Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

'620 PEDESTRIANISM. petitor must go over or through the water; and any one who jumps to one side or the other of the water jump shall be disqualified. In throwing the cricket ballthe dis­ tance thrown shall be calculated from the centre of a scratch line ; and the thrower, in delivering the ball, shall not cross such scratch line.Three tries only shallbe allowed, andcrossing the scratch shall count as one try. Definition of an Amateur, — An amateur is one who has never com­ peted fora money prize or staked bet, or with or against a professional, for any prize, or who has never taught, pursued, or assisted in the practice of athletic exercises as a means of obtaining a livelihood. ,F SHEFFIELD HANDICAP KULES. The following rules were drawn up by the Association of Sheffield Running Ground Proprietors for the conduct of their celebrated sprint-handicaps :— 1. That three officials be appointed to see the proper carrying out of all handicaps of 10Z.and upwards—viz., a referee, pistol-firer,and starter. 2. That the startershall conduct the men to their proper mark, and shall instruct the pistol-firer when the men are ready ; and in the event ofany of the runners gaining any undue ad­ vantage, heshall be empoweredto call "No start." 3. That anyrunner leaving his mark with eitherfoot, previous to the firing of the pistol, shall for the first offence be put backone yard ; for the second, two yards ; and for the third,shall be disqualified. 4. That any runner acting unfairly towards an opponentshall be disquali­ fied for six months ;the officials having power to decide the question. The men left in torun the heatover again. 5. That in the event of adead heat v the stakes and bets shall be divided. 6. That abox shall be provided for the pistol-firer, soconstituted that the runners cannot see the flash from the pistol. 7. That any handicapperadvertising a handicap, andfailing to close, bring out the cards, or run the handicap on the day appointed, shall be fined— for a handicap of 10Z. and under 23Z. the sum of 11. ; for 231. and under 35Z. 21. 10s. ; for 351. and upwards dl. 8. That any handicapper known to have anyinterest in,or time any man in a trial or otherwise for a handicap in which he is concerned, shall be fined 51. for such offence. 9. Any handicapper known to be tampering with a man by giving him starts, toinduce other handicappers to give him a longerstart than he would be entitled to on his merits, shall be fined 51. Any one making thecharge shall deposit 11. with the committee. If he fails to prove his case, he shall lose themoney sodeposited ;but if he proves the charge,he shall receive 1/. from the fineso inflicted. 10. That any handicapper being fined, and refusing to pay the fine so inflicted, shall not be allowed tohave another handicap till the fine b paid. 11. That an annual meeting be held for the purposeof electing a committee to see the proper carrying out of the above rules.. SECT. 5.—TIMING MEN. This is a most difficult operation to perform in the case of sprint races, and requires a life-long apprenticeship. In fact, few but professionals are thorough adepts at the art. The only true method is the professional oneof starting the watch by the flash, not the report oi the pistol, and stopping it directly the pedestrianbreasts the tape. The eye must not be taken off the muzzle ofthe pistol for a single instant and ^.perfect unison of the two senses of seeing and feeling is absolutely necessary. Care must be taken that the watch is a reliable one, and that the distance runis correctly measured.