Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS In the following January the death of Mr. J. A. Cottrell, who had been a member of the Southern Committee since its reconstitution in 1912, was reported. He had been a capable and genial sports official, and was greatly missed. About this time a large collection of portraits was established at the offices of the Association, consisting of photographs in a uniform size of all the Vice-Presidents and members of the Committee, past and present. Mr. T. K. Grant was largely responsible for this interesting " gallery," which recalled many men, no longer connected with the Association, who had taken an active part in its formation and development. There was a new departure in the division of the official du ties in r 92 7. Owing to the growth of the Champoinships, Mr. E. ]. Holt, who had acted as Hon. Secretary of the South London Harriers, was elected Hon. Championship and Team Secretary. It is interesting to note that a proposal by Mr. E. H. eville that the Association should publish a monthly magazine was not even seconded, but I believe that in the course of time the Association will establish something of the kind, though not necessarily a monthly publication. " Good printed matter always pays." To commemorate the splendid services of Messrs. Gordon C. Innes and J. A. Cottrell many of their friends and colleagues wished to present two cups for the 1 ug-of-War Championships, and this offer was accepted at the Annual Meeting in 1927. There was a case of imper– sonation, with a successful prosecution, a very rare event compared with the numerous cases which occurred in the early days, and this in itself will show the improvement in the state of amateur athletics. Mr. W. M. Barnard reported a remarkable profit on the Championships of £1,609 6s. 6d. In the same year Mr. Barnard generously presented a Championship cup for the Pole Jump. At the end of 1927, owing to the great amount of work connected with the "Athletes to and from Abroad Committee," Mr. A. S. Turk was appointed Hon. Secretary of this Committee. At a special meeting of the General Committee in November, 1927, questions relating to the Olympic Games and broken time were dis– cussed, and at a meeting later in the day of forty delegates representing ational governing bodies, it was unanimously resolved " that this meeting strongly disapproves of any payment for broken time." Early in 1928 it was decided to establish a separate list of native records, i.e., records made in England or Wales by competitors born in England or Wales. At the Annual Meeting in 1928, in the absence of the Presi– dent, Sir Montague Shearman, Mr. C. J. Pratt presided for the first time. The Inter-'Varsity Athletic Board of Great Britain and Ireland (a com– prehensive title subsequently changed to the Universities Athletic Union) was given representation on the General Committee, and it was reported that the match between the Association and the C.U.A.C. at Fenners had been a great success, Lord Burghley establishing a record of r 4-! sec. in the r 20 yards hurdles. 55