
shew US what true sport is. And
there is nothing more elevating to
a community than clean, true sport.
1t brings out the best attributes of
the race. Endurance, pluck, tenn
per, obedience to authority, honest
desire for success, and the accept
ance of defeat with grace and yet
determination to try and win
another time.
It is one of our peculiarities that
we take our games along with us,
and that we have the faculty of in
spring the people that we live
among with like emulation after
our athletic ideals. The American
and the Britain rows races, plays
base ball, foot ball and cricket, and
their weaker sex ride, cycle, swim,
and play tennis under a tropical
sky or within the Arctic Circle.
Where you find a collection Of
them, there you will find an effort
at getting up some kind of sport.
And what an interest there is in
it. How the fat and elderly old
gentleman, who looks as if he never
ran race or pull ID an oar, renew s
his youth in the gallant efforts OF
the younger generation of today.
How it recalls to his mind brave
struggles of past years, of how
Jim, who is now on the bench
made that famous double play, OF
Jack struck four to leg and won the
match-Jack, whose bones are
bleaching on some forgotten battle
field. With what cheers we wei
coined the winning boat CT forty
years ago, and what an ovation we
gave George for his wonderful
steady stroke, and the magnificent
squirt at the end, when we watched
our colors creep up and win by q
bare quarter of length. Anc
George is now a missionary in
China, putting the same energy into
his work there that he learned tc
apply to his oar on the quiet river
or lake of young manhood.
Ali dear, those are days no mar
forgets, and as one writes the
memories of it all come bubbline
up, and the young and eager faces
of past generation, when the
prospects of the world came to Us
through golden haze, and the
glamour of the unexpected and the
unknown was over all.
"Ehen fngaceS, " said the poet, but
he did not get it quite right. There
may be touch of sadness in those
memories, but it cannot last long
when we look at the young fellows
of the present. Good, honest
generous boys. Ready to wiz
without too much elation and
ready to lose with good grace, fol
not all can win, but there is Away:
the honor of having taken part il
an honest trial of skill, strength
and endurance.
The Star will then welcome the
winners in tomorrow's race with
acclaim, and will likewise do honor
to the defeated, and the town will
do likewise. 1t is a great thine
that our city can turn out six sucf
typical crews as will be turned by
the Leilani, the Myrtle and the
Healani Boat Clubs. The growing
love of sport in the city is distinc
mark of progress, and the desire
on the part of those who are en-
gagged, that the sport should bt
clean thoroughbred is a credit t.
the place. Hurrah for the wiuneI
then, whoever it may be, and may
no unforeseen accident prevent the
full Star staff from being there Il
see.