Scientific Athletics

live a life which commands imitation and approbation. \Vhen obliged to r linquish th se recr ation whi h have enlivened and prolongecl hi life, he an look back with pl asur upon th feat which he achieved in th h yclay of hi physi al pow r . De pite the fact , howe,,er, som whim i al in- dividual favour th ab urd allegation that athletici rn is pr judicial to health , and that athl tes are hort– li\· d. \Vithout off ring any per ua ive argument we promptly explode th uppo ition by mpha i ing the obviou fact that many vet ran athlete are living in our midst. ~Ior over, " ·e invariably ob n ·e that comparativ ly few athl te uc umb to malacli which oft 'n prov fatal to other inclivicluaL, thu · furthe r vindicating the efficacy of athl tici m. T eith r are athl t s, who hav indulged jucliciou ly in athl tic . unduly su ceptibl to irritation of the vital ·, particularly th heart, whi h, a. a matter of fact, i actually trcngth n cl and invigorat cl through y ·t matic xc1~– ci . H nc w elclom ob rv an athlet uff ring from h art di ·ca e or oth r malignant ill · which be et th populace. Having empha i eel the 1enefits of athl ti i m. it mu t l ob,,iou that th r ar no r a on · why capabl m n houkl not tak advantage of th m ; whil tho who ar ph si ally incapable may , as hO\vn h r in, nurtur and trengthen th m lv to nable their indulging in . uch . port without incurring undu ri k of injury. In upport of the c ·entiality of phy ical and in– tc11 ctual cultur , th cmin nt Dr. ruth rie thu write · : '' ne r a on, it may be, why recr ation i not more en ourag cl and tabli h cl upon ·om ttl d plan, i. owing to fal timat "· of what con ·titut · a true man] , rharact r, to mi conception of that ,vhich becom or is unb oming. A rtain clegr e of effeminac ', for instanc , i thought by omc to attach to th tucl nt or litcrar charact r. To ·uch, a pal face, long hair. and the Byronic collar ar cle med mark of attainment. 29