The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-22

can be seen, are quite different, and each
!, u9thod has many advocates
Some claim that the short stride with the
front foot when the legs are already some
distance apart, makes them sag too low by
further spreading the legs, and that an ath.
! ete cannot recover 50 well to take another
stride. simply on account of tho ssgging when
| the body is not enough IN motion to stand it.
| The advocates Of this Style say that the posi-
! ton OF setting" peceSSitates their bearing
! nearly all the weight Of the body on to the
! front leg, and that short stride of about a
! foot with the front leg puts them better in mo-
! ton than if they struck out directly with the
! back foot, which neceSsitaues, before stride
I can be taken with it, the putting Of a certain
amount Of weight on It so that it can be
pushed from. Nearly all the weight being on
the front foot brings about loss Of tiEle af-
ter the pistol is fired in transferring some Of
it 70 the back foot before the latter can be
used in showing.
Another way Of holding the arms when the
back foot is used to spring from is shown in
the illustration, "Other Methods Of Starting"
The athlete in this picture has his left foot at
the scratch line, as in the first illustration,
but his right arm is forward and his left arm
- IJOLAliLS OaCh- lLc VIII uoS tlD uolA bWlLIH
with his arms, but viii, when he hears the
pistol, step out with his back foot, bring his
right arm back and left erm forward ell the
way, and 20 On with his arm swing, which is
rendered possible by it being originally com
menced in accord with the stride of the legs
The style is not used very much, although it
has been proved by some sprinters 10 be good
enough to be worthy OF a trial. After an
athlete is at home with a certain style OF
starting it would be rather foolish for him to
change his style unless he is convinced that
some other method Is better than the one he
uses. II ne continually practices different
styles confusion vii! show itself in the race.
and as SO much depends upon the start of
sprint race an athlete should feel thoroughly
at homo when on his mark and be able to
move from it with q sensation that he has
been long accustomed 10.
Another style Of getting ready to start is
shown in the illustration, "Other Methods of
Starting" by the athlete, who mas both hands
and right foot at the scratch mark. STOPPING
down with his left knee Just above the
ground. 1t was used successfully by C. H.
Sheriff., the 100 yard champion of America
of 1887 and intercollegiate champion 100
yard runner of 1888 and 1889. In his later
races ae has not used it, but stands on the
mark, as shown in the illustration, Position
for Setting" The stopping start is not popu-
lar, and Sheriff. said he adopted it to prevent
falling over the mark, which he seemed I'M
able to avoid when he used the regular posi-
ton for setting. Some sprinters have used
the STOPPING start to good advantage, but out
side Of its making Sheriff. hold his mark. it
was of no advantage to him in getting into
his stride.
At the time he used it he was running very
fast and Won his races, although it was the
opinion that he invariably lost a
little distance at the start. The principle of
this style Of starting is TO rise quickly on the
leg placed at the scratch mark, which in
SherrilIs case is the right one, and step out
with the other. A little push can be given
with the arms, but it must necessarily be
very slight. If the shoulders are stopped far
enough to enable the arms to be bent, it
brings the athlete too Gloss TO the ground.
Sheriff. was taught this style of starting at
Yale college, but latterly ne became recon-
ciled to the ordinary style.