Athletics and Football (extract)

242 ATHLETICS athlete. Most athleteaslso know aof case haenred there of a manbreaking down or evendying hiins primeunder circum­ stances which anty ratpeoint wsitohme probability to a sport in which ihnedulged as thecause. We have alrexapdryessed our strong opinion that for many years a vicious habit of training was in force, and that even in the present mdaeyn are inclinedto overworkthemselves in their practice. Every system has its victims until it is understood, and the men who have suffered lofsshealth fraonm overdose of athletics are men who have abused a blessing, and, in the name of health and exercise, have placethdemselves under an absurd and unhealthy diet and have worn otuhteir vigobuyr persistent overwork. The present writer is hardly one who by ispractice and hipsreaching can be taken for an alarmist, hbeutfeels constrained to endwhat he has to say upon athletics with an appeal thteo votarieosf the sponrtot taobuse a gsoyosdtem. The number of those who have gained health, strength, courage and character from the practice of one form or anotherf athletic exercise is legion, atnoda statisticiandealing with averages a victim more olerss iosf small concern but; there riesally no reason whatever why athletic sport properly conducted should have saingle victim.When fervid athletes keep little boys from running in boys' races at public meetings, school committees will put a stop to 'junior miles' and ' junior steeple­ chases,' and when 4 t enty-four hour ' races and go-aysou-please competitions are no more heard of, athletics will be purged of some current evils. When going into training means nothing more than living a regular ahnedalthy life, and the daily exercise taken to increase the strength and skill, and not to see how much the human body cadno withouftailing, then no onexcept by his owfnault can suffaenr y harm from athletic sports.