THE ETHICS OF ATHLETICS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 7

THE ETHICS OF ATHLETICS

MAJOR PIEXOTTO'S POINT OF VIEW,

SPECIALISATION CONDEMNED. Much of an interesting nature haa been written concerning Major Picxotto's boys— the members V)f, tho famous Columbia Park Boys' Club, founded by him in San Francisco, California, somo fifteen years ago— and of tho Major's special activities on their behalf; Yesterday morning the boys, with thoir Major, stopped. off tho gangway of the Manapouri on to Ne'w Zealand terra firma, and tho public of Wellington had an opportunity of forming somo impressions of the . party. The boys are . sturdy and healthy-looking, tanned with their free life, in tho open air, and in their smart uniforms —white forago caps, dark blue tunics, white trousors, and black, lace-up leggings—are conspicuous objects in the city thoroughfares. So-much'for the'boys. As has already been said, much has been written of them.' But their major—Major Sydney S. Piexotto—has not yot been sufficiently introduced. As president of the Pacific Athletic Association (the western branch; of the. Amateur Athletic Union of the United States); president of the Public Schools Athletic . League :of San Francisco; vice-, president of the Federated Boys' Club of America; editor of the sports department of- [ the San Francisco "Examiner"; Municipal Commissioner of Playgrounds in San Francisco, and, generally, ono of tho best authorities on tho suhiect of juvenile and adult athletics in tne United Statc3, his spheres of activity in the athletic world of America are m^ny'and important. At one time, amateur athletics. in California had sunk so low that the Athletic Union of America was forced to seriously consider whether the Pacific branch should continuo to fprm part of the federation. It was at that precarious stage of it's existence, that Major Piexotto took charge of its affairs, and the. story of his efforts in tho interests .of amateur athlctics 'on the Pacific slope, ho recited, in his quiet and modest .way, .to' a: representative of The Dominion,' who inter-viewed-him at the Y.M.C.A; ; rooms yesterday. -

No Organised Play , "The children of San Francisco, 15 years ago didn't know how to play," he began. "In every boy there is a latent love of play, which, manifests itself in youthful pranks and romping about. But the boys of San Francisco, though they had, in common with , boys all oyer the world, a- natural love of play, didn't know -how to play.". Take the national, game of .baseball, for example, Before I'took a'hand, tho boys of tho city had a baseball system of thoir own.' Two. teams would get together.on a,vacant' lot,'with a 'gunnyrsack' for base, and. kerosene tins for the ; corner points of thojdiamond, and tho' team who could - barrack.. most, check the umpire, and, if necessary, fight the moro recalcitrant, of their opponents, 'generally appropriated the laurels of victory. Tho First Step. "I saw: that if wo. wero to introduce a healthy: - leaven to . our -' athleticspprts, wo. must begin with the' boys, and discipline their games Sport generally was in -a bad' way in California, and it was recognised fromthe'/first that it was no use attempting to reform it and revitalise from the top. Tho start bad to be made at the bottom —with the boys, if a high standard of play, and a healthy, and manly tone in the playors; were to be evolved. "I suggested, therefore, to the proprietors of "The Examiner," that we should,offer prizes for competitions .at.. a. baseball .tournament,.. to be held undor proper supervision, and open to boys under 1151b. -in weight. "Tho Examiner" people froze on to tho idea, and offered, as first prize, a complete baseball suit; equipment, of the typo worn only by the, crack teams, of the States, for presentation to the winning team; That equipment ran into 300, dollars; it was made,-to.order by the best outfitters, and,' you may imagine, there was the keenest competition. The was an _ eye-opener for tho public. . .For. the first- time in the history •f-tho city, a boys'baseball tournament was contested; in regulation grounds, and. supervised by the .best Umpires wo could get. The boys then saw what, was in the sport, when it was properly controlled, and the tourna r meat has now become an annual fixture."

Specialised Sport. . Major Piexotto was particularly strong in his condemnation, of athletic specialists; "The man who can beat, all-comers at 830 .yajds, but • who can do nothing else-' iti-tho' sphere, of sport, is no liso' to us; Wo 1 want boys—and menHto take a'hand in anything that offers itself,-for tho sake of athletics. In .sport, as in other activities of tlio community, wo have specialised to death, almost; A .man specialises: as••• a half-milo ' track' sprinter, wins various contests in that class of event, gathers in trophies and prizes, arid travels from one athletic ocntro to another. But he is not an athleto. Ho'is only a hallmile track sprinter all tho time, ; We don't want to.encourage that class of man, and right : at the beginning we've started in to stop it, if we can. We are giving tho laurels Of school /sports to the all-round athletes, not the : specialists, and ,it won't bo ' many years before tho influence of . our methods makes itself felt in tho sporting world at large. The keynote • of ( our policy is supervision: of juvenile s]»rt. If that is properly handled, and disciplined, adult sport may be I . to k ' * ftor 'tsqlf.' We', train tho' shoot; the tree will grow straight all right." .: Control of:juvenile, sport:, has. been; in vogue in Wellington for some yeara now," observed' the interviewer. Wo have hero ourPliblio Schools' Sports' Association, controlled by the assistant masters and mistresses. ' :

"Excellent," said Major Peixotto.' "And has the irifluenco of the system' conduced, to the betterment of sport generally?'! There is no question about . that. This control, when the . boys lcavo school and' form clubs of their own, passes from tho ri ±? if Association to the Rugby Union, J.' ootball Association, :and, Cricket Association. this way suspension is continuous. ■ . . That is tho only way," was:tho Major's endorsement. "And your playgrounds?" , Far too few. ; ■~ • last three years," said the Major, .ban iranoisco 700,000 dollars tor tho purchase of areas for municipal nlavgrounds £140,000. This year an additional 600,000 dollars (£120,000) is to bo spent for the same purpose. Our central playground,, in the heart ot the city, is 50 acres in extent, fenced in, devoted solely,.to juveiiilo athlotics. and stnety supervfsed. Oakland, across the Bay, has nve sites, completely equipped, with men and women instructors. Tlio playground movement is spreading all over tho States Vhicago alono has spent eleven million dollars. The funds for this .purpose aro assisted by donations from the Russol Saras Joequest. •..- • •' n h ,?f is - t „ h * 3 ' end'tion of professionalism in Oamormar J'lt' will always have a hold. Money, yon know. Football ajid pugilism aro tho two great branches of, professional sport in America. Pugilism is declining", howevor " I suppose the Burns-Johnson fight created a. great sensation over there' ..r^ 330 ,i rai or. smited. "It did," he said Tho Examiner' published a whole pagoeablcd. And illustrations, too, though I don t know; where they got tllem, ,,