The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

THE CHAMPIONSHIP—RIVALCLAIMANTS. 115 or as little, right to the title. In short, without aninternational society of athletes, comprising representative members from every nation in which thereare men who practise athleticsports, to draw up a list of feats and lay down the necessary rules, it is a piece of silly, empty braggadocio for any one to assume the title of champion athlete of the world. All the Scottishathletes we have mentioned ow r e their athletic reputation to their success at Scottish games, andthe highest title anyof them canclaim is champion athlete at one or more of the feats commonly included in the programmeof Scottish sports. It is difficult to see how a contest between two would-be champions could settle the all-round championship unless one of them had previously come out best man in a real all-round championship contest. Supposing C.M'Hardy were to beat D. C. Ross and Kneebone, he would be as far from being championas ever. The all-round championship or any championshipcan never be settled at one meeting, unless allthe best men at each feat be present to com­ pete. The only real all-round champion Scottish athlete at throwing feats was D. Dinnie, who for many years could have beat all the best Scottish athletes at home andabroad at all the five feats. No singleathlete atpresent can do that, andconse­ quently there is no real all-round champion Scottish at lete. As for D. C. Ross hewas never champion at a single athletic feat ever heard of. How an athlete who was never champion at anything couldbe champion all-round is a puzzle. G. Davidson proved his ability to win three out of the five throwing feats against the best Scottish athletes in Scotland and America. K. M 'Rae hasproved his ability to win three outof the five against the best Scottish athletes at home. Scotland is the headquarters ofScottish sports, andany athlete whoclaims to be champion Scottish athlete at thethrowing featspractised at Scottish games must either beat the best Scottish athlete in Scotland, or beat out of Scotland the athletewho proved himself the bestin Scot­ land. Since 1882no Scottish athlete out of Sc tland has proved himself able to win three out of the five throwing feats against