The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-08-17
SPORTS of TIMES
Flabby
americans
BY LOU FABRO
Times Sports Editor

There are more baseball diamonds, football fields, bas-
ketball courts, golf courses, bowling lanes and track fields
in the US. than any other country in the world.
If the record books can serve as a guide, America turns
out more of the worlds best athletes than any other nation.
For instance, track and field, which dates back to the
Olympic Games of ancient Greece, is the chief international
sport. Today, America holds nearly half of the mems world
track records. To be specific, American athletes hold "a of
of the SO recognized world track and field marks. Russia
is second with 10.
DESPITE OUR HIGH STANDAR of living, our out
standing performances in international competitions and
our abundant athletic facilities, a paradox exists. Generally
speaking, we Americans, from school age on up, aren't in
very good shape.
Unflatteringly enough, some have tagged us as the
"flabby Americans"
AS did other presidents before him, President Kennedy
recognizes the problem as a serious one. Not only is he and
his vigorous relatives setting an example with their enthu-
slasm for physical exercise, but he has established the
White House Committee on Health and Fitness to cope with
the fitness problem. 1t operates under the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare which is run by Ohio's An
thony Celebrezze.
IN A RECENT REPORT made by the committee, it
was disclosed that 25 per cent of the nations school chill
dren can't pass a simple physical fitness test; nearly so
per cent can't pass a more advanced, but still not difficult,
physical test; and so per cent of American schools have no
physical training or exercise program at all for children.
While the committee didn't gather information on
adult Americans, there are figures which show they aren't
doing very well either. One statistic is the rejection rate of
recruits TO the armed forces. Some 40 per cent are turned
down because of physical unfitness.
AS we noted earlier, the problem is, al least on the sur
face, p%aradoxial since the us. is one of the most athletic
ally inclined nations in the world. The participation sports
of golf, bowling, tennis, swimming cts, are booming. But
so are the spectator sports-we do more watching on TV
and from the grandstands than ever before.
IN ANALYZING THE PROBLEM, Coach Bud wikin-
son of Oklahoma, the presidents special consutant on ply
steal fitness who released The report, said:
"Our technology is eliminating the physical labor from
life. A child can grow up without ever using his physical
capacities and it's this chronological progress that | think
&c tho chief ratsa of tho pbycicaI ftnasC nrpblarn -
Wilkinson also noted that organized sports programs
generally are geared for gifted athletes. In the schools, he
said, "the only good programs exist for the people who need
them the least. The gifted athlete has the best facilities, eX-
cellent instruction and is highly motiVated.
THE CHILD WHO LACKS ability" he added, land
who is under par physically, too often has no program of
any sort. And he is the one who needs the program"
In a similar vein, Professor Henry Steele Commager
of Amherst University, said:
"Our system Of athletics does not contribute to the
physical fitness of the young. On the contrary, it concen-
trates on physical training for a mere handful and reduces
the great majority to the role Of passive spectator"
A lackadaisical attitude also has crept into our society.
Instead of romping around outside, kids are glued to the
television set; instead of taking a good brisk walk-one of
the best exercises there is-adults are slouched before the
TV set watching hing-oftentimes pure drivel-that
happens to be on. Even in the high schools, some boys, who
easily could make varsity teams, don't like 10 bother with
drills and pass up sports.
TO FIGHT THE FITNESS problem. President Ken
needy has urged school administrators to adopt fitness pro-
grams. Considering there are more than 40 million chill
dren going to school. it's more than evident that the quick
est and most effective way to tackle the fitness problem is
through organized school programs.
Many Catholic schools. including some in the Column
bus diocese, did adopt and use physical fitness programs
last year. A large number more will use them this coming
school year.
Because physical fitness is important, it would be a good
idea If AIS schools undertook some k ind of organized fitness
program.