Sports and The Mexico Riots

&ADavid Crow responds thus to my comments on his piece about the October 1968 student riots in Mexico City:
     "Let he (or she) [David, please: him or her] who has never shouted "Ca-chun! Ca-chun! rah! rah!" (or one of its many equivalents) cast the first stone. I'm sure many of the world's finest leaders have done so at some point in their lives. And I'm not sure what the beef against sports is all about. Cheers, David Crow" Here is my reply:
     "David: I cast the first stone. As a small boy in England. I went to cricket matches, and actually played, but I was bored, although I recognized that cricket taught one to obey the rules of the game. Likewise soccer; the enthusiasm for the local team seemed to me crazy. Likewise the school cult of athletes. Mob enthusiasm at sports events seems primitive to me. I once broke my vow never to enter the Stanford stadium; it was for a graduation ceremony. I wished to hail Gerhard Casper when he took over as president and one of my grandsons when he graduated. The only sport I approve of is competitive gardening. Admittedly in Mexico City that would be difficult. I have watched with dismay how sports have become viciously competitive; the idea of playing the game and learning to lose has almost disappeared. I watch with dismay as people who vote against a small increase in taxes, even for education, squander large sums traveling afar to see a sports encounter at which they behave boorishly. David, you should have let this sleeping dog lie.

Ronald Hilton - 10/08/98