19th HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER
FITNESS: GETTING THINGS DONE
Sirs:
The issue of July 1 was especially timely, particularly HOTBOX ("Last summer President Eisenhower appointed a council on youth fitness. Since then has anything in your area been done about this?"). My reason for writing you is to point out that the state of Illinois has done something about the matter of youth fitness.
Governor William G. Stratton called a Governor's Conference on Youth Fitness with 100 invited representatives of youth serving agencies, institutions and organizations. We met at Robert Allerton Park near Monticello, Illinois May 5, 6 and 7 for three days of interesting and worthwhile group and conference sessions.
Cooperating in staging this conference were the College of Physical Education, University of Illinois; the Department of Public Instruction; and the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
The meeting was called to assess the fitness problem in the state and to see what various groups could do in the way of expansion, intensification and improvement when needed.
Organizations for which brief reports were given included: The American Turners Society, the State Outdoor Educational Advisory Council, 4-H youth fitness program, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Federation of Settlements, Chicago Boys Clubs, Boy Scouts of America, YMCA and American Youth Hostels. The CYO sent a representative but did not accept an invitation to report.
Talks were given by V. L. Nickell, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Governor Stratton; and the keynote address was given by Dr. Shane MacCarthy, President Eisenhower's personal representative and Chairman of the National Fitness Council. Short statements were also made by Dr. F. D. Beister, President of the Illinois School Principals Association; Dr. Ray C. Duncan, Dean, School of Physical Education and Athletics, West Virginia University and President of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Dr. Arthur Steinhaus, Dean, George Williams College; H. O. Dawson, President, Illinois Association of School Boards; and Gilbert Dodds, track coach, Wheaton College.
The most important recommendations of the conference propose that the governor appoint an Illinois Youth Fitness Advisory Committee with suggested duties listed; appoint a full-time executive director to head this committee; designate a Youth Fitness Week to focus public attention on the problem; and contact the head of each Illinois community urging him to appoint a local council on youth fitness.
Each organization represented was asked to review its own contribution to the youth of the state in the area of fitness and to expand and intensify its program wherever possible. Some have already made a number of worthwhile changes.
Inquiries concerning the conference have already come in from five state leaders and one governor. No doubt other states will have similar meetings before long.
We feel that the state of Illinois is doing something about youth fitness, and something worthwhile!
C. O. JACKSON
Professor, School of Physical Education
University of Illinois
Urbana, Ill.
•Much has indeed been done by many as a result of the President's sounding the alarm, though much more remains to be done. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED has completed an exhaustive, state-by-state survey and in its August 5 issue will report to its readers on progress made and plans under way.—ED.
BASEBALL: LOYALTY COUNTS
Sirs:
In my opinion Mr. Frick was unjust when he banned George Crowe, Gus Bell and Wally Post from the National League starting lineup in the All-Star Game.
The reason that Cincinnati ballplayers received so many votes is that after many years of watching Cincinnati flounder in the second division the fans are proud to see their team near the top of the league. That is why they come out and vote for it. Fans in other cities didn't take the trouble to vote for their players, so they did not win.
Mr. Frick devised the system of voting by the fans so that they would choose the players they would like to see represent each league. This has obviously happened, and it was hardly sportsmanlike for Mr. Frick to change the rules of the game simply because he disagreed with the outcome.
ROBERT SACHS
Maplewood, N.J.
BASEBALL: FOUL-UP
Sirs:
I am as disgusted by this year's All-Star voting as I was last year.
The fault lies not so much with Cincinnati's overzealous vote counters as with the system set up by the baseball powers. It is a fine thing to let the fans vote for the starting lineups, but it must be obvious by now that huge blocs of ersatz votes foul up the whole procedure.
ALAN CLEM
Washington, D.C.
BASEBALL: BASIC COMMENTESE
Sirs:
For the people who only see or hear baseball games on Saturday afternoon telecasts, here are some explanations which may clear up some of the terms used by TV sports-casters. They apply to the ordinary players, not the guys like Fox, Williams, Score, Mantle, Aaron, Mays, etc.:
veteran—played same position last season
campaigner—a player who has been kicked from team to team
promising youngster—a kid on whom no statistics are available
control pitcher—a guy without a fast ball
pitcher with great stuff—a wild guy who walks 10 a game
real good gloveman—a guy who can't hit
free swinger—a guy who strikes out a lot'
good hitting pitcher—a good pitcher, for a hitter
gets his throws away quick—no arm
confident player—wise guy
holler guy—no ability
relief pitcher—a pitcher who can't go more than three innings
rounding into shape—so fat he can't bend down
team that has been having tough luck—they are in the cellar
too hot to handle—he goofed
that pitch got away from him—he threw at the batter's head
he stands deep in the box—Herb Score is pitching on a dark day
wind-blown double—outfielder misjudged it
swinging bunt—batter swung hard and was lucky to dribble it
hit to the opposite field—batter couldn't get around on a fast ball
JIM SWANN
Notre Dame, Ind.
BOATING: YESTERDAY'S DREAMS
Sirs:
In regard to your article on auto-styled boats (High-seas Hot Rods, SI, June 17), these copying fads are getting more and more ridiculous. For a while cars began copying boats in appearance, then airplanes. Now the trend, except for Chrysler's handsome line, seems to be toward jukeboxes.
Strangely, the most beautiful cars, Italy's Ferraris and Maseratis, look not like boats or airplanes but like cars. Similarly, the most beautiful boats, the racing sailboats and hydroplanes, look exactly like what they are intended to be. Functional beauty of this type is classic; prewar racing cars and the square-rigged sailing ships of a century ago are things of beauty today. But look at a picture of one of the highly touted dream cars of five years ago. Today, its fad ended, it looks absurd. Five years from now these auto-styled boats will look equally absurd.
STEVE BIELER
Atlanta, Ga.
GOLF: THE CAD AND THE CADDIE
Sirs:
The enchanting article about the St. Andrews Old Course (SI, July 1) brought to my mind a story which may or may not be true (and may be old) about a young American member of a Walker Cup team of some years back.
On the tee of a short hole the American asked the oldtime caddie for his niblick. The caddie replied that this was a mashie hole.
The American insisted that he be given his niblick, and after some time with great reluctance the caddie complied. The tee shot landed on the green, bounced a few times and dropped into the cup. The American turned to the caddie and asked if he did not think it was a very good shot. The caddie replied, "Aye, 'twas a good shot, but you would have done better with the mashie."
W. J. SPRIGGS
St. Paul, Minn.
