Athletics and Football (extract)

INTRODUCTION xxiii have been performed by more than one athlete. I do not wish to clone these observationswithout some refer­ ence to such contests as throwing the hammer and putting the weight: in my opinion they are contests which should be encouraged, as they afford scope to those who are unable to compete in running and jump­ ing, and are very valuable for the development of the chest and arms. The same arguments may also with justice be em­ ployed in favour ofwalking ; and while on the subject of walking, I wish to call particular attention to the extra­ ordinary feats oflong-distance walking which have been performed in late years, by which I mean distances of 40 and 50 miles and upwards, which are, in my opinion, of far greater valuethan the so-called performances of walking eight or more miles in the hour by a mode of progression so nearly resembling ashamble or trot as to defy the most watchful of judges. I have known many instances of development of chest, lungs, and great improvement of general stamina, resulting in a vastly improved constitution, fromsteady walking of long dis­ tances. I gladly take this opportunity of paying a tribute to the great services rendered to athletic pursuits by the late J. G. Chambers,Esq., of Eton and Cambridge, who for years devoted himself to initiating and main­ taining contestsof all kinds, and by his untiring energy and foresight did probably more than any one imn odern times to maintain and improve the standard of athletics among both amateurs andprofessionals.