East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-11-19
POPE Plus LOVES
CLEAN ATHLETICS
ENCOURAGES ALL KINDS
OF OUT-OF-DooR SPORTS
venerable Head of Catholic Church
Has Strong Interest in Manly Ath-
letics and Applauds Organizations
10 Promote Such Sports.

home.-Cardinal Vannuttelli who
represented the pope at the eucharist
ic congress, in Montreal. is back again
and he has delighted him with his re-
ports about the United States. The
venerable head of the Roman Cath
Ole church probably knows more
amout the American republic than
any other man OF exalted rank in Eli
rope, He was especially pleased at
the delegates reports about the Cath
olic school children who Joined in the
demonstrations in his honor in New
York and Brooklyn.
incidentally their meeting brings
out the fact that the pope is a great
lover of out door sports, and that
when boy and a youth, too, he ex-
celled as runner and a swimmer. A
story that pleased the pontiff i'm
mensely was told of the altar boys
of st. Francis Xavier's church. in
Brooklyn, n. Y. The YOUNGSTERS.
who are a numerous body, have two
football teams, a baseball team and
other kinds of athletic clubs. While
the cardinal was visiting a Long Is
land summer resort, close by eX-
President Roosevelt's home, he was
visited by delegation OF the boys.
who announced that they had elected
MIN protector of their clubs, which
position is, of course, purely honor
airy. He told the pope that he had
promised the lads that he would tell
MIN about what they were doing to
build themselves up by field sports.
The pope listened with much interest
to the narrative about the youngsters,
and said he wished the boys of this
country would follow their example.
Pope Believes In Athletics.
Pope Plus, as stated, is a lover of
clean athletic sports of all kinds.
There are many athletic organizations
composed of Catholic young men in
this city. on one occasion, about a
year ago, 1000 of the members join
ed in tournament Just before the
Journey began, the holy father dele
gated one of his household clergy to
tell the young men that they had his
blessing. one of his photographers
photographed the array as they were
drawn up on the field, and he has a
copy of the picture among his per-
sonal possessions.
Every now and then permission is
given some of the Catholic football
players i play in the papal grounds.
And whenever this happens, the pope
goes o a quiet corner out Of range to
see t.em at the game. He has been
known 10 show his enthusiasm by
clapping his hands at a good play.
One Of the conditions upon which he
gives leave for the use of the grounds
is that there shall be no rough play
nor massing that might result in the
injury to any of the teams Prefer
ence is given to working boys and
grown up school boys.
When the pope was a young coun-
try priest he was noted as a walker;
He was accustomed to walk 20 and
80 miles a day on pastoral work, for
his parish was big one. Even when
promoted and long after he had
reached the rank of bishop, he con-
tinued his walks. He might have
Travelled in state, but he preferred to
jog along country roads. To his out
door exercise he attributes his vigor
which remains with him although he
is now an old man. When patriarch
of Venice, the pope frequently indulg-
ed in cross country walks.
Mayor Nathan Criticised.
The speech which Mayor Ernest
Nathan made attacking the Catholic !
church and the pope was read all ov-