Sporting and Athletic Records

J U M P I N G I.._WORLD'S RECORDS II.—BRITISH AMATEUR RECORDS III.—BRITISH PROFESSIONAL RECORDS IV.—AMERICAN AMATEUR RECORDS I T is not easy to classify conveniently jumping records. Moreover, there are a number of professional records generally accepted which were made at Music Halls and Circuses. It is hardly necessary to state that the circumstances of such performances disentitle them to rank as records possessing any real value. It may be mentioned that of these the British Professional J. D ARBY holds a large number, prominent among which is Ins alleged feat of jumping 6ft. 5'/ain. from the ground without weights, at Rowland's Circus, Wolverhampton, 5 Feb. 1892, and 6ft. 6in. (with weights) at Bilston, 15 Aug. 1892; also a long jump of 29ft. 7in. by H OWARD, the British Professional, at Chester, 8 May 1854, using 51b. dumb-bells and taking off from a block of wood raised 4 inches. From the records here given it will be seen that in this form of athletics Ireland leads the way, closely followed by America. Perhaps the greatest jumper the world has ever seen was P. D AVIN, the Irish Amateur, who although dispossessed of the record, probably did more real jumping than men who have jumped an inch 181