Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

A.A.A. JUBILEE SOUVENIR mittee of the A.A.A., not, be it observed, in a Southern Counties Athletic Association. Seeing that the other two districts are governed by a Northern and a Midland Association respectively, the distinction gives an appearance of lopsidedness to the constitution of the A.A.A. As a matter of fact, however, while, like the British Constitution, it may appear anomalous and illogical, it, also like the British Constitution, works out quite admirably in practice. The setting up of the Southern Committee did not follow immediately after the institution of the A.A.A. Indeed, its first meeting did not take place until August 2nd, I 88 3. There were present Messrs. C.H. Mason, J. Waddell, J. W. McQueen, and Charles Herbert(Hon. Secretary). Com• pare this attendance with those of to-day, when frequently as many as forty are crowded into that historic room at John Street. From its earliest days the Southern Committee set itself resolutely to deal with malpractices. When the " gentleman amateur " definition went by the board the gates of amateurism were opened in the South, as elsewhere, to some who embraced athletics as an easy way to making money ; that is, by betting. Through betting came " roping," and " Mr. Arrangement" began to have a voice in the results of races. The sup– pression of open betting was an uphill task and it was a long time before the Southern Committee, through its clubs, succeeded in stamping it out entirely. The Committee never posed as Puritans, and a quiet wager between friends would not have incurred their censure. It was the flagrant misconduct associated with open betting that disgusted decent sportsmen and kept some of them out of the sport. Forty years ago bookmakers openly shouted the odds at many meetings and had stormy interviews with the officials, who, quite naturally, desired to eject them. Rather than create a scene and spoil the harmony of his gathering, an honorary secretary was often content if he got the book– makers to subdue their raucous tones. Nowadays, of course, athletic meetings are amply protected by the Street Betting Act of 1906. Those who made, or wanted to make, money by betting resorted to all sorts of wily tricks. The present writer recalls an incident at Stamford Bridge. A certain young runner developed ability as a sprinter and won his heat in an open handicap. As he left the track the timekeeper approached him with, "Are you trying in the final, sir?" The question neither shocked nor surprised the youngster; he had heard it before from fellow-competitors. " Well, I always do," he replied. The time– keeper, after remarking, "You did the fastest time, but I didn't put it on the board because I thought people wouldn't believe it," quietly walked over to the bookmakers with the intention, presumably, of making a small investment. The timekeeper, let me hasten to add, was not a member or a guest of the promoting club, but an old professional. Such were frequently employed as starters and timekeepers. For instance, the accounts of the first A.A.A. Championships show £r paid to the starter. Unsavoury as it was, this betting at sports sometimes had an amusing 74 J