Impressions of Northern Athletes and Athletics

rises to a vertical attitude, but does not fall straight forward, it is not a clean toss; and it is here where much precision of judgment is required, because of the fact that it is possible for a toss in which the log falls backwards to be superior to one in which it fall transversely or at a right angle. When the caber is tossed for length, the performer must toss from a fixed stance, and the merit of the throw is decided by measuring from the centre of the stance the distance of the toss. The inclusion of one or two examples of misjudgment may not be amiss. I have watched three athletes, whom we may call A. B. and C. toss the caber. A went first – and over went the caber. B went next, but failed; and C was still worse. A had another trial, and again the caber thundered over. B came next, and this time succeeded beautifully, and then the wrangle followed, when A was declared the winner, because B failed in his first essay. The velocity at which the log went over was never considered although A was the winner. On another occasion I saw two athletes toss the caber. No. 1 raised it up and immediately threw it a good way. No. 2 raised it up and twisted along for a considerable distance, exhausted his strength, and absolutely failed; but the “show” ensured the prize. Watching the Wrestlers. Here again the referee should be master of his duty – quick to observe unbecoming tactics, forbidding debarred holds and locks, such as the hammer-lock, double-nelson, strangle, &c., and, if needs be, promptly to disqualify both combatants should the proverbial “swank” be introduced. When a fall is secured, the referee should touch the winner, which is a more satisfactory way than signaling the decision as in a tug-of-war match, as the winner may sometimes be undermost. _ _ _ Who is the All-Round Champion Athlete of the World? At present the hackneyed question as to who is the champion all-round champion athlete of the world is undergoing a further riddling, and judging by the business-like position assumed by those immediately concerned, this vexed question will probably culminate in an all-round championship contest. Before the climax is attained, however, many “paper battles” will have been fought, for the opinions of different classes of athletes are so diversified that much controversy is inevitable. Lieut. J. P. Müller, who a short time ago revived this question, maintains that the contest should comprise as many events as possible, and consequently he enumerates such items as mountain climbing, team driving, &c. A Finnish claimant, August Karlsson, introduces ski-ing cross country, ski jumping, speed skating, &c. So that the chief difficulty will arise in determining the nature of the