Athletics

102 ATHLETICS. CHAPTER VIII. CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING, HISTORICAL. ALTHOUGH of comparatively recent origin, no branch of athleticism has developed sorapidly orbecome so popular as what is now called "cross-country running." Indeed, it is hardly correctto call it a " branch," asit has practically broken free from the parent stem, and ought therefore to rank as a separate sport,with its own governing bodies and championships, the only link being the recognition of the A.A.A. as a supremecourt of appeal and control. The history ofthe sport may be told in a few lines. Its birth cannot be traced, and its early days can be only partly accounted for. It originated inthe youths, sturdyof limb and strong in wind, who used to follow packs of beagles on foot at a hunt. This was a common practice early in the century, and how long before deponent knoweth not. It wasfound to be such good sport, thatmen began torun on their own account, and then, to give zest to the affair and a definite line to the course to be run over, a couple of men were appointed to act as hares," andscatter paper as they ran, to enable the "hounds " to follow their t ail by vision instead ofscent. From this it was an easy step to call the new pastime "Hare and Hounds." As a school sport, it was popular sixtyyears ago, andremains soto-day;