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

three or four only attending the first meet
ing At the second meeting the CLUB was
| launched by few enthusiasts.
The early history Of athletics is the early
history Of this country. Few then appre-
ciated that some day their efforts would be
[ applauded. and that some day. is right
/ here now
| The question has been asked. Why is ath-
/ letics to-day a national institution? For
! the simple reason that the statements OF
men like the late William 3. Curtis, Frank
| Euhmeyer, Frank Fitzpatrick and others.
when they proclaimed that athletics stood
! for better men, both morally and physical
| ly have been seized upon during the last
| twenty years by educators. clergymen and
! those that are interested in civic affairs,
and those interested in bringing up boys
along the right lines.
In the early days athletics in our colleges
| and schools was taken up in haphaZard
way by some of the men who competed
then from colleges, and who are there to-
| day, to speak of the benefits TO be derived,
| ard are enthusiastic over encouraging sane
| athletics in connection with schools and
colleges in this country. notable in
stance of this is President Lowell of Har-
ward University. who in the early 7Os was
/ the two-mile champion runner of Harvard
| University, and won that title That he
| loves track and field athletics was clearly
demonstrated in the Harvard stadium in
! May, 1910 at the Harvard-Yale dual track
meet at Cambridge when he was an earnest
! spectator and "rooter' on the infleld, having
an official badge on the lapel Of his coat.
He followed infinitely the doings 0. all the
| athletes and showed keen interest in them
from the beginning to the end. During my
/ thirty-five years connection with athletics
this was the first time ever saw the presi-
dent of a university on the field and enter
ing into the game, heart and soul. in the
wholesome, honest way that set for the
entire university an example of what ath-
| lctics stands for.
/ 1t has taken years-and II seems a pity
TO make that statement now-to convince
/ clergymen that athletics form an important
| part Of religious work. ! know 1t, and can
/ speak from experience. That is why we
| have to-day in this our great city Of New
York the Catholic Athletic League, com
| prising sixty-eight clubs from sixty-eight
churches. The Sunday School League. and
nearly all Of our churches-it is imma-
| terial what denomination-in connection
| with church work, must give 10 the lad
/, something in the line Of athletics. The re-
suit has been that the boy becomes at
tached to the church, it creates fondness
for the church, and the records prove that
! where athletic games are held for the boy
who goes TO Sunday school the school at
| tendance is irproVed
However. the main point which stands
out clearly, is that If you can get the boy
interested in athletic competition, you are
! going to force that boy TO take good care
OF his body. II must and will improve his
morals. II is going to give him something
| TO think about that is beneficial 10 his brain
, and body.
IL is an educator-that is admitted-be-
cause the boy or the young man who com
petes In athletics must use his brain; IL
is immateria in what branch OF athletics.
I and as the old-timers would say. years
! ago, Training is merely taking care of
/ the body" The word has been abused.
/ There is no necessity for wrecking ones
constitution through training. That has all
been exploded, because the same expert