Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1911 — ATHLETIC POSSIBILITIES. [ARTICLE]

ATHLETIC POSSIBILITIES.

Advent of Professionals Into Local Field Suggests an Athletic Organization. (By the Athletic Critic.) The local field appears to be /as good as any in the state for wrestling matches and with the advent of professionals faster matches, are to be looked for. Palos, the Greek, who meets Stewart in a handicap match Saturday night, is the first, but in all probability will not be the last, to appear on the mat here. The patrons of the game once they get their appetites whetted for professionals will probably want the local lights relegated to the preliminaries and outside talent imported. If this should be the case, Rensselaer needs an athletic organization along the same lines as the cities have. With the management in. the hands of some of the older patrons there Is no good reason for not having such an organization. Stock or membership could be sold at $5 or $lO a year and the majority of the men of towrrwould benefit by it. No man ever gets too old to exercise, no man is too good, and by eliminating the undesirable features such as cards and booze, an athletic club could be formed here that would be a credit to the town and county. Business and professional men as a rule are in favor of clean athletics. And an organization here could be kept clean if properly managed. It would be much better for the young men and old men, too, to belong to an athletic organization and wrestle, box, and even have classes such as the Turnverein have than to loaf around on the streets.

The Republican sporting writer quotes from a Spalding guide, possibly of the vintage of ’76, to prove there is a “waist fidld.” Eureka! There is. But the similarity between Spaulding’s waist hold and what the announcer called a “waist hold” is not discernible to the naked lamp. Finis.