The philosophy of sport / by P. McBride.

  • Peter McBride
Date:
1932
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The philosophy of sport / by P. McBride. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    gifts of nature, and the latter is a product of civilisation called wealth which, when once attained, is wellnigh supreme in some directions. We see, then, that in all but the idle rich and the useless loafer we have aims comparable with what we have described as existing in the early times of our race. There is the same need of action both for offence and defence, the same striving for food, for shelter and for safety. The implements of war, it is true, are often brains and education, and the shelter may assume palatial proportions, while the chief weapon may take the form of a princely fortune. If we examine the amusements of the workers of all classes it will, we think, be found that they incline to take the form of just those pursuits which would be essential to the safety of man when he first became a gregarious animal. This may not so easily be demon- strated in those who work with their hands because their labour will tire them and make them disinclined for much physical recreation. In the middle and upper strata, however, we note how large a proportion of their members are addicted to one or other of the representative games and sports we have enumerated, such as bridge, golf, fishing, shooting or hunting. In other words, they find pleasure in pursuits which require cunning, accurate working together of muscles and eye as well as hunting for food. In this there seems to be an indication of going back to the primitive and finding pleasure in doing so. So far we have left the so-called idle rich out of the picture. When a man is blessed—or shall we write cursed ?—with sufficient wealth to put him beyond the need for working for his living and luxuries, he will, of necessity, have to look about for a method of occupy-
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