The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-07
Pluned Knights Still Ride < Maryla1d And Virginia
Chivalry's Pastime Survives In Modern Tourna.
 ments In Many Parts Of South

broken heads and everything. William Gilmorsof Maryland was guest at the tourney. Vastly impressed, he put on a show of his own when he returned to his estate, ''The Vineyard" on the York road just outside of Baltimore. The gentry and rustics flocked from miles around and the puissant knights rode gallantly at a wooden dummy.
 Thus was set the fashion which ragged until the war intervened. There is rec ord of splendid tilting at Doughregan Manor, the 70,O00-acre estate of the Carols. The passion for tilting was strongest in Maryland and Virginia, but the practice was common at this time throughout the south.
 The war broke up organized society if the south for the time being, but such was the fondness for the tourna- ment that the greatest gathering on record, as far as the writer has been able to discover, was at a tournament held at Front Royal, Va, in 1865. Ten thousand persons assembled at the lists. E After the war democracy entered the sport. Before the war, it was monopo- lized more or less by the leisure class, it was the sport of fashionable persons. Today a broad spirit of fraternity is seen at the tournaments; the son of the local Sir Roger de Beverley is followed on the field by the son of the village blacksmith.
 The mechanics of the sport have re- mained practically unchanged since the beginning. A level stretch of ground twenty-five or thirty feet wide is chosen, preferably, fn smooth meadow. Three upright beams are set up at equal intervals on the lists, usually one hun dred and twenty yards long. The beams support cross-bars, from which hang narrow iron rods. The rods hold the rings and are so. arranged that the height of the ring from the ground near be adjusted to the height of the horse and rider. The rings are one and one quarter inches in diameter and are usually set about six and one-half feet above ground.
 At the right side of the lists is a raised dais for the lord of the tourney, the judges and the guests of honor. At the left side are the band stand, grand stand and bleachers.
 The knight marshal, assisted by his aid, is in full authority on the grounds. He passes upon the eligibility of the entrants, who must qualify as pro- fessionals, that is, persons who tour the countryside and tilt with an eye on the money prizes, or amateurs, who tilt for honor. As in the old times, a knight may be barred for violation of the rules of conduct.
 The Tournament
 he charge to the knights, delivered from the dais by the lord of the tourney, who is usually the greatest man, locally speaking, present and who is, on several occasions each summer, the governor of Maryland.
 Three practice courses are run by each entrant, in order to accustom him to the grounds. Then each entrant runs three courses in earnest. And these Marylanders and Virginians can ride! Boys in short trousers compete on equal terms with men whose hair is gray, and the one failing to take off all nine rings on the point of his lance has small chance for the prize.
 "Sir knight, prepare to charge !' shouts the knight marshal.
 Are you ready, sir knight?"
 'sThen charge, sir knight!"
 A bugle blares, the knight urges his horse to a gallop, rises in the saddle, hugs the short lance under his arm and catches the ring fairly, just at the rise of his horse. He takes another and a third, the crowd applauds heartily, the band plays Barney Google"
 Perhaps several are tied for first place. In that case rings one-half inch in diameter are hung up and three more courses are run. It is a common thing for the victor to take off nine of these tiny rings in succession.
 At the close of the tilting, the four teen victors ride to the dais to be con- graduated by the lord of the tourney. The professionals, like the knights er- rant of the Middle Ages who went about casting challenges and laying wagers, receive their sordid wage. Sometimes the first prize is $10, sometimes it is $100. The amateurs receive pasteboard boxes containing pasteboard crowns. The victor takes the box on the point of his lance, rides along the lists, and lays the box at the feet of the blushing girl-yes, girls still blush on occasion