Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-10

ENGLAND WILL HAVE
CHAMPIONSHIP MEET.
All Around Track and
Field Meet.

There is to be an innovation In Eng
lish athletics next year i'll the shape
of an all around championship
modelled after the American fixture.
The newly formed Amateur Athletic
union is to promote the event and in
commenting on 1t an English critic
remarks as follows:
"There are in existence champion
ships for running and walking at va
rious distances and also for general
field events. Why not championship
contest that shall include all around
efficiency, the ability to make a show.
ing in a stated number of events to
be drawn from the three sevnrns
branches of athletic competition? Tho
United States holds annually such
championship: there are all around
athletic competitions, IL not champion
ships held in the Scandinavian coun-
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
WOTiu atnlctlCS, SlOulu HttNc liolliliS
of similar nature to show.
at will be admitted that, great as
Is the honor of being the best 100.
yards runner or miller. seven miles
walker or hammer thrower, in the
British Isles, the distinction of being
the best all around athlete could not
be greater than that of any of these.
The best man among a million Is as
suredly q more distinguished indi-
vidual than the best man among n
hundred. For example, n worlds
champion gained at an Olympic gath
ering is more valuable personally and
in public estimation than the cham
pionship of n country; similarly to be
the best man in ones own country for
Il combination of. say, 10 athletic
events is more honorable n distinction
than that of best man in one form of
athletic competition.
The institution of an all around
championship would create n now Gle
ment in amateur athletics. one that
would give Il further stimulus to ath-
letic enterprise and give opportunity
for an innovation into athletic sports
gatherings and public alike. We're
there a championship instituted tho
holding of competitions of an all
around character would be introduced
into athletic meetings. Nor would any
existing sports be adversely affected. a
new type OF atnletC WOul0 be created,
an impetus given toward that all
around physical development of our
athletes wherein We are sadly lack
ing. Specialization, the training of the
Individual toward superexcellcnce i'll
any one event. would not be interfer-
ed with. Specialization in the United
States has gone far. America turns
out the finest Splinter and field events
performers in the world, yet this has
not interfercd with the Institution OF
an all around athletic championship.
There is not the slightest reason for,
fearing that the same applied to this:
country would have any different ef-r
feet.
The average athlete Is content to de-
vote himself TO but one or two events.
but reference to school athletics shows
that such Is not the case therein. The
same competitor will be found taking
part in half a dozen different con-
tests and. in n large number of cases
this catholicity OF competition Is di-
rectly encouraged by the presenting OF
Il special prize to that competitor who
scores the greatest number Of points
Mt the meeting. If this all around
competition be encouraged among
youthful athletes what good reason
can there be advanced against provld-
ing similar facilities for adults?