Running Recollections and How to Train

28 Civil Service, and Huddersfield—but very few others; in fact, there were few sports atwhich I ran, and at which I was not paid. And yet the clubs promoting these sports are some of them recognised as affiliated to the A.A.A., while others are allowed to hold sportsunder theirrules and auspices. The BurnleyCricket Club, whose evidence very materially 1elped to " string up" five of the finest " amateur" runners inEngland, had arranged to pay me £8. One of the officials asked me if I would not reduce the sum, and take £6, as Bradley had done so. This I declined to do, as I had had a very hardafternoon's work,and, moreover,they had had a good gate. I think I was quite justified in this action, moreespecially asI had had numerous offers made to me by other clubs for the samedate. One of the first questions I was asked, when being examined by the A.A.A., was ; " Did you receive a sum of money for running atBurnley 1" There isno doubt that alot of clubs atthat time turned " Queen's evidence " to save their own skins. People may put medown as being spiteful, andno doubt they would be right, butI was brought face to face with somuch mean­ ness at that time,that I became thoroughly disgustedwith both amateurs and their legislators. I did not mind being suspended, as the A.A.A. are not the rulersof the universe, or even of athletics; but I was not unnaturally indignant at the fact ofbeing debarred from competing with gentlemen (?) amateurs, while the very clubs who had paid me to come and run at theirsports shouldbe allowed to go scot-free. I place the query after the w r ord " gentlemen "purposely, for how many amateurs—that is, amateurs according to the definition of the Association'sterm—are, or even profess to be, gentlemen ? As a matter offact, 99 per cent, of them