Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Growth of Modern Athletics 23 Finally, we compromised. We played Rugby with the proviso that you could not run with the ball unless you caught it full toss or first bounce. This made a capital game with plenty of dribbling and running. Later, after I had left Dresden, the Rugby game was adopted. (I The Club was a success from the start. We soon had about eighty members, and though there were no foreign opponents we had capital games among ourselves. We asked Heidelburg University to get up a t am and play us, but a severe frost (the Elbe was frozen over) prevented it. u The D.F.C. was, I believe, the first club of its kind on the Continent; certainly the first in Germany. Our members included English, Americans, French, and a Russian Prince, Nicholas Troubetscoy, who was a very nippy half-back. No Germans joined. They were inclin d to ridicule the club, and oft n the words 'Apjen-Theater '- Monkey Theatre- were inscribed on fences near our ground, which was in the Grosse Garten. u The football having been a success, I suggested we should arrange an athl tic sports meeting. This was done, every one liking the idea. Fixed for March 14th, r874, bad weath r caused this to be postponed twice, and it ultimately took place on March zznd. I can find no record of an earli r m cting on the Continent. The meeting was att nded by a large crowd and was very successful. TheW. . Gaye, who won so many vents, was an old Highgate School boy. . H. rmson, the Judge, was the Oxford Blue, who won the roo Yards and Quarter Mile against Cambridge. In the second year, April rst, r875, the me ting was even more sue ssful. A large gath ring included the King and Queen of axony- two splendid p ople who had a gr at liking for England and things English- and th Que n kindly distributed the prizes. The meeting became an annual affair; how often it took place, I cannot say, but it went on for a long time." Mr. apt, Mr. Gaye, and Princ Nicholas Troubetscoy wer among the most prominent of the performers. Germany, it is