Athletics and Football (extract)

i8o ATHLETICS caution against slipping, have two spikes in the heel of their shoes in addition to those tihne toew,hile the walker has a similar shoe witdhouble thickness at heel and toe, anwd ithout any spikes. One other poiontly has to be attendedto, andthat is the lengtohf the spikes. Obviously the harder trhaeck is the shorter the spikes should be, sothat upon a grass-track longer spikaeres needed than upon cinders. For thteracks at Oxford, CambridogreL, illie Bridge, spiokfesless than |inch in lengthwill probablsyuffice if theyshbaerp; but the hurdler or a sprinter, who may be called upon to runover heavy grass, wants a shoe with at least finch or f-inch spikes. Most 'cracks,' there­ fore, hasveeveral pairs of shoes wit pikes of different length, and make their choice according to thestate of trhaeck over which they have to travel. In races ovveerry long distances, shoes with very short spikeasn, d sometimewsithout spiaktesall,are used, tahse jar andconcussion of travelling so far with a thin spiked sole may make the feet so blistered or tender as to drive trhuenner thofef patohr knock him to pieces befothre end of the race. Of the rest otfhe athlete's stock-in-trade there liitstle to be said.The knickerbockeorrs drawers, whether they be made of silk, merino, or thin flannel, jaurset knickerbockers and nothing more. They should be roomy enough not to inter­ fere with the movement of the thighs, and should be short enough tnoot hamperthe knee.A primrose to some people is aprimrose naontdhing maonred, evetno anathletic author a jersey oisnly jaersey. A wordmay perhaps be said, how­ ever, abouthte practice which some men have recently tried to introduce from America weoafring sleeveless jerseys, which display wthheole of the shoulder and the armpit. There is nothing betourged fianvour tohfe practice. A light sleeve over the shoulder cannot possibly impede runaner any more than a cobweb would, and the appearance of a runner with his shoulders and armpits uncovered is far from picturesque. Happily, when a runner appears so clad, huis ual fate tios be marched off the track, and told that he will be allowed