Olympic Games or a Mission?

Olympic Games or a Mission? By M. C. Morris IS an athlete justified in ask- ing for divine help in a foot race? A young friend of mine, Percy D. McArthur of Home Gardens, California, an- swers affirmatively. This does not necessarily imply that he be- lieves one should insistently plead for victory, but at least the supplicant can ask for strength to do his very best and for the courage and mental bal- ance to accept the result, whether success or defeat, with a smile. Percy also believes that an athlete must do his part toward making prayers come true, and therefore through training, proper care of his health, in- cluding strict observance of the Word of Wisdom, he has built up a beautiful body, as clean as a shining arrow and well nigh as swift. This account of some of his achievements will be recog- nized by many of his former schoolmates and other friends as being true in every detail. As far back as I can remember, Percy's one great ambition was to become an athlete, though up to the time he was a freshman in high school he had never seen a real foot race. He had not been blessed with a strong constitution, it seemed, and in his childhood days was always considered rather delicate. This fact but increased his desire to win athletic fame, and he never read an account of a close race or saw anything of the kind on the screen without having his imagination fired and determination awakened to accomplish something in this line himself. At the age of twelve Percy was allowed to join the Boy Scouts and entered upon this activity with great enthusiasm. Every week Percy D. McArthur

Mac, 1919 OLYMPIC GAMES OR A MISSION? 379 end his troop would spend a few days in the Hollywood mountains, living and hiking in the great out-of-doors. As years passed he began to develop physically and really to enjoy life, until, when the time came for him to enter high school, he possessed a vigorous body, and not a skeleton. In the Huntington Park Union high school which he attended, the boys were required to take gym a certain number of hours each week. Mac, as he was familiarly called, would sit on the side lines and watch the bigger boys go through their exercises, and long for an opportunity to participate with them. The desired chance came when he was a sophomore. The gym classes were divided into squads which held dual meets among them- selves. That was the first time he had ever competed with what was considered a real runner. He ran in his regular gym suit and tennis shoes. To the surprise of all he won the 880-yard race in good time, far ahead of all the other entries. This attracted the at- tention of Coach Verne Landerth, who watched his subsequent efforts during the days that followed and then called him into his office' and asked how he would like to try out for the track team. Giving Percy a pair of track shoes, he told him to report on the field that afternoon at four o'clock for the tryouts. Nothing short of a broken leg or some similar calamity could have prevented Mac from responding to the invitation. He was on the field a half hour ahead of time ready to run the 880 against the school champion, although he had received no training as to how to start or run. But he had been taught to put his trust in our Father in heaven, and so he asked for strength to do his part creditably. At the finish he was ten yards ahead of the field, and had qualified for the team. He ac- knowledged this as an answer to his prayer. When the time came for the 440-yard race, the coach suggested that he compete in this event also. Percy told him he was tired out but would try it. As is generally known, this is one of the hardest races assigned to athletes for the reason that they are expected to sprint the entire distance. At the start Mac, in spite of his best efforts, fell into sixth place, but on the back stretch he began to pass the others. In fifth place he felt his strength and speed coming back. With increasing power he passed the fourth man, then the third, and on the last curve he ran wide and fell into second place. With fifty yards to go the first-place man was four yards ahead of him but was weakening under the strain, and Percy broke the tape and won the race. With modest pride he received the congratulations of the crowd and listened to the coach say that he had found a permanent place on the school team. The first track meet of the year, to be held on the Pasadena

380 IMPROVEMENT ERA Mar.. \9Z9 high school grounds, was three weeks away, and in preparation for it the coach instructed Percy in all the fine points of starting and running with least possible loss of energy. Coach Landerth had a responsive subject, for the boy's heart was in the work. It was a wonderful day for a track meet. A large crowd was in attendance and each group had its favorite. The 440-yard race was called. "On your marks, set," the pistol shot, and before the report reached the grandstand each man of the flying group was straining to get the advantage at the first curve. It was apparent that Mac's brief training had not been sufficient to perfect him in the art of getting off his marks to the best advantage. He was fourth at the turn. The man in the lead was then, and remained during Percy's entire running career, his keenest rival. Gradually the race narrowed down to the two. Each man was doing his best, and in the final heart-breaking spurt Mac's best was better than that of the other man. A new high school record was hung up. So went his sophomore year, and in like manner his junior year, during which time he qualified to run in the Southern California championships, where he took a place. In his senior year, Percy was elected captain of the team, and also served as commissioner of athletics for the school. During the forepart of the track season he also ran the sprints, reducing the school record for the 100-yard dash to 10 seconds flat, and the 220- yard dash to 22 seconds flat. Then came the conference track meet. There were eight schools entered. Mac had been specializing on the sprints all year and there was one man picked to beat him in the 440-yard race. This man was from our famous rival school, Comp- ton High. Our man was nervous because this chap was a good runner and had a beautiful stride. Percy entered the 100-yard dash, in which he placed second at 9 8/10 seconds, a good warm-up for the 440-yard run. The first call was sounded for the 440-yard entries to get ready. Then I saw that Percy was very nervous, and during the second call saw him leaving the field. I followed and asked if he was quitting, or where he was going. His answer was: "To the team room and ask the Lord to give me strength to finish this race." This seemed to me almost foolish, but when he told me later that after doing this he immediately became quieted and that he felt his muscles set for the race, I began to see that it meant a lot to Percy and that perhaps he was right. The final call came from the starter. Again the tense moment for runner and spectator while the crouching men waited for the gun. Every man hit the ground at the same time. Percy ran in second place, with an easy stride of seven and one-half feet, until they got to the curve, all the men in a bunch

liac.,1929 OLYMPIC GAMES OR A MISSION? 381 — 220 yards to go — on the home stretch with the tape 100 yards away, every man going strong. Then all at once there seemed to be new power added to Mac's legs. He began to shoot out of the crowd and broke the tape yards ahead of the field. The timers clocked him at fifty seconds flat — a new conference record. The principal of the school was standing on the side line during the race, and I stepped up to him and asked: "Who is going to win the race, Mr. Stockton?" There was a lesson in his answer: "It's going to be a race to the finish, and the boy who has lived the cleanest life will be the winner." This victory qualified him for the Southern California cham- pionship try-outs, where he placed first, beating his old rival from Pasadena high school. On the day of the championship race, they drew lanes next to each other. The Colosseum at Los Angeles was crowded with excited and enthusiastic thousands. The call came for the 440-yard run. Every man was away with the gun shot. At the 100-yard mark Percy was ten yards ahead of the field and maintained his lead until he hit the tape. The time was announced at 49 6/10 seconds. This had been the fastest race he had ever run, but as we were congratulating and cheering him he said: "Boys, no glory is due me, for it seemed at the start that someone had picked me up and set me ahead of the field and shoved me all around the track, and at the finish I was still fresh. -I asked for strength to do my best and more than that was given me." The state track meet was held at Modesto, California. Here Percy's rival stated that he was determined to win, but victory of the state championships was repeated. Percy was awarded the prize as the fastest 440-yard high school man in the state of California. When Percy was offered a birth to the National Track Meet which was held in Lincoln, Nebraska on the 1st, 2nd and 4th of July, 1927, he asked me to go with him, which I did. He repre- sented the Los Angeles Athletic Club. We left for Lincoln and arrived there two days before the meet. On the way, Mac was very nervous, this being the first trip of this nature he had ever taken. The boys in the party invited us to have a drink of coffee with them. They told Percy it would quiet his nerves and do him good. But he knew from experience of a better way, and I soon saw a change in his appearance. On the day of the race, everything was in an uproar; but through it all Mac was calm, for he said he knew that all would be well with him. We watched the races which came before ours, then the 440-yard was on. At the finish of the race, there were three men on the tape at the same time — Butler, Burke and McArthur, a dead heat.

382 IMPROVEMENT ERA Mar.. 1929 In the year 1928, the call of the Olympic was heard all over the country. Every athlete was ambitious to make the team which was to represent the good old U. S. in the world competition in Holland. A trip to Europe, seeing the wonders of the old world, meeting famous coaches, renowned athletes, competing, perhaps win- ning! Heralded as a .world champion! The dream of a lifetime might be realized. Mac dreamed, but for once did nothing to bring about a fulfilment. He did not enter for the tryouts. In answer to the question put to him by his friends as to why he hadn't entered, he replied: "I was confident I could make the team — was all primed and in trim, when I received my call to fill a mission. That meant more to me than any race." Then he added: "Young athletes should leave tobacco and alcohol alone, because the only place they will ever get any man is into trouble." [Editors' Note : Elder McArthur is now laboring in the Mexican mission.] Lines composed by Mrs. C. D. McArthur, of Home Gardens, California, for her son, Elder Percy D. McArthur, and read at his farewell prior to his departure for the Mexican mission: Go, my boy. and heaven bless you! I have read each precious line Of your heart's responsive throbbing To a higher call than mine. God has spoken, you have heard Him, And though tears these eyes bedim, Your affections for your mother Shall not mar your love for Him. Could I bid you stay from fondness. When the ever ruling hand Marks your path to duty clearly, And in faith you understand? No! 'tis yours to be obedient. And 'tis mine to be as true. Go, my boy, where duty calls you And my prayers shall follow you. Dear to me is every pathway Which your percious feet have trod, But I give you fondly, freely, To your mission and your God. You and I must never falter In the work we have to do; Go, my boy, where duty calls you, And my prayers shall follow you.

Mar.. 1929 OLYMPIC GAMES OR A MISSION? 383 I shall pray for you, how often, With the waking hours of morn, Through the labors of my household, And when night is coming on. If a mother's prayers can guard you Mid the dangers you must meet, God will surely re-unite us On a day divinely sweet. I have loved you from the hour That my lips first pressed your brow, Ever tenderly, but never Quite so tenderly as now. All I have is His who gave it, What He bids me, I must do: Go, my boy, where duty calls you, And my love shall follow you. I shall miss you in the springtime, When the flowers are all in bloom, When the smiling face of nature Bathes its beauty in perfume; When the birds are sweetly singing By the door and on the wing, I shall think of you, who always Used to pause and hear them sing. Heaven protect and bless you always, Holy angels guard your way, Keep your spirit from temptation And your feet from going astray, To your parents ever faithful, To your God be ever true, Go, my boy, where they have called you. And my prayers shall follow you. "Mormonism" the Greatest Philosophy One of the leading thinkers of the world, Dr. Carver of Harvard, said to a congregation, "I have studied the philosophies of the world, both ancient and modern, but the greatest of all philosophies is the philosophy of 'Mor- monism.' Remember that, young L. D. S. student. In your readings be sure to go thoroughly into "Mormonism" — the greatest of all philosophies. Of course it is the greatest, because it is the culmination of all the Gospel dispensations. We do not study these glorious truths one-tenth enough. Study them and become enthusiastic. Study them and truth will be our constant com- panion through time and eternity. Caesar Augustus said. "He who goes not forward, goes backward." Let us keep on acquiring knowledge of the Gospel, every day learning more of the "greatest of all philosophies." If we stop, we go backward. Our spirits are pleading with us daily to learn more and more of these precious eternal truths. — Joseph S. Peery.