Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

A.A.A. JUBILEE SOUVENIR Its origin is doubtless to be found in the professional matches which at that time were common ; certainly a sudden impetus was given to amateur athletics, and the next decade witnessed the establishment of regular athletic meetings throughout the Schools and Universities. Hence– forward progress was rapid. Long before the end of the Nineteenth cen– tury, athletics as part of the educational system had taken firm possession of America; during the Twentieth, particularly after the Great War, it not only spread throughout Europe, but to the Far East as well. Never– theless, even as among adults England was the pioneer, so she was among youth; and although the athletic achievements of her School and University athletes may be surpassed, their prestige is still undimmed. The history of the development of athletics in the Schools and Univer– sities of Great Britain falls, naturally, into five periods, including that prior to I 850. From I 8 50 to I 860 is the period of inauguration ; the twenty years following mark the predominance of the University and Public School type of athlete, and the gradual evolution of athletics as a national sport, culminating in the formation of the A.A.A. in I 880. From that date until r914 University interest in athletics is largely domestic; and finally, during the post-war years-the fifth stage in athletic development -the Universities again play a prominent part in both national and international athletics. PERIOD !.-PRIOR TO 1850 The earliest scholastic athletic contest of which any authentic record exists was the famous Crick Run of about 10 miles at Rugby. This was founded about 1837, some twenty-five years after the R.M.C., Sandhurst, had inaugurated a regular sports meeting, and was thenceforth held regularly. Soon afterwards Shrewsbury, a School with a fine record in athletic sports, especially since the War, founded a Steeplechase; and in I 84 5 Eton started an annual Steeplechase, sprint races and a hurdle race, which were held on the road on different days, as their Mile and Half– mile races are still. This is the first mention anywhere of short hurdle races; and it may be observed that the popularity of this event is definitely due to its early cultivation in Schools and in the Universities when, later, they took up athletics. In 1849 the R.M.A., Woolwich, followed the example of their rivals at Sandhurst and inaugurated their annual sports ; but until the following year there were no athletic sports of any description at either of the two ancient Universities. PERIOD 2.-1850-1860. I AUGURATIO In the autumn of I 8 50, Exeter College, Oxford, took the initiative, and were imitated shortly afterwards by Lincoln. The inaugural Exeter Meeting, which subsequently became an annual affair, must have been a 86