The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-13
Formal Challenge Sent by Oxford
and Cambridge
10 tho Presidents Of Yale and Harvard
q
University Athletic Clubs.
4nvtte the Americans to Send q
Team Composed Of Students Of
the Colleges to England to Com
pete With Members of the For
edgn Universities.

LONDON, June 1.-THE following is
the text of the challenge sent respect
lively to the Presidents of the Harvard
and Yale Universities Athletic Clubs:
Oxford University Athletic Club,
May 18th.
Dear Sir: The committee of Oxford
University Athletic Club and the Cam
bridge University Athletic Club have
requested US to forward you the follow
Ing challenge for your considerations:
To invite selected representatives Of
your university club to unite with Sc
lected representatives of Yale or Har-
ward University Club in forming joint
team to compete in track athletics
against joint team of representative
similarly selected from the athletic
clubs of Oxford and Cambridge Univer-
sites.
we venture to think such an ath-
letic meeting will prove very desirable
Tor many reasons. We should be very
glad to welcome you to our land. Such
international athletic sports between
the two leading universities of Grea t
Britain and the United States could not
fail to arouse the highest interest of all
lovers of amateur sport and could not
fail to improve the status of amateur
athletics in both countries or to rivet
the kindly feelings engendered by the
visits of former years Of Yale to OK
ford and Cambridge to Yale.
We would suggest the following con-
ditions for your approval:
FirSt-That the meeting take place
at the Queens club, London. on some
date at the end of July, 1899, which
NAV bsa most convenient To x-o,, ,pd TO
the Queens Club with regards to COM
petitions.
'Second-That the program shall be
the regular Oxford Cambridge program
of nine events, subject to the following
notifications: (a) That a half mile run
be substituted for putting the weight;
OBJ that in the 120-yards hurdle race
the flights of hurdles should not be
fixed with regard to competitors
Third-That all the four universities
concerned may choose representatives
only from actual students now in resi-
dence and on the college books of mem
bership.
"Fourth-That such representatives
TO be eligible to compete must conform
IN all respects to the rules and regu-
lations which govern the athletic sport,
respectively of Oxford and Cambridge
and Harvard and Yale
"Fffth-That such representatives
shall have never received pecuniary as
sistance toward their support and main
tenance as athletics during any portion
of their university career or any prior
thereto.
Sfxth-And generally that such rep
resentatives must be in all respects
amateur athletes absolutely and essen.
TALLY in accordance with the definition
of amateur athlete as laid down by the
Amateur Athletic Association of Great
Britain and the similar governing as
sociations of athletics in America.
Seventh-That the appointed stew
ards of the meeting authorized to act
for the four universities concerned be
requested to lodge with the honorary
Secretary of the Amateur Athletic AS
ISOLATION in London, on some date. prior
to the above meeting, lists of the Sc
lected teams, together with certificates
that each member of said team is
bonaffde student and a bonafide anna
teur athlete.
Having thus formulated our views,
we submit them to your favora bic con-
sideration. and are prepared to leave
the minor details to be adjusted be-
tween us at some later day. We must
ask you to kindly cable reply at your
earliest convenience, SO that we may
be able to Immediately secure the
Queens Club grounds and make at once
arrangements of a personal character
which any delay might render impos-
sible. We remain yours very truly,
GILBERT C. VASSAL.
President Oxford University A. c.
ALLEN HUNTER
President Cambridge Of University
Athletic Club