Athletics and Football (extract)

ATHLETIC SPORTS IN ENGLAND 43 as in Ancient Athens, men were always on the look out for "some newthing "), and in this instance, judgingfrom the ex­ citement, and the encouragement given to the competitors, the noveltywas much appreciated. ' As about halfof the 24starters left the post as if they were onlygoing to run a few hundred yards, theywere necessarily soon done with. Aitken, gradually coming through all these, had the best of the race until one field from home, whenWyatt and Scott, who had been gradually creeping up, ran level. They jumped the last fence together. Wyatt, who landed on firmerground, was quickeston his legs, and ran in a compara­ tivelyeasy winner; there was a tremendous struggle for the second place, whichwas just obtained by Aitken. ' The time, according to the present notion of running, must no doubt have been slow, but the ground wasdeep, the fences big,and all the competitors were heavily handicapped by wet flannelsbedraggling their legs. ' Of the flat races, which wereheld in Port Meadow,on un- levelled turf, no authentic record has been preserved of the winners of all the events. The hurdle-race was won by E. Knight, R. F. Bowlesbeing second. The 100 yards byWyatt, and he also wonone or twoof the other shorter races ; but for the mile he had to carry some pounds of shot in an old- fashionedshot-belt round his loins, and ran second to Aitken, whowon. Listen to this, ye handicappers of the present day ! ' Such is the history of the first set of athletic sports. But nowa word or two as to the original patrons and performers, for wewould not have the athletes of the present day think that the last generation werealtogether " unprofitableservants." 4 Marcus Southwell, R. F. Bowles, and Geo. Russell (now Sir Geo. Russell, Bart., of Swallowfield), were perhaps more patrons than performers. But Southwell wasa fine horseman, and could walk six miles in the hour without training : he, alas ! waskilled when on a tour in America by a horse falling on him. Bowlesand Russell could both row,play cricket, and run a bit, and they perhaps were the most energetic in getting