Scientific Athletics

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. I .HE obj ct of the pr ent \York, i to in r a -e : gen rally the popularity, and to prove whol - [ heart dly th exp diency, of athl tic and ---~ cali i.h nics. om of my read rs may b surpri ed that I hould a sume uch an authoritative attitude in r gard to o important a ubje t, especially ,vhen ther ar numerous literary sport men of note capable of und rtaking the ame ta k. But if my familiarity with athletic and th ben fici al eff ct which they have afford d m are held to b inadequate to vindicate the propriety of my und r– taking, I a k for p rmis ion to add a few observation . which I tru t will ufficiently explain my attitud and exempt me from what might oth rvvi e be con idered an inopportune intrusion into th world of books. The truth i thi : . t one time I tudiecl num rous publication concerning athletic , ancl found that c mparativ ly few of these production treated properly th techni aliti f this ubj t. Ind ed I r alis cl that one would require to le t an l arrange th b t pa.:,sages from many u h publi aticms befor really got a fair and ad quate grasp of th subject. f cour. I lo not wi h to att mpt th ungracious work of cl I r iation ; but the ahov tat m nt is corroborat d by th fact that su h publication ar fr quently v ry prolix, yet comparativ ly f w of th ir pages ar cl vot d xclu iv ly i.o i ntific in tru - tion. bvio 1 ly, th p ru al of an interminable amount of athl ti history doe not contribute to a novice' athl ti apabilitie ) so that th s productions, although dis minating mo t appr iabl information, 8