The New York herald., 1879-10-28
TIMING AT ATHLETIC SPORTS.
From the London Field. Oct. III

yards in twelve seconds at the London Athletic Club
meeting. Saturday last. is of the most note
worthy OF ns of the athletic season. and fur
nishes US with trustworthy record for distance
at which good authentic amateur times very
rare. wo say advisedly "authentlc" times. for in
the early days of the athletic movement, there was
no lack of reputed records of equal merit. Every
winner of 100 yards race might expect to find his
time given IL seconds; and 100 yards in 0
seconds. l20 yards in 11A seconds and 100
yards in 141s seconds Were all feats. the
accomplishment of which was duly recorded. ap-
parently without any doubt as to the accuracy Of
the times given. Men who could run 100 yards in
ten seconds were apparently plentiful 'black-
berries in September" and upon one occasion the
time OF 200 yards consolation race Is gravely
turned II l-5 seconds. OF course. with the
progress OF athletics changes have taken place. The
importance OF accurate timing is more fully recog-
nized. 80 is the absurdity OF many Of the times
which used to be accepted with unquestioning faith
Timekeepers are moro experienced. and such
records those which used to obtain credence o
dozen years ago would longer be believed in.
except by the veriest novice. There can. however.
be question that. ut the present day.
the timing of at athletic sports is frequently
very inaccurately performed. This is of course
most noticeable in the of sprint races. in which
u
contests over longer distance. and is to be ob-
served even at meetings which could not. without
grave risk of offence. be described of minor i'm
porance. Is hardly necessary to quote instances.
though some before us We write; it is suffi-
cient to remark that recorded every year
in which distances rum perhaps in exception
ally good time. but in time which it is quite beyond
tho powers of the winner to accomplish aud which.
il accepted accurate would have u most prejudi-
cia effect upon his chances in future handicaps.
Fortunately tor the who credited with these
performances, the inaccuracy Is generally recog-
nzed and their starts for future allotted
not upon the basis of the time test but upon that
strated by their actual running. In America. is
we'll known the times recorded appear to be very
frequently almost marvellously good; but. despite
the fact that they strenuously upheld by some
critics on the other side of the Atlantic. must
decline to accept them. A hundred yards In ten
seconds is q feat that to thinking IL not partic
ularly easy OF accomplishment; and when VIC see it
often recorded its frequency alone is sufficient
supposing the distance correct raise doubts
as to the accuracy of the timing.
1t is as well. perhaps. to remember. that the
power Of accurately taking the time of is not
one that comes to man by intuition. In order
that his decision be trustworthy 1t is necessary
in the first place, that he should possess thor
oughly reliable stop watch. and in the second place.
that he should know how to use it. This latter
qualification is to be obtained by experience and by
that alone. We 40 not know. TOO, whether 1t Ia ab
solutely impossible that the timing of race should.
where different men note the start and the finish be
affected by the fact that 1t takes q perceptibly
longer time with some men than 1t does
with others for the eye to convey given idea
to the mind and for the mind to translate
that , Iuea in'o .;Lu. aSon. Go J 'n,mg @ ~ cel
rienced and competent. is to fulfil his functions
with accuracy. he must give them his whole atten-
- ~ th he ion the s,,ties of indse and has - d.
eide what order the fnish not all the expert
enIe, al 'ue koo - , -. .ao VIZ, cspe
record from being wholly untrustworthy. His at
sH i,; ,.u w ~ tha anisL. - ha oos havod | .h G
he destrnvs a~t;reiv the vale of anS dec;so giwan
hv M YES; U % .' ; vac cornd ' -; .% ~ sIv srna
~ Ia; - -. 80 ~ ro, @ - ..IIot;a sro.,s L,t - III So.
~ pom,ast in wSicb two ar More comnet;tors 80 are
VI t'; eotG. -. - ~ sam .i,a ~ o," @ a;pt a., orc
@ ooenu.hs o.: ~ A sne t;, ;S T g aSIa. @
a,is' a. ., =. !" ".... 'o ~ P ' A' DA"s "PoAA
Where the difBculties nlaced bv tho falibitv Of
1. Mnere to 1 .L Tu @ S J,s;,y JoH~ ~ a1 ,ty.I ~
lie rcrd - ara 90 v:est ~ ~ 10 narhana It'll ;~,m
i ttst ore attsnt,o hos not h,, sevntad 90 sho
.;I,,;. 80 - ."L.,., .ha t;,,,o ~ a..o ~, W oso @
po...y p" =; y.UarSa..s ~ T I,n,a, .a,. ~ - 49,. % Le
- - i1 M .I'at !. 49, = .mt So H.. ~ =. ' - W
90, @ 80, @ % -; ,, ~ ,,I,o I,ay ~ r,; 2 ~as s
Us ui sou n I'M th S;,a 49, nsr ~ - tl ;ss was % so
sS ~ ~. @ a.. SaaEs,o ~ 80 go ~ p 80. ~ E ~ s;ah III
Sntp s"aSow The res,5ts we've not sst,ssact"rv Th
va ;,aoaOrao, - tha t;,mes .h,,s .oan.5sS 10. ~
wand oil nn:sst;on. the c,nct Hacsma tno
ianchipa o. stick Of the freonentsrs of the
ta,t Erv. ,.i ,n,.y q. .%a s,,,,;ont ~ -. h
attracted renewed attention AZ the snorts of the
staten Island Athletic CIub in America on senten,.
bar 10 ..sin,nis nschanicai confr;vsnc., ~as ON
nInvad which 10 Ems de.crihed .~..rha watch On
ardinarv timsr-is Connected MT shotn en6s oS The
.ion.; NJ the apish with the tane the hreatino ~
Which dsrIscas M, ,-b;ch Iets 1o,rr cIntch ~ ~
~, The si;da snd az stors tha watcS ,rhe st.r.,nn
d ~ iIs anii.D ~ .h s.aI .hre
r,,,,s ,ho ,a,,,tn ~ IL corrsa .nd ovor b;rd -
aan ,xh,cS - sunnortad ~, n su,naino h;naa Tba U
n;r,oI tnocts fhis SINNERS away TIC a,r f.is ni,
T. Iis,iasad srd 40 ~ rstcr q. st.S.ad ' ~"
Th;s doscr;nt;o, doss n"t anno.r - -. vorr ,,o.-
hrt 40 80. 90 ,.n c,,, rdsrs,ap q. NO - ,:e
tho,oI MO az" ,oIJ That ..,, avar,, ,rs.r. thi 81;
cenians coptr;vance worked satisf,ctnr;lv 70 duht
shatber n 90 i;rav to ,neot with genorai
Attenfion however is being ryen To- the smbIect of
;,oa.dn. $500, =, .h5. e ,.,S ~ @ a u'oes ~.
Az osr;na and NJ i,Trr civil on,;,a.r 90 = . 90 -.
t;,,,o No., ,acas tr an deorsa ~ nicst, nr ~
.husart,h ,,rt ~ sacnd bs n,aan s ,. 49, ~ .e ~
I'n a. tha E rata 81 one tnrn ;n s.v " Sst @ & s
% ia a. -; % aiactr,c.i c"rnac.,o M ", 90; , &C.
vis, IN, @ M ~ ..I ..s,,,. 90 .s , ~" 1soi onu NJ y.
dr,',' Su ou,d 10 nnmd nnat ~ ,ana nns ss
u ~ ., e. 70 ~ .l',, s.,nS VI pspei, inaa e. Acu
LII LII sr .ha n,,nhor or r,or rrmn;m "nu ,t
oaiiy ioi Wy , 1850 -, - . .hn ...s ,ns' auu evn.aos
wouiu pe M uroAeh W se tupauie y, nns .nreaa
81 w ~s ~ 81 ise.s IA irvn. o5