The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-07-15
MODERATION IN ATHLETICS.
Americans Are Believers In Plenty
~ EvA~nasA

of Exercise.
1t can no longer be said that Ameri-
cans are too sedentary a people. The
advantages and pleasures of recreation
in the open air are now so well appre.
ciated in this country that a campaign
If education in that direction has be-
come superfuous. Both sexes are prac-
teal believers in the benefits of fire.
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 a leading cause of
the genial revolution in favor of ex-
ercise in the breathing places of 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 Gained little, at least in
the department. of the more active ath-
letics. 1t is far better to avoid the evils
Of entertaining. than be compelled to
seek their remedy, trite argument,
gut not uncalled for.
There is the wheelman, for instance,
who is deeply interested in century
runs. It is, perhaps, impossible to con-
vince him that hS is the victim of RI
diculous delusion; that the arbitrary
figure of 100 has any particular merit.
But it must be admitted that this pas
sion for setting fixed boundaries in the
future is not confined to cycling. Many
money breeder is more anxious for the
second million than the first. An Eng.
fish 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 a
sorry figure as premier and the world
has almost forgotten him. A run on
the wheel, stopping short Of serious ia
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 10rr m
the case of a number of boys of a larger
growth who engaged in 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.
fury rum" 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
AZ years, and they are men of exception
al physique and constitution. A care.
full and feared adviser on this subject
says that instead of working under high
pressure for short time much more
can be accomplished and with less risk
to health BY working under a low pres.
sure for a longer time. #, Shakespeare
asks, "sweet recreation barr'd, what
doth ensue but moody and dull mel.
ancholy p it will be noticed that the ad.
jective qualifying the recreation means
the opposite of violent or excessive
st. Louis Globe Democrat. sz