Why? The Science of Athletics

THE BUILD OF THE ATHLETE 373 known first-class violinists who had the appearance of prize fighters and marvellous Marathon men who looked more like physical wrecks in an advanced stage of tuberculosis. None the less, it is possible to state broadly the char– acteristics of runners in the classification of distance. Q.uarter– Milers The ideal quarter-miler is a tall man of powerful physique and fine staying quali– ties, but, with the exception of Ray Barbutti, U.S.A., Olympic 400 metres champion, rg28, and Guy Butler, Great Britain, third in the Olympic 400 metres, I924, and joint-holder of the world's 300 yards record of 30 3/5 secs., the majority of the world's best quarter-milers have been in the ISO lbs. class, standing under 6 ft. Barbutti and Butler are both tall men of not much less than Igo lbs. in weight. Of the others, J. E. Meredith and V. E. Williams, U.S.A., former joint holders of the world's 440 yards record of 47 2/5 secs., and Eric Liddell, Great Britain, who made a world's record by winning the Olympic 400 metres, I924, in 47 3/Io secs., were all in the ISO lbs., sft. 8 ins. to 5 ft. IO ins. category, as was W. A. Carr, U.S.A., who won the Olympic 400 metres, 1932, in 46 I/5 secs., thus disposing o£ Liddell's record. On the other hand, Ben Eastman, U.S.A., who holds five world's records of 440 yards (46 2/5 secs.), 500 metres (62 secs.), 6oo yards (r min. g r/5 secs.), 8oo metres (jointly with T. Hampson, Great Britain) (I min. 49 4/5 secs.), and 88o yards (r min. 49 4/5 secs.), stands well over 6ft., is comparatively lightly built, and runs with long, effortless strides. The greatest variation from the normal is found in the case of the late Lon Myers, U.S.A., perhaps the greatest running marvel of all time. He had a bad family history of tuberculosis, weighed 8 stone, and stood 5 ft. 8 ins., and yet between I879 and I885 made twenty– two amateur records from 50 yards in st secs. to I mile in 4 mins. 27 3/5 secs., including 440 yards in 48 seos. The man was just a lightly built running machine made up