Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-05

letic sports for the amateur championship
One shows bis superiority as wrestler, all
other as an oarsman, a third as a boxer,
others as runners, leapers and lifters; but the
speciality of young Mitchell is the marvellous
skill and strength exhibited in the throwing
Of the 10 pound hammer and the putting"
as 1t is technically called, Of the 56-pound
weight. In measurement he is a man 61S feet
tall, with weight that ranges from 226 to
23s pounds Around the arm tape line calls
for l6s4 inches around the chest, 46 inches;
around the hips, Az inches, and around each
thigh, 2SI5 inches. This mass Of well devel-
oped muscle has lifted a dead weight Of 7GO
pounds. He came to America with the
famous Irish team of athletes year age.
Like most men Of mighty strength, Mr.
Mitchell is quiet, modest and unostentatious,
not easily responsive TO the questions of the
curious, and, unlike most Of the people Of
his nation, he Is singularly laconic. Never
theless, the writer enjoyed conversation
with him recently, ON the grounds of tue
New Jersey Athletic club, where he has been
practicing for the last two weeks, and elicit
ed n number Of facts that will be interesting
to the readers Of this paper, and especially
those to whom athletics are q never ending
theme Of discussion.
His personal history may be given briefly.
he was DGT0 III the Town Emily, county
Tipperary, Ireland, on the 3lst of January.
1855 His father was an exceptionally strong
man. and inasmuch as his grandfather died
at 96 and his grandmother at lO2 years Of
age, 1t is not difficult to account for his ex.
traordiuary yirility. At the age of IL he
made record of live feet ten inches in high
jumping, ard was famous throughout his
neighborhood for speed In running The
first prize Of Young Mitchell was won in
1884, when he was but 10 years old, tall and
thin but exceedingly muscular, and with
weight Of lso pounds. At this age he began
10 make weight throwing q speciality. and
since then has been first in 2GS contests. hold.
ing a three years championship in England
aud for four years being champion Of Ire,
land. At the present time he is champion Of
America.
"On coming to America said Mr. Mitch
ell, II found very nearly the same style of
work prevailing in America as on the other
side. The training here, however, is more
matter of business than it il yonder IL
have any objection to make in my peculiar
department of athletics, il Is that In the
United States every man NAV choose his own
hammer, and some of them being practically
not up to the rules of tine competition, an al.
vantage is thus obtained While one person
u
lump of lead attached to "A walking stick,
another will play with the regulation form,
and hence tho competition Is uneven. Now
the difference between iron aud lead in pass
ing through the air is as nine to fourteen, in
favor Of the former On tho other side, the
hammer is regulated by the rules Of the com
mittec; it must have ar iron head with a
handle four feet long, the whole weighing
sixteen pounds. In America, on the other
hand, "A man is permitted to bring into the
field any style of hammer he may be accus
toned to- Therefore follows q perceptible
difference i'm the styles Of throwing and their
results
"The So pound weight also differs in the
two countries. In England and Ireland they
use an ordinary shop weight which measures
twelve inches over all Here they use a
weight specially made for the purpose, and
il is supposed to measure sixteen inches. On
the other side man has to throw with one
hand only In America a mcn may use two
hands Craspiug handle which Is flexible
The advantage is therefore in favor of the
American method"
The writer inquired wherein constituted
the peculiar skill, outside of nero muscular
force, required III throwing these weights.
"An active, alert mind has much to do with
success was the reply. in ordinary prac-
tice one easily observes his mistakes, but in a
composition every element OF your nature IL
brought into being. Nervous, brain and
muscular power all must work in harmony.
When YOU hear Of a man out of FORM be
sure of it that something he may not even
suspect has interfered with him.
"Trainingi Yes, such thing is Of the
utmost importance, but in my own expert
ence no one taught me. | tried every style
of throwing and working ] could think of,
and consequently in the end | reached what
| believed to he the most effective SO far as
can Judge of myself, do Not cont to use
much exertion; at least, d at t.-'i it; the
doctors tell me throw fru',t u.. bins. As
regards the use Of any special food. that's a
matter have raid little or no attention to-
Like the most Of farmers sons in Irelaudr
"Wbat difference between American and
English or Irish athletes do YOU fndT, was n
further ipauirv. Little or none II apy
difference NAV be commented upon. il il that
q larger class of people indulge in athletic
sport on the other side than here, and they
do SO from pure love Of the sport. Chiefly,
they are the sons of farmers and pupils in the
schools and colleges. Their parents being, as
you say in America pretty wei, fixed and
MANY of them athletes in their own youth,
they encourage the DEVELOPMENT of rivalry in
feats of strength and skill. Therefore YOU
will find in almost every English or Irish
ueiphborhood a ciuder path and training
grounds.
"in ireland this love of athletic snort ia
even more prevalent. Tho Gaelic association
alone is composed Of about 1000 clubs, which
are scattered through nearly every village