Athletics and Football (extract)

A MODERN CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING 57 the best of the well-tried officials of the Midland district, and H. Beardsell, of the Huddersfield Athletic and Cricket Club, whosesound sense and judgment make him as able a judgeas he is a debater on the councils of the Amateur Athletic Asso­ ciation. Besides the judgesthere is a referee,whohas absolute discretion to decide when judges differ; but when the judges are up to their work,as on this ocdasion, the referee's position is an honourable sinecure. Then there is the starter, R. Cameron, of Liverpool, well known to stand no trifling from the runners. For some years the starter at these meetings has been the professional 'Tom' Wilkinson,of Sheffield, but Wilkinson being otherwise engaged on this afternoon, the popular voice pointed out Cameron as the best starter amongst amateurs. The starter is helped by a 'marksman,' who places the men on the scratch, so that •the starter may not have to movefrom the position he has once taken up, and may fire his pistol when he likes. The marksman of to-day is C. V. Hunter, one of the leading spirits of the Blackheath Harriers' Club, who is to be seen upon everySaturdayafternoon officiat­ ing in some capacity at an athletic meeting. The remaining officials are the timekeepers—three in number—for in these days of ' record-breaking' there must be no doubt about times. After each race the three are to compare their watches and then announce the official times. All have ' fly-back' stop watchesmarking the division of the second into fifths. If all agree upon one time that is the official time ; if all three differ, the middle time is given; if one watchdiffer from the other two, the ' verdict of the majority' stands as the official time. Besides the official timekeepers, there is another timekeeper, who, with the assistance of a ' standard judge,' decides who have got within the standard times. The 'standard time­ keeper ' stands at the elbow of the ' standard judge,' and when, as for instance, in the first race, the half-mile, 2 min. 2 sec. has been reached, the timekeeper, keeping his eye upon the watch, says ' Now,'and the judge, with his eyes fixed on the line, sees what runners have got within the standard, and will win the