New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-16

trolled: would like to go it alone and do
away with order and regulation. They
would be freer but they are of the type
that is not sitting down and thinking serl-
ously of what would become Of this re-
markable structure If DISCRIMINATION
should set in. II each athlete could make
a rule, and each city its own amateur ath-
letic union to seek TO control its affairs,
there would certainly be peculiar state Of
affairs, and the present grand structure
would crumbe to pieces.
The Amateur Athletic Union is to-day the
strongest governing body in the world,
made up of athletic associations through
out the United States, with many members.
| Its hard work has been the kind that IS
appreciated by all lovers Of sport who be-
: feve that athletics. when properly con-
Quoted stand for all that is good
Here and there in the United States YOU
will find there has been organized small
group or a federation or an association
that feels it can conduct is own affairs
They are doing the right kind of work
and the kind of work that can be done
| under the auspices of the governing body
as well as outside. because these groups
VIII not stand for law, order and control
and If they are not willing TO recognize
the body that governs them they are GER
tainly weak, and their contention that ath-
letcs stand for law and order and for
gccd citizenship fails.
The greatest good will come To US from
the playground movement which is now I'm
It's infancy In the United States Thirteen
years ago in the city of New York public
ofhcials would not listen to our committee
wien we asked that the city set aside "A
place Tor playground. They did not uu-
derstand us and would not even give Us
plots of ground 100 by 100 feet for what are
known as Fairgrounds Enthusiasts of the
city or New York at that time consisted of
men of the type of Charles b. Stover. BAR
tow :. Weeks Julius Harder, \. q. Mills.
Jacob A. Ris. Charles Pawling and others.
who then We're organizing what is known
as the outdoor Recreation League. The
league was forced To rent land on Manhat-
tan Island To build "A playground and main
tain II at its own expense in order TO
demonstrate TO the authorities of New
York that a playground was am essential
institution.
How things have changed to-day, New
York has spent millions of dollars for
! playground property: has Park Depart
ment with a bureau OF recreation and a
supervisor I'm charge. The Board OF Edu-
cation each year spends hundreds of thou
sands OF dollars for outdoor recreation cen
tres IN summer with more coming At the
time the leaders here In New York began
q that campaign for Fairgrounds doubt If
there existed model playground In any
city of the United states. outside Of Bos-
ton. or perhaps Providence So this re
markable movement. that has caused cities
in the United States TO spend millions OF
dollars and private institutions 10 spend
millions of dollars on top of that, is merely
the growth of thirteen or fourteen years
The question has been asked. Il il harm
| ful 10 take part In athletics? From my
| personal observation. | never knew ath-
| letics To harm any one. We have record
! after record Of puny school children bc.ag
sent into the open country To develop and
/ build NJ into famous athletes AT times
| YOU will read that this or that famous ath-
! lete has died from TOO much athletics -
! but do You ever think II YOU were In the
| group with that athlete how many ath.
1 letes IN that group have not died as re-