An Athletics Compendium

The Uterature of Athletics Some readers may feel that too great an emphasis has been placed on books writtenin the periodprior to the SecondWorldWarand, in particular,to those published in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This may, of course, reflect the self-indulgence(andindeed the self-interest)of the compilersand for thiswe apologise. It is, however,our feelingthat post-WorldWar II books are both better knownandmore readilyavailable to most readers.We feel too that the earlier worksmay prove to be a greaterstimulus to further studyand research,and help place both the generaland the technicalhistoryof athleticsin clearerperspective. I hope that this edition of the Compendium will prove to be the catalyst for the productionof a wealthof technical and historicalstudies. I hope, too, that in the wordsof the essayistAddison, the Compendium will'entertain,edifyand instruct'. Tom McNab St Albans Summer2001 [xlv ]