AAA Coming of Age Dinner

1 1 4 Why, lor! there's the Attorney-General and the Champion Miler ' (laughter). That is the sort of condition our friend CHAS. LAWESis in. Now, gentlemen, Imust not dwell too long on these names (go on), but there is one more namenot on this card, and yetwho in a very few years, became one of the leaders, and has been, if not—well , I won' t draw com­ parisons—but has been as much a leader as anyone ever since in the Athletic world, andthat is our friendW. M. CHINNERY(cheers). Gentle­ men, we started in the year 1865 with a great deal of opposition—1866 1 ought to say.We were told we wergeoing tofail . We had manydifficulties at IJeaufort House, and throughthe enterprise of CHAMBERSwe had Lillie Bridge. GUY PYMand I could tell you what happened onmany occasions. I could tell of one convivial dinner at which the table broke in the middle,—I am notsure 1 was not making a speech.And for sixteen years we went on. Now, it is no part of my duty to-nighto refer tothese six­ teen years asa matter of history, except for the purpose of telling you what you all know, thatthrough cloudy weather and thicwkeather and troubled weather the Club went on; and the London Athletic Club, growing constantly andbecoming a morepowerful club was a greatfactor in the history of athletics inthose sixteen years. I could remind you of many pleasing incidents in connection withose sports. Perhaps someday it would not be at all uninteresting to get some of the older men who have abandoned all thatkind of athletic pursuits, to put on record some of their reminiscenses. It would be extremely interesting when wkenow what the movement hasbeen, and wouldsurprise people to know what troubles we had to go through. Therefore, to-nightwe are recording almost for the first time the fact of the existence of an organization which has now been in existence something like thirty-five years.Twenty-one years ago there was a meeting at the ' Randolph, ' at whichthere were present the then leaders of athletics,and among them one man, who, againcoming to the front very shortly after thteime I have mentioned, hasever been in the forefront of athletics and has been the mainstay of all athletics—1 mean C. N. JACKSON(cheers). I could mention those who have, unfortunately, passed away, who filled the same position in connection with my own University. But Oxford University is indeed fortunate in having such a staunch and true friend and wise adviser (hear, hear).There met at the ' Randolph' Hotel—I amnot quite sure 1 remember them all , although 1 knew them at the time—C. N. JACKSON, B. R. WISE, LEES KNOWLES, T. M. ABRAHAMJ, . E.FOWLER-DIXON,MONTAGUE SHEARMANC, . HERBERT and JAMESGIBB. There hadbeen shortly before a trouble about the time at which the Championship Meeting should be held. It was thought , possibly with some justice, that it was run too much in favour of the University men by having the sports at the early part of the year when the University menwere fit and others werenot , and withwidening ideas and increased wisdom the A.A.A. was started and has ever since been most prosperous, and, as you know, has pursued the system of holding the Championship meeting in the great centres of the North as well as in London, andin any large towns where there was proper accommodation,