Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-20
AMERICAN STUNT
FAVORED ABROAD
English Critics Like Idea of Hold
ing Competition to Decide
AlI-Round Champion

NEW YORK, Nov. 1S.-There is to
be an innovation in English athletics
next year in the shape of an all around,
championship modelled after the Amer
lean fixture The newly formed A. A.
u. is to promote the event and in COM
menting on it an English critic re-
marks as follows:
There are in existence champion
ships for running and walking at va
rious distances and also for general
field events. Why not a championship
contest that shall include all around
efficiency, the ability to make good
showing in a stated number of events
to be drawn from the three several
branches of athletic competition? The
United States holds annually such a
championship; there are all around
athletic competitions. if not champion
ships, held in the scandinavian ooun-
tries; even Finland, where of late
years athletics have made tremendous
strides into public favor, such are not
unknown. 1t is a little curious to re-
fleet that England, the mother of
world athletics. should have nothing
OF similar nature to show.
at will be admitted that great as
is the honor of being the best 1e0-
yard runner or miller, seven mile
walker or hammer thrower in the
British isles, the distinction of being
the best all around athlete could not
but be greater than that of any of
these. The best man among million
is assuredlY q more distinguished in
dividual than the best man among a
hundred; for example, worlds
championship gained at an Olympic
gathering is more valuable personally
and in public estimation than the
championship of a country; similarly
to be the best man in ones own coun-
try for a combination of. say, ten ath-
letic events is more honorable dis
tinction than that of best man. in one
form of athletic competition.
'The institution of an all around
championship would create new ele-
ment in amateur athletics. one that
would give a further stimulus to ath-
letic enterprise and give opportunity
for an innovation into athletic sports
gatherings and public alike. Were
there a championship instituted the
holding of competitions of an all
around character would be introduced
into athletic meetings. Nor would
any existing sports be adversely affect
ed. A new type of athlete would be
created, an impetus given toward that
all around physical development of our
athletes wherein we are sadly lacking.
Specialization, the training of the in
dividual toward super-excellence in
any one event. would not be inter
fered with. Specialization in the Unit
ed States has gone far; American turns
out the finest sprinter and field events
performers in the world, yet this has
not interfered with the institution of
an all around athletic championship.
There is not the slightest reason for
that the same applied to this
country would have any different eff
feet.
"The average athlete is content to
devote himself to but one or two
events, but reference to school ath-
letics shows that such is not the case
therein. The same competitor will be
found taking part in half a dozen diff
ferent contests and. in a large number
of cases this catholicity of competition
is directly encouraged by the present
ing of a special prize to that competi-
tor who scores the greatest number of
points at the meeting. II this all
round competition be encouraged
among youthful athletes what good
reason can there be advanced against
Drovidine similar facilities for adults?"