COLLEGE ATHLETICS. 



S97 



Since some very worthy people who believe in manly sports object 

 to young men playing for money taken at the exhibition-games, it is 

 necessary to say a word of explanation with regard to this feature of 

 all ball-games. If field athletics are to continue, the expense of them 

 must be met in one of two ways, either by gate-money or by subscrip- 

 tion. Most young men prefer to give their money at the gate, and 

 thus to pay for what they see. If a club knows that it is to spend 

 only what it earns, it will be stimulated, first, to play as good a game 

 as possible ; and, secondly, to spend its earnings with prudence. It 

 seems only just, too, that, if the public desire to see a good game, they 

 should pay for the exhibition. The men work hard in practice, and 

 are entitled to have their expenses paid. More than that they do not 

 ask. They do not play for gain, but for honor. By their rules, they 

 do not allow any man to be a member of their organizations who has 

 earned money as a professional. 



The evil of liability to strains and injuries in athletics can not be 

 entirely obviated. It is well to bear in mind, at this point, the fact 

 that even those who are not athletes do not, therefore, enjoy immu 

 nity from accidents. Yet, so far, according to the recollection of the 

 writer, no regular member of a Yale Crew, Team, or Nine, has been 

 permanently injured by participating in a race or match. Still, it is 

 possible that a slight injury, to a person having organic weakness, 

 might result in a fatal difiiculty. Such an issue might be avoided by 

 the requirement that every candidate for trial should be examined by 

 a competent physician, and, in default of procuring a certificate of physi- 

 cal soundness, should be excluded from participation in athletic con- 

 tests. Besides this, every candidate for a place in a crew should be 

 debarred from entering a race unless he had mastered the art of swim- 

 ming. 



If, moreover, the Faculty of every college having a system of ath- 

 letics would exert a sympathetic as well as a judicious oversight of the 

 students interested in the system, they would find the young men quite 

 willing to listen to friendly suggestions. If, also, the times of recita- 

 tion were so arranged that a proper amount of time could be devoted 

 to exercise without interference with study, more brain-work, and of 

 better quality, would be secured than by the policy prevailing in some 

 colleges, according to which, not only no encouragement is given to 

 athletic sports, but, on the contrary, every obstacle is thrown in their 

 way. 



The college which neglects or ignores physical culture may send 

 out scholars, but it will not educate forceful men. It will not be the 

 living power which it might be. Truth is not to prevail by the dry 

 light of intellect alone, but through the agency of good, wise, and 

 stronff men. 



