Sport and Colonialism in 19th Century Australasia - LA84 Foundation

of behaviour. Clearly, Adamson wanted sport for its social and
collective qualities and he was opposed to the views that it
could be conceived as activity that was highly individual and
primarily personal. But overall he epitomised the ideals Laid
down in the rules of the Amateur Athletic Association in 1886:
An amateur is a gentleman who has never taken part
in a public competition open to all, has never
competed for money, has never been a teacher or
trainer of sport and is neither a working man nor
an artist or a journalist. 29
Unfortunately, Adamson failed to recognise that organised sport
in the twentieth century was moving permanently away from the
idea of participation "for the sake of the ribboned coat", and
his call for 'reforms' in the Victorian Football League was a
foreign voice few wanted to hear.
Independently wealthy, and extremely generous whenever the
cause of Wesley arose, Adamson vigorously set in train in 1902
a series of activities that would create his atmosphere of a
great public school. One of his first actions, however, showed
the broader interests and concerns of the new Wesley headmaster.
He donated the Adamson Challenge Cup for open competition in athletics
between the secondary schools of Victoria. The first
championship was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 7
November 1902 before an enthusiastic crowd of 2500 spectators,
and eighteen schools represented by 400 competitors. 30
The
climax of the day was perfectly scripted: Wesley College won
the initial competition and Adamson watched Lady Tennyson present
the major prize. Yet more than anything else Adamson
seems to have enjoyed the banquet dinners he gave in the school
to honour the Wesley championship teams in football, cricket
and rowing. The staging of these celebrations was carefully
planned and considerable attention was given to all of the
meticulous details likely to catch and increase the perceptions
of the participants, and magnify the mood, of involvement in a
momentous occasion. At the Football Champions Banquet of 1903
the school magazine described the evening -
The Head Master presided having on his right the
Football Captain and on his left Mr. J.W. Eggleston.
The Hall was a picture (a "dream", as some visitor
to Adelaide put it). The Matron and her sisters,
50