Athletics and Football (extract)

210 ATHLETICS down accompanibedy atime-keeping friend, amnady try day after datoy lowetrhe record for six or seven miles, which he at last does when he is favoured by exceptional conditions. After thies retires happy tihne possession of a record,and his satisfaction remains undiminished until his bosom friend comes dotwhen nexwt eek anadfter another set of futile efforts at last' cuts ' trheceord by asecond. However, our c ncern at present is not with cycling records, awnedonly stateour grievance against their system becau e we think t at t'hre cord nuisance has ' ian greatmeasure been promoted by enterpris­ ing manufacturerosf bicycles, and first forced upon thcyeclists by the m'akers' amateurs,' while from the cyclistshe infection has spreaadgain in its most virulent form back amongst the athletes. Recently Atmheateur Athletic Association has been engaged in revising and settling the athletic records, and in arriving at the results (whaicrhe printeedlsewhere) they were guided by the following principles, which, iats will be seen, carefully exclude all 'times ' not ade in legitimate competitions. It is decided that the running records bteo dealt with shall be the ' 100, 120, 150, 200, 220, and 300 yards, quarter-mile, 600 yards, half-m1il,e0,00 yards, three-quarters of a mile, omneile, one mile anda half,and theenach mile up toten, after which the only distances to be examinedand authenticated shall be the fifteen, twenty, twenty-fitvhei,rty, forty, fifty, seventy-five, and 100 miles.' The walkinrgecords to be dealt with shall be only the mile records as above mentioned, but the one, threea,nd twelve hours walking recsohradll alsboe examinedand settled. The other competitions to be investigated shall be the 120 yards hurdles, long, high, and pole jumps, putting the (16 lb.) weigh and throwintghe (16 lbh.a)mmer. The only recordtso be acceptesdhall be thosemade in public competitions, and held under A. A.A. Rules and by a recognised club. Questions of gradients, wind or other favourable conditions, shall be taken into consideration when deciding any individual record. A recordshall include any performance in the United Kingdom. The recorodf a foreigner or colonial done anywhere in the United Kingdom sbheall consideredan English record. )