Athletics

HISTORICAL. 7 University sports were founded, and held on 21 March of that year. Three yearslater, E. Arkwright, of Merton, was mainly instrumental in establishing similar sports at Oxford. Of the Inter-'Varsity sports moreanon. The athletic calendar was still a blank; at this time it was almost social ostracism to be mixed up with sport, as sport thenexisted. Pugilism overshadowed everything, and, surrounded as it was with a phalanx of ruffianism, which, however, soon happily killed it outright. Glories of thepath, the honourof breaking arecord, thesatisfaction of winning a good race,etc., were unknown. The " sport" of the day considered himself somebody of consequence if he had shaken hands with the " Rotherhithe Ripper " or "Brompton Bruiser," or other " hero" (?) ofthe ring. Pedestrianism was played out, Deerfoot'sperforming troupepalled on the taste. The pedestrianism at Metropolitan grounds was not of an elevating nature, and things were about as bad as they could be. The ball of reform was set rolling from an unexpected quarter. The WestLondon Rowing Club started, as an " oft season " novelty, a few running events in the winter of 1861- 62. These, although they did not attract very much notice at the time, are important in athletic history, as practically marking the commencement of open amateur races inLon­ don. A little later, a well-known promoter of pedestrianism, W. Price, advertised some "Gentleman AmateurHandicaps," to be held at Hackney WickGrounds, originally fixed for 10 July, but postponed to 26 July, 1862 ; and in the Illus­ trated Sporting News of that date the starts are published (see p. 155, col. 2), and the results reported inthe next issue of that interesting paper (p. 166, col.2). A 100 yards race was won by "Mr. Green, in the most clever and really pro­ fessional manner." Spicer (20 yards) won a h lf-mile in 2min.