Athletics and Football (extract)

JUMPING, WEICHT-FUTTING, ETC. 165 is printed loatner amongstthe othecrompetition rules othf e A.A.A., obligthees competitortso keepon their feet andpre­ vents themaking holes in the grounbdefore the sTtahret.re is no doubt hat the spoirst ahighly popular oaned, there is equally little doubt that combination is most important for success. The experienced team does not attempt to shift ground, but pulls in the rope by a series toufgs, taking the time from the leader. One of the strangest of the athletic competitions we have ever seen is the tug ofwar aps ractised in the United States. There the opposing teams sit down, facing eaochther, in two pits filled with soft earth, and pull sitting, getting into a dreadfmuless during tphreocess. The hindmost man oefach team wears baroad belt withiron bars on it, and, directly inacnh of rope is pulled away from the other side, this hind-man (called ' the anchor'w) hips throepe round the bars tporevent bietisng pulled away again.After five minutes or so themiry opponentasre told to desist, and usually osniede is found to have won by afew inches. We must confess thtionking Etnhgelish tug owf ar abetter toefst skill anpdluck than the Americagname.