Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-10-26

slider every detail.
Many athletes
are born. Many
are made, but the athlete born with
athletic ability and instinct is always
the superior. 1t takes years for the
made athlete to acquire what the born
athlete inherited
How many fathers of the country
boy have had experience in athletics
and encourage their sons to follow the
sport? They are few and far be-
tween. The country people lean to one
thing in the educational line and that
in the development Of the mind but
not the body. 1t is true that the coun-
try boy gets plenty of exercise in help
ing with the work around any country
home, but the wrong set of muscles
are developed in this work. He. may
be able walk farther, pitch hay longer,
or cut more wood than his city rival,
but when it comes to the final test on
the athletic field he will find himself
decidedly lacking.
In the city from early childhood the
boys mind and body are developed at
the same time, each one dependent on
the other. He is encouraged to follow
| athletics, and the physical culture ex-
ercises in the grammar schools, high
and preparatory schools and colleges,
which are compulsory, are the best ex-
ample of this.
| In the country at the little school
house there are scarcely enough stud
ents to compose a baseball nine or
football team, and as a general rule
they take little interest in track ath-
letics. All they do is to play one-old-
cat, scrub, or some other game which
does not take eighteen players. They
know little OF the fine points of any
game and their work would be crude
in the extreme if they were classed
with boys of their own age from a
city school.
On the other hand, in the city every
thing possible is done to encourage
the youth to follow athletics. What
a common thing it is on an afternoon
to see these youngsters in almost
every lot playing baseball or football
and bending every energy to win a
victory for their side. They know
how to play the various games, and
their games attract large crowds at
the public parks and Fairgrounds.
Another great advantage in favor Of
the city boy is the fact that he has OPP
portunities to see the large teams
play and gather pointers from their
hor rnlo xyn rIrhn m
they consider to be star in the
branch of athletics they are intend
ing to follow and they set him up as
an ideal and endeavor to follow and
copy his actions as closely as possible.
They read books which give them
helpful advice, and in many cases they
know some college graduate who gives
them instructions in their particular
line.
These are advantages which the
country boy does not have. He has
nothing to encourage him, and when
he is sent away to college and goes
on the athletic field it is only then
that he finds out for himself how sad
ly lacking in athletic ability and
knowledge he is.
Many a youngster is trained and de
veloped when still mere child by an
athletically inclined father. The faith
, er takes pride in this work and notes
the gradual advancement of his young
ster and helps him at every turn
He buys him all the paraphernalia
needed; he takes him to all the large
athletic events, and attends all the
games that his boy takes part in. The
! son, seeing this interest taken by his
father in his welfare, will take more
interest in the sport himself and grad
ually will reach high point OF pro
fciency.
Ex-President Roosevelt might b.
mentioned as one Of the above type
| His son completed on his class team
| at Harvard and was constantly en-
/ couraged by his father, while his othel
son was captain of small boys elev
en- in Washington.
The late ex-President Clevelandi
son always took a great interest II
athletics and on several occasions hi
picture was taken with a football un
der his arm
The late President Harper OF tn
University Of Chicago was a stronI
athletic advocate and his sons hav
won many laurels in the difreren
branches of the sport
f. Copyright. 1912. by Universal Press Syn
dicate.)