New-York tribune., 1901-03-03

paper The accuracy of the wielder OF the soda
water bottle was something extraordinary, and
in the end he fairly easily The experiment
was also interesting showing the irnpossibility
of handicapping a player OF the highest class
and a fifth rate performer. But though TINS
match had something to recommend it, the same
cannot be said of ridiculous contest which took
place in the early days of lawn tennis at
Brighton In this match of the players Tcde
a pony which shod with leather shoes for
the OCCASION and is said to have appeared TO
take a personal interest in the affair." while his
opponent, life guardSman was arrayed IN the
full panopiy OF the uniform of that corps in
heavy marching order. They played the best OF
five sets and the mounted player won by three
sets TO two, his opponent at the emu DeinS aDSO-
lutely exhausted
A match which excited a considerable amount
of interest at ;he time was played forty years
agc between John Roberts. father of the pres
J billiard champion. and an amateur who was
4 very fair player. Roberts played with an old
umbrella Instead OF cue his opponent being
equipped in the normal fashion 10 appreciate
fully the difficulty of Roberts's task. let any
try the experiment for himself He Will be lucky
if he make the ball travel even approximate
ly in the direction which he intends. Old Rob-
erts who. by the way. lost the umbrella VS.. cue
match. had a great fancy for similar expert
ments- IL is record that when he met a very
inferior player he would abjUTe the alto
gether and play with his nose
AS an inventor of absurd contests. the late Sir
John Ashley was almost as distinguished as the
Duke of QueensberTy. His great forte was
ranging races between animals which nature
had apparently made most unsuitable for the
purpose. When quartered Windsor he insti-
tuted the only race that ever took place between
chickens This peculiar contest came about in the
following way: While visit to a friend near
Windsor who kept hen run, Sir John noticed
how rapidly the chickens used 10 scurTy to their
mother when food was thrown to her. Here was
the germ of an idea for good sporting match.
and at a few nights afterward Sir John
Ashley expOunded his brother officers his plans
for the great chicken race. He had bought from
a farmer a hen and brood of chickens. Each
officer was to choose a chicken and mark il
with ribbon so that ne could easily recognize
il. The chickens TO be placed about fifty
yards away from their mother and whichever
of them reached her first in answer to her cackIe
when food was thrown to her was be adjudged
the winner. Each officer paid a sovereign for
the privilege of entering chicken for this ex-
traordinary race. and the whole of the entrance
money to go To the officer whose colOrs the
winning chicken carried. The Hen Derby
came off in the barracks at Windsor and was
Guards, who travelled down specially from Lon
arranged to repeat it in the following week. 1t
might possibly have become regular fixture.
and a racing stable of chickens been added 70
the attractions at Windsor. if Sir John Astley's
chicken had not won on e2ch occasion with such
cCnsumrate ease as to create a sISpiJi0 ion among,
the other competitors. 1t then found that
in both races Sir JOhH had selected a sturdy
young cock. who was much speedy for his
sisters No cOn1petitlO can continue to exist
When victory IS always d certainty for the same
competitor. and thus it Sir John Astley's
great chicken race came 70 eEd