New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-23
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

II seems a pity that so many attn
letic bodies should be busying them
selves in seeking TO create or at least
protect amateurism by making rules.
Nothing matters much except the anna
teur spirit. and that can hardly be
codlfed. 1t may be explained, but not
in dulles. Simeon Strunsky has said
Just about what should be said in his
essay, THE Game" which appears In
"Belshazzar Court"
"By the amateur spirit writes
Strunsky, IL mean the spirit which
places the game above the victory;
which takes JOY, though II may be a
subdued joy, in the perfect coordina-
ton OF mind and muscle and nerve;
which plays 70 win because victory Is
the best available test OF ability. but
which is all the time aware that life
has other interests than the standing
of the clubs and the GoH Committees
official handicap. | contend that the
man who plays 10 live is a better ANA
teur than the man who lives 10 play.
| am not thinking now Of the actual
amount Of time one gives 70 the game,
though even then it might be shown
that Walter J. Travis dwevotes more
hours to golf than Mr.. Mathewson de-
votes 70 baseball. | am thinking rath-
er OF the adjustment of the game 70
the general scheme OF life. Il seems
10 be pretty we'll established that when
your ordinary amateur takes up golf
he deteriorates as citizen. husband
and father, but cannot imagine Fall
ter Johnson neglecting his family in
his passion for baseball. AS between
the two, where do you find the true
amateur spirit?"
II is not a mere paradox to argue
that the truest amateur in this coun-
try is the professional. Percy Haugh-
ton, coach Of the Harvard football
team, spoke last week before the New
York Harvard Club and declared that
his men were inspirited on the eve Of
the Yale game every year by the tele-
grams which they received from yari-
Gus alumni groups all over the country.
"They do not wish US good luck or
anything like that" remarked Haugh-
ton. but say tersely. I'VE demand q
victory"
Connie Mack or John McGraw might
ask their players 10 do their best on
the eve of a worlds series game. but
they would hardly demand a victory.
That would be left TO the collegiate
ranks whore more emphasis is put on
the necessity OF winning.
II the amateur spirit is rare in this
country the newspapers are 70 blame.
A sporting writer seldom says much for
the man who loses When a Harvard
crew WAS badly beaten on the Thames
last year nobody mentioned the fact
that. although defeated. they had rowed
up the river faster than any pervious
Harvard crew had ever rowed.
Even when the contest is close all the
praise belongs to the winners. A base
ball team may win by a score Of 70 0.
but we learn the next day that Shore
clearly outptched Walter Johnson.
Damon Runyon once cut loose and used
up all his space on big crew story by
telling how the stroke oar in the de-
feated boat cried, but for the most part
nobody pays any attention to the loser
unless he cares TO say something funny
about him.
Old Walt Whitman would have given
new touch to the writing of sports if
he had happened to possess any talent
in that direction. In his fire verse way
Walt exclaimed:
Have YOU heard that it was good TO
gain the day?
| also say il is good 10 fall. battles are
lost in the same spirit in which they
are won"
Now you're talking. Walt.