Athletics and Football (extract)

RUNNING AND RUNNERS 99 strangelyenough, seemed never to be able to get fit until late in the summer, and, indeed, his running excellenceapparently wasquite as much due to persistent practiceas to natural ability. Still, however Hill's speed and stay wereobtained, he was cer­ tainlya magnificent performer at half a mile and 1,000 yards. He wasof about medium height, and weighed,we suppose, less than ID stone, but, although not a sprinter, ran with the greatest dash and determination, and being faster than Slade, when he could beat him, won bysheer pluck in running the milecham- pion off his legs by forcing the pace. Strangely enough, about this time another famous runner, who, like Hill and Pelham, was a half-miler and nothing more, appeared upon the scene in Ireland—L. H. Courtney. On twooccasions Courtney met and beat Slade at this distance in Ireland, although he was by no means Slade's equal at a mile. Courtney was taller than Hill, and ran, like Clagueand some other fine natural runners, with a springy action, bounding over the ground with a very light foot. However,at the end of 1875 Courtney retired, and earlyin 1876 Slade appeared to be the best half-milerleft upon the path, as he had managed to beat Hill in the spring of that year, while Pelham had also apparently retired. In this year Slade againdid some fine performancesin Ireland, once beating2minutes in Dublin, and at Belfastsoon afterwards beat­ ing 1 min. 59 sec. over grass. By this time great things were being whisperedabout of Elborough's capabilities at this dis­ tance, and by a happy thought the committeeof the L.A.C. managed to get together all the four cracks of the day— Elborough, Slade, Hill, and Pelham—to compete for the L.A.C. challenge cup at the autumn meeting in 1876, The meeting attracted an immense crowd and produced a race the recollection of whichcan never be effaced from the memoryof anyonewhowitnessedit. Pelham, bounding away in front with his gigantic strides, ledbyseveralyards until the first quarter had been completed,whenthe others began to drawupon him,Slade being in front of Hill and Elborough acting as whipper-in. Alongthe top stretch, 250yards from home, Slade closed upon H 2