The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-06-23
ATHLETICS.


in various sports, and the young men
show up well in what they undertake.
Considering that this is a tropical
country it is wonderful the amount OF
energy shown in athletics. As long as
they are carried on in a clean sports
man-lke manner, there is no fear that
either the energy or the interest will
die out. But as soon as any sport de-
generates into professionalism, it be-
gins to lose ground and falls into the
hands of the gambling fraternity who
look to making money by fixing up
deals, and the sport becomes uncleanly.
Many a fine sport, which if carried on
in a sportsman-hke manner would be
high in popular favor, has fallen back
on this account.
Baseball suffered from professional
ism, but the line between professional
baseball and amateur baseball is now
sharply drawn. Football suffered from
a like cause, and in many other lines
of sport professionalism spread its
baleful wings, but through the efforts
of high-minded amateurs, the fight of
the true amateurs has been won, and
the proper field left open for both the
amateur and the professional
There is nothing that is better for
young men and. we are beginning to
find out, for young women also, than
healthy out-of-door sport. All untver-
sports. OF course like any other good
thing athletics may be overdone. Too
much time may be devoted to them,
they may occupy too high an estima-
ton among the rising generation, but
such things can be regulated. There is
nothing good upon this earth that cam
not be abused. Food is good, but peo-
pie can over-eat themselves, wealth is
a good thing i'm moderation but the
seeker after wealth often abuses it.
Social life is an excellent thing, but
the giddy whirl of a society, which is
ever seeking to amuse itself and is
careless and frivolous, is only an abuse
of good thing. But because a thing
be abandoned.
If athletics have been found to he of
benefit to the students at universities,
still more are they of benefit to the
young men who are engaged in seden-
tary occupation in business offices and
stores. 1t is to the greatest advantage
of the employer that his young men
should strengthen their muscles and
clear their brains by exercising in the
open air. AS a rule the employers OF
Honolulu see this, and encourage in
various ways their young men to I'M
dertake field sports. They give them
time, they subscribe to their clubs, they
offer prizes for competition. and they
take a personal interest in their sue
cess. No money is. better spent than
this is.
But there are employers who do not
care for their young mems welfare.
Who regard them as mere machines to
work or run 50 many hours a day.
Who would rather that they should not
interest themselves in athletics. 1t is
such men who drive youths for their
recreation to gambling drinking and
other reprehensiRle habits These men
too, have their reward, in, sIouohed and
slipshod work, and in the; early break
down of their employees. Fortunately
such cases are rare on our Islands.
Some years ago. one Of the great
drawbacks to ON athletics was that
they We're very apt TO be run into the
ground. Our climate is so equable,
that sports, which in the temperate
zone, are ruled. by the duration of the
seasons, might here be. continued in
definitely the year through the result
being that those taking part would
lose their interest When we first be-
gan TO take definite interest in ath-
letic sport this was danger. but it is
one which in yachting parlance we
have weathered.
e we have no very great climatic
changes, we have enough TO enable us
to talk of summer and winter and to
lay down seasons" arbitrarily There
Is no reason, for instance, why polo
should not be played the year round
Yet it would be a very bad thing for
the interest taken in the game that it
should be carried on the year through,
and the same is true Of all sports. Thus
we have our polo season our football
season, our baseball season, our boat
ing season, and our yachting season.
We lay these seasons down upon the
seasons of the temperate zone, and we
find that we obtain good results.
We have our boating and yacht
ing season on now, and the harbor,
Pearl lochs, and the bordering sea, will
be alive with small craft during the
coming months of July, August and
September. The two great rowing
races of the year take place, one in
July and one in September. and both