Evening star., 1917-09-19


handicapper for this district and the
gentlemen who hold similar offices In
the Metropolitan and Middle Atlantic
aSSocia tionS.
"(3) In the office of the Handicapped
there is also kept a file containing the
official records of tie association; these
axe divided into five classes for track
and field sports. and comprise also
marks for interscholastic swimming
and open indoor and outdoor swim
ming. In other words. all marks made
in the district are carefully endeavored
to be tabuiated and retained.
"t) No system is SO smooth as to
be without imperfection. The unfor-
tunate part in the handicapper's work
is played by the so-called novice. who
very often appears as an athlete of
strictly speaking. still be legally classi-
{1able as novice. This very frequent
ly causes the so-caned runaway races,
and In the past often arose from i'm
IroperN 1lled entry blanks 1t is
pleasing to note. however, that this
cause for complaint is by no means as
prevalent as was the case some years
ago. and very infrequently is it that
a deliberate desire appears on the part
OF an athlete to miSlead the handicap-
per. The mistakes are mostly due to
carelessness. The office files, records,
etc. naturally. are open to the nspec-
tlon or the members of the association,
ana 1he writer has always endeavored
MIN to the best of his ability
20 During the past year certain criti-
cism or the work of the handicapper ap-
peared IN the Washington papers These
or the association, which. however did
not make them any less welcome. All
criticisfns and suggestions at all times in
.ne past nave been desired by the writer.
ana such Will always be the case. In re-
gard to the innuendo contained in the
statements made in the Washington pa-
pers. 1t might be stated that the bandi-
capper suggested to the chief complain
anu, anus mat he would be most happy to meet
them and. go into the matter fully How
ever. no reply was ever received from,
them and. through conversations with
those originally alleged to have been con-
necteo with the outburSts the complain ints
were finally traced to two Washington
newspaper men. A careful inspection of
the points in dispute would apparently
charge the Handicapped with heinp an
alumnus of the Johns Hopkins I1nivers;tv
and a graduate adviser Of the track team
rms Is quite true. but, in the writer's s
opinion. not unfortunate. and his ideas of
sportsmanship and gentlenarly conduct
made it unnecessary to consider such IN.
sinuations other than with a smile of mild
pity Relative to the complaints made as
70 tne handicaps given to certain men, a
careful consideration of the rnarts
awarded has. in the handicappers oninion
Justlned the allowances given and fur
thermore. merits the assertion that he
would, upon similar state of facts, han
reap the one or two athletes picked out
ny the complainants in exactly the same
way, though no infallibility is claimed for
MS handicapping efforts. As thas been
stated above the records of the handi-
Gaping office are always open for an in
spection by the parties above referred TO.
and the wish to learn of the alleged un-
tair treatmant>of the contestants in cues
ton by the writer has been in no way
lessened by lapse Of time.
In conclusion, the handicapDar ia
slres to express his gratitude to the
association for the confidence which
they have had in his judgment to date.
and especially for the assistance and
cooperation which he has aIwys re-
ceived from the registration depart
ment. the president and the committees
OF the association. Respectfully sub
mitted.
JOSEPH TOWNSEND ENGLAND.
Handicapped. South Atlantic Athletic
Association.
"P. S. The mark for the three-mIle
run of 15 minutes 30 seconds. made by
Geiger in the municipal games. viii
doubtless be allowed as a record when
the preliminaries are gone through
;t 1,