Athletics and Football (extract)

190 ATHLETICS and capable representatives of the recognised papers this claim is no doubt a perfectly proper one, and clubs which want their meetings properly reported have no right etoxpect that this shoulbde done unless they are willing themselves to afford facilitifeosr the report.Sometimes, however, the repre­ sentatives of papers whhicahve velriyttle concerwnith athletic meetings act in a way that is not above reproach. Knowing perhaps little or nothing athofletics, they freely criticise the decisions and proceedings of competent officials and stir up ill-feeling amongst athletes and; bify anychance tahrey not allowed in the centroef the groundo,r arenot treated with the amount of respect to which they deemthemselves entitled, he readers thoefir paper are informed that the mismanagement of the meetinagnd the incompetencoef the officialwsere out­ rageous. Happily, we think, of later years this nuisance has somewhat abated, and another practice which threatened to become a greater nuisance, the providing of reporters with liberal refreshments, has also been pretty well discontinued. The chi'cken and champagne' method deoafling with critics cannot tfoailbe pernicious, in however humble mananer it is employed. Another maonsdt important duty of the secretary before the meeting commences is to provide proper accommodation for the competitors. If the sports be on a running ground which has reguladr ressing-rooms upon it thisis easyenough ; but at counmtreyetings tents have to be rected, and a liberal supply toowf els, baths, watcehr,airs, &prco.,vided, as nothing is more disagreeable for competitors than insufficient accom­ modation. Care must also bteaken setoe thatll the imple­ ments anpdparatus required for the meeting a re ready. Upon one occasioann important meeting had to be put offor half an hour because thwearseno pistolupon the ground to start the racwe ith a;nd often have we seen saimilar pause thine programme because there was no worsted or tape for thewinning- post, starts were not marked out, and no measure was handy, no bar for the jumping-posts, no groundset apart for the weight-