The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
SUGGESTS CLUBS
i. FOR LOCAL BOYS
Instructor Jones Sees Vast Pos
sibilities in Development
of Richmond Youths.
BELIEVES IN TRAINING
Proper Quarters Should Re Sc.
cured in Which Exercise
Could Be Taken,
BY L. IT. JONES.
Physical Instructor l,ichmond Public


Having been asked my opinion oil
Richmond's prospects rs an athletic
centre. / offer the following sugges-
tions. which are applicable to the
existing conditions.
There are many people here, IN
other places, who believe athletics are
fo. schoolboys and college men only;
but n greater mistake was never made.
Some OF our most noted athletes, past
end present, have never been in col
.Iage.
Many record holders to-day who are
Engaged in business or professions
have athletic exercises as Il hobby and
practice in their backyards after work
Ing lours. Ray Every is an example
OF this class. Ryan. Hayes and a
lrcore of other men or olympic fame
lad to do all their training when
work was finished, And this is what
Two want. Not the athletic spirit
which makes "a man neglect his bus
incss or his people. but the spirit OF
athletic enthusiasm that will give
pride III we'll bc'ns-a wholesome in
tercs. that will be contagious. This is
the kind OF regulated athletic COM
Tetition which would he an aid to the
icommunity.
Athletics Hclp CominunitH.
Perhaps many WHO read this have
never thought that athletics could be
Beneficial to q city. The things that
go with training tend TO make IA man
moral. For instance, elimination of
ali abuses-smoking. drinking. late
hours, etc. a number of the first
class. distance runners have told me
that they were cured of the smoking
habit through athletics. In training
the young men of our cities into
healthy, enduring men. we arc greatly
enhancing our power as nation,
which is an end to be desired even II
universal arbitration should ever be-
come real. II war be abolished, man
Will still be q lighting animal, need
Ing some legitimate means of eSpend
lSng supcrtiuous energy.
But the most important part of all.
Is that in order 10 be healthy. man
must have physical activity. He can
never do without e.
There are two ways TO gain the eX-
ercise--one is TO take regular set
of movements daily that influence all
tho muscles of the body, or to en-
gage in sports and have the added
Incentive of competition. Each course
has it's advantages, but for the man
Of acton, the latter is by far best
suited TO his taste, and iudiciously
indulgcd in will work wonders for
him.
Il, is well to state here that any
sensible advocate OF sports would
first have the ambitious athlete pre-
pare his body by system of exercises
suited to the purpose, before entering
into or training for games. and that
such exercises continue in his system
of training.
Athletic Clubs.
Richmond is large enough 10 sup
port four athletic clubs III addition TO
the Y NJ. c. a. and the military or
ir,,-c -, = Inf ~, Il i1Na
are not expensive affairs as one would
al first imagine, when he thinks Of
elaborate buildings, grounds aud the
like, None Of these things Is neces-
sary- OF course, baths, swimming
pools and gymnasiums are valuable,
but all that is required is q place for
she fellows TO hold mestings. and when
practicing, to uso as training quarters.
Here they can change tc track toys,
and after working out take a rub
Gown. Almost all the training should
be done out OF doors. 1t is as easy
TO organize track team and man
age II as IT ie 10 handle n baseball
team. :.
Every one. Of. our" amateur league
baseball teams ought TO engage in
rross- country running ana soccer foot
ball out OF the baseball season, and il
such teams could be developed ] am
sure they would have all kinds OF
ino-opera,ion.
One OF the great drawbacks TO track
snd field work Is that il takes time tc
make athletes. and many Of the mel
who take ii up do not seem to realize
this and are easily discourag ed, but
ii the young men Of Richmond woult
consider the question and get dow
10 business. and stick 10 II. I'm a few
years Richmond would be sending mei
SO the olympic games. The high anC
3,
~ number iof boys who would he ;
great asset TO these clubs The Gle
Tsnentnry school boys are taking mucl
interest in this branch Of athletics
and as they grow up. ~ith this earl!
start, by the time they are men, Rich
nlond ought to have some of the yer,
pest athletes.
Demand for Tract, sports.
The success OF the recent College
lBiues' indoor meet showed that tn
people take the proper interest. an,
would support the efforts of loca
athletes. Eventually insercity athle
Tics would result, bringing US INT,
Fconpetition With other Virginia eitie
tzs well as Baltimore ana Washington
While trying TO encourage people I
Rake IN exercise i'm the form OF attn
1ctlcs. believe it is also neccssar
TO VAN them against the evils o
nnwise or overinduigence 1t Is hes
10 be examined by physician O
competent physical director. and I'm
out the weak points, ana in this wa
avoid trouble.
AS for instruction regarding train
Ing, there are numerous books pun
1ished at low prices with advice b
the greatest experts in the world. On
thing to be kept In mind !s-that 1t
better to under than "oyertrain"
(This is the frst of a serien Of al
ficles prepared by sir. Jones ea
.clusiyely for The Times Dispatch.
sportinl. P,ditorl