AAA Coming of Age Dinner

20 I may have preferred to carry my body onwheels rather than carry it on my feet , we are all one family, we araell sportsmen. And I am sure you will agree with me that there does not exist a sportsman who has followed sport for sport 's sakoenly who is a w' rong 'un' (hear, hear). I have had a long connection with sport of all kinds and descriptions, andI am more thankful than I can tell you that I have been mixed up with sport of every sort , kind and description, andcoIunt amongsportsmen in every brancohf sport some of my best and dearest frienadns,d I am sure thaetvery associa­ tion working for the common good of sport are kindred associations, ^nd are one with the A.A.A. , whose coming of age we are celebratitnog night . Sport elevates the mind; it , as LordJKRSEY has already pointed out this evening, elevates the body, not so much perhaps on the top of a table (laughter); but he old saying incorpore sano is as true now awshen first it was enunciated. Gentlemen, I feel greatly the honour of having been selected this evening to represent those associations who are working in unison with you for the promotion of sport , and in the name of every one of them I thank Mr. CHINNERVand all of you for the kind way inwhich you have receivedthe Toast of our healths." (Applause.) TOAST: "THE VISITORS." Mr. E. B. HOLMES: "My Lord Chairman, Lord JERSEY and Gentlemen, the Toast thathaIve the pleasure of submittimg to youonies that I am sine every member of the A.A.A. and those connected with it will join me most heartily in drinking—it is that of Our Visitors. In functions of this description I think the Toast of the Visitors is always honoured, andas a rule Ithink it is the duty ofthe person who proposes it , that he only has topropose the health of one or two gentlemen. But when I look round this board and see the vast array of visitors we have, and the magnificent number of sports they represent , itmakes me rather diffident in proposing it . One only has to look round the room to see who is represented here. First and foremost we have the Church, in Archdeacon Sinclair—a representative of the Church, and Ithink I maysay of sport as well . We have the House oLfords represented by our worthy and esteemed President , andalso by our Ex-President , whom weare all pleased to see amongst us again to-night . We have the House of Commons represented by the Right Hon. JESSE COLLINGS, Mr. P. M. THORNTON, Mr. LEES KNOWLES (an old champion) and Mr. GUY PYM. We have the Army representebdy Col . Fox, whomI think has done more than any officer, or anyone connected witthhe Army, for the promotion of athletics. We also have Capt . MAY, representing the Navy. Then we come to another branch of sport which I think I might venture to say is as popular as any, that crisicket , and I am sure we are all delighted to see Mr. LACEY, the Secretary of the M.C.C. here. Then again, the next I have on my list is connected with that good old sport of Rugby football , and I am very pleased to see heretwo gentlemen, very old friends, Messrs. ROLAND HILL and Mr. RS. . WHALLEY,and anotherold friend, Mr. ALCOCK, who represents AssociationFootball . We have with us thePresidents of