Impressions of Northern Athletes and Athletics

“Tricks in All Trades.” There are quacks and “tricks in all trades,” and the physical culture trade is far from being an exception to this rule. I will only show one of their principal dogmas by quoting the following passage in my book “Scientific Athletics”:- “In spite of the fact that different periodicals and publications have laudably exposed the traps into which quacks lure the unsuspecting health-seekers, we must further warn the physical-culture enthusiasts to beware of being involved with the charlatan.” I have studied this subject deeply, and make bold to say that all open-minded readers will endorse that statement. The editor of “Health and Strength,” our national physical culture magazine, with a weekly circulation of 100,000, writing about “Scientific Athletics” says that it contains “splendid exercises.” This statement is in itself a sufficient recommendation, and I trust that many health-seekers will take advantage of this systematic course, which together with everything worth knowing about athletes and athletics is published at a trifle; for now that the long winter nights are with us we should spend some of our time in what an eminent man said was “a gain of time, the enemy of idleness, the duty of the young, the delight of the aged” – Physical Culture. 11 HOW TO INCREASE THE POPULARITY OF ATHLETIC SPORTS John O’Groat Journal , Friday 20 December 1912 Competitions for Youths. One of the principal reasons why we have so few champion athletes is that there is nothing held out as an inducement to youthful aspirants to practice athletics; and as the attainment of proficiency usually entails considerable practice and time, the best opportunities for laying the foundation of a successful athletic career are lost. Youth has everything in its favour, and unless the tender, susceptible plant is properly trained in time, the old, inflexible tree will ever be likewise. It is true, however, that few athletes achieve anything conspicuous until they are over twenty-five years of age, but in some instances the outstanding supremacy of certain exponents is the result of early and assiduous practice. Hence the idea of including in the games programme competitions for youths under twenty-five years of age is obviously a commendable one, which should elicit the approval of all Games Committees. Competitions for Local Athletes.