Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-04-06
Value of
EUents IN
Once Gre@
Baker, Contestant in
Games Bring Out
of Craftsmanship.

LONDON. April 6-Are the olympic
games worth while? Do they engender
the proper international feeling of sports
manship? Are they properly conductedf
Three pertinent questions regarding the
Olympiads are capably discussed by Z.
]. Baker, former president of the Cam
bridge University Athletic club and an
entrant in the Olympic games at Stock
holm in 1912. In a recent interview Mr..
Baker said:
Preparations for the revived Olympic
games to be held at Antwerp next August
are already in train; the Olympic council
has issued an appeal for the necessary
support for British competitors, and has
received for response a good deal of critt-
cism as we'll as good deal of approval
BELIEVES GAMES
WORTH WHILE.
'That being so, it is time the case for
the games was clearly put. as good deal
of misconception obviously exists in re-
gard to them. Personally, / believe that
in the past they have been immensely
worth while. and THAI in the future they
may become an international festiVai OF
the highest significance.
$50 far as the past is concerned, 49,
are three much repeated arguments, %
which ] am sure we have not heard the
last, in spite of their age and inadequacy
These three arguments are, first, that the
among the athletes and the sporting pup
lie of different countries; second, that the
way in which they have Oeen carried out
Is inconsistent with amateur ideals, ana
third, that the business" of training for
them is so elaborate that no true amateur
can possibly compete.
HIGH SPIRIT
OF SPORTSMA\SHIP.
Against the first of these arguments
! I can only saw that my personal expert
M DISAGREE.
{ The London games in 1905 perhaps gave
some support to opponents; but at the
| Stockholm games the spirit of interna-
| tionsl craftsmanship was not only en-
rendered with remarkable rapidity, but
was in itself of splendid spontaneity
"of those who say that the games are
! organized and carried out in manner
/ inconsistent with amateur ideals, ]
would ask for just one specific example
| Of what they mean. | am confident they
could not give one from the Stockholm
s soace permitted snn OU ON the other side.
| 'The third argument is that the train
/ ing for the games is such business,
! so all-absorbing and so intense, that
no true amateur can possibly find the
even be worth REPUTATION were 1t not
/ Sc often repeated and so readily be
/ lieved It is in fact the weakest ar.
gument of all. There Is no form Of
sible to touch the highest standards
without treating it as more than
pastime for leisure hours as In ath-
/ letics.
las to the future of the games. we
! can only offer our speculative opinion.
This we know-that where there is the
opportunity sport Is the most universal
! OF all interests. Stockholm games ga-e
| MS the first indication of what the games
may become-a magnificent International
pa geant. true contest of nations, with
/ the healthy emulation of keen rivalry
tempered by a spirit of genuine inter
| national comradeship. We may conf
IDENTIFY hope that the games will spread
throughout the world-as they have all
ready done in parts Of TIA new interest
IN sport.