Athletics and Football (extract)

198 ATHLETICS team coofmpetitors of all classes is very liable to get out of hand, although a little display tiomf ely firmness might have kept everything in order. If, as soon as a man misbehaves himself by jostlinga competitor on purpose, byodr eclining to obey thjuedges' decision, he is promptlysent to the rightabout and disqualifiefodr the rest of the meeting, the probabilitiys that there will be no furthertrouble of any sort.An instance in point—rather a ridiculous instance certainly—was furnished at aNorthern meeting, where naumber of professional pedes­ trians entered themselves as amateurs, not desiring to take prizes, but mereltyo winmoney by betting abtohuet heatfsor which they had been handicapped with a moderate start as ' unknowns.' Shortly beftohre racincgame tohne committee discovered the fraud, but were ian difficulty, as the ' pros' were attended by a number of backers, satnadted that they would come oount the ground and run at all hazards. When the first offender appeaarsed, hehad threatened, nothing was said until the men got upon their marks, whtewno stout officials quietly went up tothe man, anwdithout more ado seized h m by thehead anledgs and sat upon him until thraece waosver. The mwanas then released raentdired threatening vengeance, a threat which he never executeadn,d none hofis companions appeared for the subsequent heats. The local committees of the A.A.Ag.ive vaery short shrift to a man who hadseclined to obeythe judges, atnhde nuisance of disorderly meetings is being rapidalbyated. It wilbl e noticedthat the A.A.Ag.ive a veryfree hand to the officials in the conducotf ameeting. The judgdeesc' ision is final, when they agree as to the result of any race, or as to the necessity of disqualifying a competitor on the ground. If the judges differ, the referee's decision is final. It h bseen founind practice that if there aisright aopfpeal evtoenthe committee from the officials' decision there is much time wasted, deal forfiction ; as in loose body like the general committee management, opinions may differ, and there may be conflicting interests, rival committee-men having rival proteges towardswhom