New Britain herald., 1922-06-26
THE WILL TO WIN

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the most noteworthy thing about the
baseball game between Yale and Har'
ward Thursday was the fact that Yale
won. To the philosopher the most
noteworthy aspect Of the contest was
( the displaying Of the intense will 10
win. by both Yale and Harvard play
ers This spirit is important because
1t is taught In college athletics In
such way that those who learn II
feel. all through life, that will to eX-
eel and realize how ii is possible 10
make every seemingly small action
work with success.
1t might be said that emphasizing
the Importance of the little actions
md the learning of how hard man
may try to, accomplish the desired
result, are features of the spirit that
IS inspired in the athletes of the
great colleges. Many men think they
ire doing the hest they can and fail
% realize that Just bit of effort to
10 better than the best they can
20 false movAs which would be dan
-erous Is one of the precautions
.aught.
To illustrate: Baseball players real
'ze that when an outfielder catches q
1y ball he usually throws it back to
he infield. A college player, having
taught a fly, does not throw that ball
Immediately If there Is nothing to be
gained by haste, but. II there are men
On bases. comes running in with the
oall and makes a shorter throw to
,void the danger of throwing care
'essly or wildly. OF course he throws
Immediately if that is the correct
play.
A man misjudges a foul fly or fly
20 the outfeld, as Mallory, the Yale
catcher and Janin. the Harvard left
fielder did yesterday. Neither gave
up in disgust, but rather in that de-
termined spirit, put an extra effort in
to the play and made dives which en-
abled them to make spectacular
catches.
A professional baseball player sell
lom, if ever, slides for a base head
first. He thinks too much of his
,afety. Always if success is more like
" by adoption of this manner of
hiding, a college player forgets per
sonal danger and dives into the dirt.
sliding on his stomach or side, head
On.
The spirit taught is that of never
giving up. The Harvard team, far be-
hind, fought in their last inning as
they had not fought before. They
lid all that it was possible to do. The
Yale captain, in the last play of the
game, calling upon that trait of add
ing that bit of extra exertion, jumped
into the air and made spectacular
catch.
The will to win, or the will to ex-
eel, is the result of learning never to
give up, to do every little thing that
may be done toward the desired goal. |
It is summed up in courage and |
perseverance, and care" and col |
lege athletics, seriously participated |
in, teaches that spirit, as we'll as the |
spirit of loyalty and earnestness which |
inspire it.
The same spirit was in evidence in |
the boat races of last week, especially |
noticeable in the winning of the Uni |
Nersity race by u Yale crew which had !
been considered far below the win
ming standard, in the winning of the |
baseball game by Harvard Saturday |
when Harvard came up from behind |
was overtaken, and again fought to
victory that has seemed snatched from
the men in Crimson.
The will to win, as exemplified in |
athletics in the great colleges and in |
many of the smaller ones, makes |
every action count for success and |
brings every ounce of power TO every
such action.