182
TRACK SPORT FOR ALL
The Only Way for Yale to Build Up—
A Letter from Mr. Brooks.
lo the Editor of YaLE ALUMNI WEEKLY:
Sir:—It may not be out of place at
the present time to express my views
on the subject of track athletics at Yale.
It certainly is not exaggerating the case
to say that Yale undergraduates have
not done justice to this branch of sport.
Whether the neglect is due to thought-
lessness or to the bad odor of the sport
from the contamination of the so-called
“Athletic Clubs,” I do not know. The
important fact remains that Yale of re-
cent years has shirked her duty.
This is very much to be regretted, for
we look to the universities to preserve
a sport if it is worth preserving, in spite
of any and all outside influences. It
has been my good fortune to see
something of the inner. workings of
track athletics, as conducted in Great
Britain, and their popularity with the
public at large and at Oxford and Cam-
bridge in particular, is an eye-opener
to the average American college ath-
lete. Track athletics are indulged in by
every one, primarily for the love oi
the sport itseli—a feeling which seems
to be entirely absent at Yale. Every
village, every small school, every public
school, every university has its track and
grounds and is entirely given over to the
sport. Every boy and man makes a
try at it for the love of it and winning
does not seem to be the only incentive
or goal.
Undoubtedly the Britisher laid his
foundation well when he built on “the
love of sport for sport’s sake.” It does
not require hectic and lurid appeals to
get the school boy or university man
out on the track; the difficulty is to
keep him off, so that he will not inter-
fere too seriously with the team, which -
is in good time chosen, and which, when
finally selected, is the logical result of
a well balanced system. eee
It is hardly necessary for me to con-
trast our mushroom system, which dies
every year and would practically remain
dead were it not for the zeal of a few
enthusiasts. We hear a great deal of
the Briton being a natural-born middle
and long distance runner, which is all
stuff and nonsense. These great run-
ners are developed, because every man,
who has a drop of blood in his heart,
whether he be big or little, from the
time he is old enough to have strength
at all, makes a try at it and keeps trying
for years and years. His efficiency is
the result of a natural growth. You
will find a miler or three-miler weigh-
ing 180 pounds with the strength of an
ox and with lungs as deep as a low-
toned bell.
We can never be permanently success-
ful at Yale in track athletics, unless we
build on some similar foundation.
There is no sport that offers so many
- attractions to the many or where so
many are qualified to do well. It seems
to me that Yale’men, if they attempt to
take up a sport at all, should do it
vigorously and thoroughly.
the Yale Captain is issuing his call for
men, might it not be well for very able-
bodied man to give this matter serious
attention and, if able-bodied, at least
make a try at some one of its many at-
tractions? It may take a little time to
find out what one is best fitted for, but
I have always found that the greatest
track athletes came from the unex-
pected. It is a noble sport and would
be worthy of every endeavor for its
own sake, even if the glory of Yale
were not involved. ,
ii. S. Brooks, fr:,
Yale ’86.
New York, Jan. 25, 1900.
ee
CURRENT LITERATURE,
The History of Troop A.
“The History of Troop A, New York
Cavalry, U. S. V., from May 2, 1868,
to November 28, 1898, in the Spanish-
American War,” is the title of a book
recently published by the members of
the Troop, through the house of R. H.
Russell of New York. Its 341 pages are
filled with interesting incidents occurring
in the period of time stated above, touch-
ing the humorous as well as the serious
sides in the fortunes of the Troop.
Now that —
YALE ALUMNI WHREKLY
Nearly a hundred reproductions of
photographs appear in the book, and
many pen and ink sketches by F. B.
Morse, the former Princeton quarter-
back. A “muster-out roll,’ an “in
memoriam” page and a good war map
of Puerto Rico are found in the book.
The reading matter is divided into 24
short articles, each dealing with some
particular period in the Troop’s history.
The Yale men on the board of editors
are Stowe Phelps, ’90, and F. Lawrence
Lee, ‘95, while the following chapters
were written by Yale men: “Ordered
Out,” A. R. Moen, ’89S.; “Camp Al-
ger,” F. Lawrence Lee, ’95; “From
Camp Alger to Porto Rico,’ Stowe
Phelps, ‘90; “The Frelinghuysen Lan-
cers,’ L. S. Stillman, ’94; “The Ceales
Expedition,’ G. O. Redington, ’94 L. S.;
“Detail to Guyania,” F. W. Hoening-
haus, 96; “A Little Journey in the
World,’ Harry J. Fisher, ’96, and “The
Second Invasion of Santa Isabel, Wil-
liam R. Wright, ’94.
The muster-out roll shows the names
of these Yale graduates:
First Sergeant, A. R. Moen, ’89S.;
Sergeant, Stowe Phelps, ’90; Corporals,
William R. Wright, ’94 and Arthur F.
Brown, ’96S8.; Lance Corporal, Lewis
S. Conner, ’87S.; Privates, G. T. Adee,
795; Edward V. Cox,-’948.; Henry S.
Fisher, ’96; Louis P. Gillespie, ’94;
Sherman R. Hull, ex-’95S.; William
W. Heaton, 96; F. W. Hoeninghaus,
"96; F. Laurence Lee, ’95; Richard F.
Manning, ’92S.; Amos R. E. Pinchoi,
97; Samuel L. Quinby, 96 S.; George
O. Redington, ’o4 L.S.;- L. SS: Stillman,
7094; R. F. Troescher, ’96S. Also the
following discharged to accept commis-
sions in the regular and volunteer forces:
M. D. McKee, ’96; Frank L. Polk, ’94;
Edwin O. Holter; ’94; F. B. Harrison,
95; Allan A. Robbins, ’93 S.; William
Williams, ’84; Charles R. Hickox, ’93;
G. B. Hoppin, ’91, and Nathan M.
Flower, ‘96 S.
88 §. Decennial.
Professor Percy F. Smith, Secretary,
and Messrs. J. C. Anderson, C. E.
Curtis and E. H. Lockwood, Commit-
tee, have published the Decennial
Record of the Class of Eighty-Eight
Scientific. The facts which ought to
be in a class record are all here, and
there are many more of them than are
in most records. They are also better
prepared than one usually finds them.
The record is a well published book in
blue cloth cover, running to 110 pages
and excellently illustrated. It is from
the press of Tuttle, Morehouse &
Taylor.
hey pt caer
Prof. Phelps’ Map of Literary
England,
Professor William L. Phelps, ’87, of
the English Department has recently
published a map of England, for the es-
pecial use of his English Literature class.
This map is eight inches by ten inches,
and contains all the points connected
in any way with the study of English
Literature, many of which are not to be
found on any other map. The pub-
lishers are Ginn & Co., and the map has
been placed on sale at the Codpera-
tive Store. The map is exceedingly use-
ful and helpful for students and for all
readers.
The Yale Medical Journal for Janu-
ary contains the following: “A Case
of Dynamic Ileus,” by Dr. Leonard W.
Bacon. “Two cases in Recent Methods
of Treatment for Aortic Aneurism,” by
Dr. William F. Verdi”; Some Observa-
tions on the more Common Forms of
Sexual Impotence,” by Dr. Ernest D.
Chipman.
(For .other Current Literature see
editorial page.)
isto Svernsnenae UD" annette
Harvard and Columbia Gifts.
The will of the late Dorman B. Eaton
of New York City, which was recently
filed for probate in the Surrogate’s of-
fice, provides handsomely for several
charitable and educational institutions.
Columbia and Harvard Universities are
each to receive upwards of $100,000.
The money donated to the latter is to
be used in founding a professorship of
the science of government; while the »
money given to Columbia is to be de-
voted to the foundation of a professor-
ship of municipal scietice and adminis-
tration. :
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