manifest themselves to some degree even in normally reared children； as
for instance the little male would be more given to fighting and
destroying； the little female more to caring for and constructing
things。
〃Boys are so destructive！〃 we say with modest prideas if it was in
some way a credit to them。 But early youth is not the time to display
sex distinction； and they should be discouraged rather than approved。
The games of the world； now the games of men； easily fall into two broad
classesgames of skill and games of chance。
The interest and pleasure in the latter is purely human； and as such is
shared by the two sexes even now。 Women； in the innocent beginnings or
the vicious extremes of this line of amusement； make as wild gamblers as
men。 At the races； at the roulette wheel； at the bridge table； this is
clearly seen。
In games of skill we have a different showing。 Most of these are
developed by and for men； but when they are allowed； women take part in
them with interest and success。 In card games； in chess； checkers； and
the like； in croquet and tennis； they play； and play well if
well…trained。 Where they fall short in so many games； and are so wholly
excluded in others； is not for lack of human capacity； but for lack of
masculinity。 Most games are male。 In their element of desire to win；
to get the prize； they are male； and in their universal attitude of
competition they are male； the basic spirit of desire and of combat
working out through subtle modern forms。
There is something inherently masculine also in the universal dominance
of the projectile in their games。 The ball is the one unescapable
instrument of sport。 From the snapped marble of infancy to the flying
missile of the bat； this form endures。 To send something forth with
violence； to throw it； bat it； kick it； shoot it； this impulse seems to
date back to one of the twin forces of the universethe centrifugal and
centripetal energies between which swing the planets。
The basic feminine impulse is to gather； to put together； to construct；
the basic masculine impulse to scatter； to disseminate； to destroy。 It
seems to give pleasure to a man to bang something and drive it from him；
the harder he hits it and the farther it goes the better pleased he is。
Games of this sort will never appeal to women。 They are not wrong； not
necessarily evil in their place； our mistake is in considering them as
human； whereas they are only masculine。
Play； in the childish sense is an expression of previous habit； and to
be studied in that light。 Play in the educational sense should be
encouraged or discouraged to develop desired characteristics。 This we
know； and practice； only we do it under androcentric canons； confining
the girl to the narrow range we consider proper for women； and assisting
the boy to cover life with the expression of masculinity； when we should
be helping both to a more human development。
Our settled conviction that men are peoplethe people； and that
masculine qualities are the main desideratam in life； is what keeps up
this false estimate of the value of our present games。 Advocates of
football； for instance； proudly claim that it fits a man for life。
Lifefrom the wholly male point of viewis a battle； with a prize。 To
want something beyond measure； and to fight to getthat is the simple
proposition。 This view of life finds its most naive expression in
predatory warfare； and still tends to make predatory warfare of the
later and more human processes of industry。 Because they see life in
this way they imagine that skill and practice in the art of fighting；
especially in collective fighting； is so valuable in our modern life。
This is an archaism which would be laughable if it were not so dangerous
in its effects。
The valuable processes to…day are those of invention； discovery； all
grades of industry； and； most especially needed； the capacity for honest
service and administration of our immense advantages。 These are not
learned on the football field。 This spirit of desire and combat may be
seen further in all parts of this great subject。 It has developed into
a cult of sportsmanship； so universally accepted among men as of
superlative merit as to quite blind them to other standards of judgment。
In the Cook…Peary controversy of 1909； this canon was made manifest。
Here； one man had spent a lifetime in trying to accomplish something；
and at the eleventh hour succeeded。 Then； coming out in the rich
triumph long deferred； he finds another man； of character well known to
him； impudently and falsely claiming that he had done it first。 Mr。
Peary expressed himself； quite restrainedly and correctly； in regard to
the effrontery and falsity of this claimand all the country rose up
and denounced him as 〃unsportsmanlike！〃
Sport and the canons of sport are so dominant in the masculine mind that
what they considered a deviation from these standards was of far more
importance than the question of fact involved； to say nothing of the
moral obliquity of one lying to the whole world； for money； and that at
the cost of another's hard…won triumph。
If women had condemned the conduct of one or the other as 〃not good
house…wifery；〃 this would have been considered a most puerile comment。
But to be 〃unsportsmanlike〃 is the unpardonable sin。
Owing to our warped standards we glaringly misjudge the attitude of the
two sexes in regard to their amusements。 Of late years more women than
ever before have taken to playing cards； and some； unfortunately； play
for money。 A steady stream of comment and blame follows upon this。 The
amount of card playing among menand the amount of money lost and won；
does not produce an equivalent comment。
Quite aside from this one field of dissipation； look at the share of
life； of time； of strength； of money； given by men to their wide range
of recreation。 The primitive satisfaction of hunting and fishing they
maintain at enormous expense。 This is the indulgence of a most
rudimentary impulse； pre…social and largely pre…human； of no service
save as it affects bodily health； and of a most deterring influence on
real human development。 Where hunting and fishing is of real human
service； done as a means of livelihood； it is looked down upon like any
other industry； it is no longer 〃sport。〃
The human being kills to eat； or to sell and eat from the returns； he
kills for the creature's hide or tusks； for use of some sort； or to
protect his crops from vermin； his flocks from depredation； but the
sportsman kills for the gratification of a primeval instinct； and under
rules of an arbitrary cult。 〃Game〃 creatures are his prey； bird； beast
or fish that is hard to catch； that requires some skill to slay； that
will give him not mere meat and bones； but 〃the pleasure of the chase。〃
The pleasure of the chase is a very real one。 It is exemplified； in its
broad sense in children's play。 The running and catching games； the
hiding and finding games； are always attractive to our infancy； as they
are to that of cubs and kittens。 But the long continuance of this
indulgence among mature civilized beings is due to their masculinity。
That group of associated sex instincts； which in the woman prompts to
the patient service and fierce defence of the little child； in the man
has its deepest root in seeking； pursuing and catching。 To hunt is more
than a means of obtaining food； in his long ancestry； it is to follow at
any cost； to seek through all difficulties； to struggle for and secure
the central prize of his beinga mate。
His 〃protective instincts〃 are far later and more superficial。 To
support and care for his wife； his children； is a recent habit； in plain
sight historically； but 〃the pleasure of the chase〃 is older than that。
We should remember that associate habits and impulses last for ages upon
ages in living forms； as in the tree climbing instincts of our earliest
years； of Simian origin； and the love of water； which dates back through
unmeasured time。 Where for millions of years the strongest pleasure a
given organism is fitted for； is obtained by a certain group of
activities； those activities will continue to give pleasure long after
their earlier use is gone。
This is why men enjoy 〃the ardor of pursuit〃 far more than women。 It is
an essentially masculine ardor。 To come easily by what he wants does
not satisfy him。 He wants to want it。 He wants to hunt it； seek it；
chase it； catch it。 He wants it to be 〃game。〃 He is by virtue of his
sex a sportsman。
There is no reason why these special instincts should not be gratified
so long as it does no harm to the more important social processes； but
it is distinctly desirable that we should understand their nature。 The
reason why we have the present overwhelming mass of 〃sporting events；〃
from the ball game to the prize fight； is because our civilization is so
overwhelmingly masculine。 We shall criticize them more justly when we
see that all this mass of indulgence is in the first place a form of
sex…expression； and in the second place a survival of instincts older
than the oldest savagery。
Besides our games and sports we have a lar