The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18

For several years the hard working vet
Grams, the scratch" men, who have earned
their title and position among amateur
athletes, have raised their voices against
the continuance of the absurd and decided
ly unfair handicap rule. They want il
abolished at once. Its unfairness is being
demonstrated right along, and yet the leg
islative body, the A. A. L., and lis allied
associations, makes no move TO abolish
the rule nor even to modify its hardships
After witnessing last Saturday nights
indoor games at Baltimore, the writer is
more than ever OF the opinion that some-
thing should be done to do away with
the absurdity and relieve the scratch men
of the certainty of failure which in nearly
every instance stares them in the face
every time they toe the mark. and wor-
ries them in track events almost as much
as the work Of the incompetent starter
The hardship of handicap is often in
creased by the utter incompetency and
ignorance of the handicaper, and the
track and field scratch man more often
than otherwise has his pains as the only
reward for his trouble in trying to catch
the limit man.
In the recent games spoken of the
scratch Y. NJ. C. A. entrants from this city
and those from other cities we're simply
smothered by the handicaps and penalties.
Think of giving eighty yards start in the
SS0-yard event, eight feet in putting the
shot, three feet in the pole vault. and so
on through the list. And the same thing
occurs in nearly every handicap meat.
man would have to be a worlds record
holder and even then he would have little
or no show.
Limited Handicaps
II there must be handicaps let them be
limited and make that limit reasonable and
fair. The nearer the contestants are
punched at the start, the more interested
will be the spectators, and after all the
latter are to be considered above all Others
for without them the holding of games
would be impossible and the furthering of
the interest in sports, the main object.
would be frustrated.
1t will be asked what will become of the
novices and the men who do not do good
enough work-have not become proficient
enough TO start at scratch if handicaps are
done away with entirely?
To this may be replied something like
this; Have an event in each line for no
vices; have others for the medium or lit
lie better performers for instance in the
100-yard event put all from 10 3-5 sec
onds and slower in one class and all the |
sprinters below this time start together and |
in subsequent meets move up the winning |
novices to the medium class and the win |
ners in the latter class to the fast or /
scratch squad. This may be done through |
all the track events as well with the per-
formers in field athletics. such as jumping |
and weight events.
The suggestion Of forming classes seems
practical and l believe il can be carried I
out. The organization which viii be the |
pioneer in this direction viii be blessed by i
those interested in good sport and will no !
doubt have many followers
Y. NJ. c. 4. Athletes.
Notwithstanding the fact that they were
in many ways the Y N. c. A.
athletes returned from the Baltimore Ath-
etic Club indoor meet with four first and
'our second prizes out of a dozen events.
Not so bad for Mr.. Holtons charges. EN-?
With unbanked corners of sixteen Jap |
'urning track no fast time was made The
relay team consisting of Meigs. Keyser.
McElfresh. and Speare acquitted itself in
It's usual good shape and still remains
1t is the fastest team that ever
represented the local Y NJ C A. 1t has
beaten Baltimore picked and Y. VI. c. A.
leans four times and its members are now
preparing for the race with a picked team
the local National Guard
which il Will meet next month.
Tie wrestlers representing the Associa-
ion at the last Baltimore meet came away
winners in two out of three events. Paul
ION Boeckmann easily landed the heavy
gsrr
he lightweight winning both bouts on
POINTS
Karnes is one OF the best all-round men
If the Association and he will materially
strengthen the track and field team. He
won the standing broad jump in the nrst
rial, covering ten feet two and one-halt
inches and then ran 10 catch his train,
which he barely made. The next day he
vas Informed OF his winning
Mather and Green hade fair to make a
good showing IL not a winning, but
he handicaps OF three feet in the pole
iault were too much, and they dropped
tut; ditto with Royce Hough in the
sixteen pound shot In this he put
he sphere 80 feet inches, and then he
topped, realizing that he had no chance
o win, as he was penalized four feet, and
he limit of handicap against him was
light feet. AT the Georgetown meet 40 /
eet inches won. Ford and McElfresh
re very promising runners.
lie Mat is doing good work at running |
high jump. He took second prize at the
meet. and Will get first prize
I protest made by officials is decided |
.gainst Fisbach, J. H. L.
The Association Indoor Baseball League !
aas closed its season. the Whites. under
Captain Speare. winning the champion
ship. Much Of the success of the team
vas due TO the clever pitching of Cap
ain Speare His team included Shepard,
ihsw, Hufty, Maize, Lipp, Ford, Brown,
md Meigs. The team won five straight
James and did not lose one.
The outlook for the outdoor baseball |
eason is very bright. 1t is hoped to get
ogether a good strong team, and this will .
,e done mainly through the competitive
ystem. An Association League of six
cams will play a series OF games, and
rom among the leading players in each
ositlon the big team will be chosen. Prac-
ice will begin at the grounds when the
Weather permits. The first game sched-
led Is with Gallaudet next Wednesday.
The basketball team made a good show i
ne against the Easterns last Wednesday.
n improvement in its work being notice ,
BILE, and the bowlers made il lively ,
nough for the Golden Eagles by winning
NO games.
Carroll Institute Athletes.
The classes Of the Carroll Institute gym
aslum are larger than ever before, and
be class of work is of a higher order,
9th in body building and speciality. Among
be well-known business men. members Of {
be Institute, who find the classes beuef-
ial TO them are Messrs. Walsh, Flynn, /
'olan, McCullum, Mcdonald, Roman, !
Yard, Hought0n, and Murphy.
The new arrangement Of class hours, S