The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16
AN ATHLETIC COMPARISON.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONDUCT
OF GAMES IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

n. -. GeOrGe SHOWS whero England Ex'
GELS In Some ThinEs ana America In
Otkers-As High 10000 Persons mt
MeetisE In EsEland-Our Timiue Good.
While in England this summer with the
Manhattan Athletic Club team was struck
with the great difference between games In
that country and this. In the manner In which
games are managed consider In some things
the English style to BIO the better: in others
prefer our method. Tho programmes in
England arc certainly better arranged. Their
system OF compiling tho heats before the day
10 much bettor than doing 1t on the grounds as
We do. Under their system every man knows
exactly what heat he Is to compete In. and
who his opponents are. generally two or
three days before tho games are run 1t Is the
custom Of most clubs to forward every COM
petitor . programme with his competitors
ticket. In addition to which the handicaps are
usually published In the sporting papers. This
saves man the trouble OF making a journey
for nothing II he considers the handicappey's
estimate too severe. Then again. the COM
peitors who experience difficulty in getting
away from business can tell just when their
event will be run and know what time to start.
instead Of wasting all the afternoon. as they
would have 10 do here. When tho heats are
arranged beforehand the good competitors can
be kept apart In the first round whereas where
five men coming In regular order constitute q
heat 1t sometimes happens thers are three
good mon in one heat. and perhaps In tho next
five Indifferent ones
In England they usually put Q scratch or
back. mark man in with four others. whose
starts range from three to eight or nine yarda
This always insures an interesting race. This
system. however. would not work as we'll here
for the reason that we have more non.starters
than they do In England. where each man pays
10 mi IA Nf ola
the competitors at the mark as We do. to find
out tho non-starters. they call the names of in
the dressing room In England. while the men
are getting ready. This docs away with the
long delay which We have at the post here. As
soon as the mon have responded to their
names an official called mark sman puts up
tho numbers Of the men starting in the first
heat on board In the middle Of tho field. 80
that tho spectators know exactly who is COM
psting. This. I think. is ono reason why
so much more interest is taken in
athletics BY the general public in
England than in America. for unless you
know the competitors there Is no means OF
telling who they are here. After the heat Is
run the winning number is left on the board.
the time put up. and the board turned to all
parts OF tho ground. SO that every one gets the
result. 1t would DO impossible to announce
the results in England. whore there are some
times 10000 spectators. In the distance races
the numbers Of the non-starters are announced.
1t would be simply impossible to give the
starters. as they sometimes number $50 in the
mile handicap. The numbers on the pro-
gramme arc always In numerical rotation.
the scratch man being No. and tho limit man
having the highest number.
In field events think our ARRANGEMENTS are
better. The jumps. &C.. in England are meas
ured with common tape instead OF q steel
one. G. A. j. QuecEberner lost q record medal
Ut the English championships held at Man
chester on June ~. owing to one OF the judges.
]. A. Green twho by the way. was not on the
programme as ah official. stretching The tare
happened ii steel tape had been used. Al
lowances must BE- made, however. for the Eng
branch Of athletics. as i. ia only at the CHAINS ans
ponships and varsity sports that jumps aud
wsIght,tnr9Winf contests are contested The
but lev competitors will enter In England
the clubs are poor and have to cater to the
wise the games would DO = financial failure.
Here. where the clubs combine both the social
s ar Ssa ISb
even going so Tar as to make their meeting an
The programme In England usually consists
couple OF scra,Sh races asnsrally sprint
cycle race. Lots of clubs In England ofier
which have to Be Won three times before b.
coming the e ;s d, own property Anther
also They ssn
club. four to score. The wianins team receive
create Ere lois q excitement: As each , sss%a
the games to root for their eliminates. think
such races would take we'll in America; where
are seldom niven. but Wien they are each each
compe itor has a hurdle to himself. which
soH
officially. The bar generally used hero is not
so subdtyided and the risk Of interference. In.
Another vital distinction which should be
mentioned Is that these races arc run on the
az ersss Ss.s% IL EssasnG{ pretty sna
clubs END. avor TO award consulting which viii
ine cases. tea and coffee Services, silver sugar
Given e Finland above the value Of s35
msre cam anu to ssd IL Sand
Would psS &c $751; sm IL SRny
there Is no limit to the value OF the prizes. As
s sssas are oa sS Ave s 4 Isna ss
siub. ei e. sny 10
Of Great "a Britain has passed lay limiting tho
Athletic Union has simila. rule but as there
same day In the same district It is quite un.
necessary. l do not believe there is an athlete
run rlI. for the championship even 4 The
rs there is comparatively little honor
n ior tb Winning h;sndiUap It must TO
pate and good man Is not likely to run 2
getting Gt defeated for The sake OF medal. An;
Is tho presenta alton OF prizes to the successful
competitors at tho end of the contests. As
each winner steps up to receive his trophy he
Is greeted with applause, according to the
ant feature Is the music, No games In Eng.
ia ano,. arc complete without band. and the
lynnything but popular airs are heard, M
Betting u q great evil In England. The
Amateur !n Athletic Association has tried its ut.
don very little now takes place. - At some Of
tho Midland. and Nor horn meetings It still
sense that 1t draws crowd who would not 20