The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

PUTTING THESTONE. 35 brought up to or near the stance, followed by the right foot, when the left is swing behind. It is just the usual Scottishstyle without the hop; each competitor can stand at the distancefrom the stance he finds most convenient. It is so little used as not to need much comment. Best performance at Braemar—32 feet by George Davidson, who is unrivalled at this style. The throw is measured to the farthest break made by the stone,both at Braemar and Glenisla, an absurd and oftenunfair system. THE BORDER METHOD.— Inthe Border Counties the athlete, standing with the left foot at the mark, brings his right close up behind it, and thenlaunches himself and stone forward,so that before he can stop himselfhe is from 6 to 8 feetover the mark. Nevertheless the throw is measured not from where he stops, but from where he started. This ridiculous tyle isalso used in Ireland. An athlete who is credited with a put of 37 feet with a 21 lb ball in this style,if brought to the bank of a river 37 feet wide, could put the ball over only by jumping into the water part of the way after it. This style of measurement is simply an absurdity. A light ball of 6 lbs. is also thrown onthe Borders over the shoulder, but the armmust not be straight until in front of the shoulder. The samesystem of measurement is adopted with it also. OBJECTIONS TO SCOTTISH STYLE.— Notwithstanding the com­ mon Scottish style has been so long practised by athletes and used at the principalgatherings, there areweighty objections to it. In the firstplace, why limit the run to 7 feet 6 inches any more than to 7 or 8 feet. If it is said that 7 feet 6 inches suits the hop best, the replyis, if one hop is to be used there ought o be no limit. Some take less, others would like more; as well limit the length of steps tobe taken in a race. Besides, in a rectangle 7 feet 6 inches by 6 feet, by hopping from the peg opposite centreof stance to right or left corner ofstance, the hop is fully 8 feet; by hopping fromcorner to corner, 9 feet 6 inches of run can be got. At many meetings,to prevent taking too wide angles, pegs are put in between which the stonemust