The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-10
AMERICANS ARE
GOOD SPORTSMEN
German Authority Defends the
United States

London, Dec. lO.---"American sport
and american victories have IA solid
basis in the general soundness and
athletic. activities of American youth
among all classes of the nation" says
walter Won Reichenau, representative
Of the German army ON the German
olympic games committee.
with all the thorOughncss of his
nation, all the desire for details 50
Characteristic of his race, Won Rciche-
nau made the closest possible study Of
The athletic conditions in the United
states, and now has written for the
Daily Mail IA very interesting article
ON American Athletic training. lie
says.
In the five Olympic games which
have been held mp, to the present
United States athletics were the win
urrs in nearly all athletic events. This
well known fact called forth all sorts
of explanations among the defeated
competitors ana not infrequenuy were
expressions beard like mwholesomc
periaism, ambition for records
professionalism, etc.
Put German athletes who took part
.u the last Olympic games, held ut
StorltAulm. reported that the 'specta9-
ular performances of the Americans
must be- ascrbed to the superiority of
method and training
The moral was plain, ana the first
authority in German sport the
Dcutsehic Rcirhausschauss for lynn
ps,hr Spiele,' resolved To send over
commission To the United States, In
order tn hnd out the secret of these So
rfJcu repeated successes. had the
honor 90 be- = member of this COM
mission.
Misinformation Common.
We went for five week trip
through the eastern part of the United
states as far as Chicago. We visited
the great cities, studied the athletic
equipment of the great universities
such as Pennsylvania, princeton
Columbia, Harvard and Yale, and we
we're given a very thorough insight
INTO the social aud sporting life of the
most prominent American athletic
rInbs.
nc tried to put our observations
into u nutshell I should say MI tn"
ropruHchcs we have so often heard
have vanished into thin air and we
have come to the conclusion that they
were prriudices due To the common
INSTRUMENTATION about the United
States and it's people which is not
seldom circulated throughout Europe
The Americans are men of action
They have made good their words
lhr United states is an old country
So Ear rs intelligently organized track
and field sports are concerned. Inc
whole American nation is deeply IN
tcrestcd IN sport Sport has become
"a very important factor in the educa-
ton of the nation, aud this not only
lui its physical advantages. but also
for it's moral benefits.
Men of foresight have created Il
we'll laid out system which applies |"
al classes of population. There are
the numerous Fairgrounds in every
large city for the grammar schooi
boys built often amid the most
'l'lN ttd lidllS III lIlt' 'lNi''' '''''''
provided with instructors and all ar
iHngemcntS Tor hygiene and Sports
are running tracks. swimming pools
gylunasiums and apparatus. they are
intended To give the poorer classes the
advantages of sport
In Schools and Colleges.
Every BODY knows the importah'
lion at
par, sport plays in the education ~
The young Americans Of the hlsU
schools. preparatory schools. colleges
aud universities. But there again u
i'rfect organization decpens anu
hruJdens the wholesome influence "'
the combination OF mental and physi-
cal training. At NEST universities We
found gymnastic training or spor'
compulsory. at least for the freshmen
This ,ontradicts the European be
A,f that the Americans care only io'
ih" man who is able To break reco' W
aud neglect those who cannot. "
Princeton, for instance, l,4S' studeno'
cot of $500, took part In the ih'eiSo'
lceiatc competitions III one year
the same university - baseball teams
exist, each consisting of nine men
~ anuthCr place we saw ~ e'b''
cared boats all in use.
More than seventy students ,aN'
par, In The fundamental PREPARATION