Harper's Round Table, April 30, 1895 Part 9

COMPARATIVE TABLE OF NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO INTERSCHOLASTIC MEETINGS.

I. S. A. A. Games at the Berkeley Oval, New York, May 5, 1894.

Event. Winner. Performance.

100-yard dash Rogers 10-2/5 s.

220-yard dash Simpson 23-3/5 s.

120-yard hurdles Beers 16-2/5 s.

220-yard hurdles Syme 27-1/5 s.

Half-mile run Irwin-Martin 2 m. 10-1/5 s.

Mile run Veiller 5 m. 1-1/5 s.

Running high jump { Rogers } 5 ft. 9 in.

{ Baltazzi } Running broad jump Beers 19 " 5 "

Pole vault Whitney 10 "

Putting 16-pound shot Putting 12-pound shot Ball 39 " 1 "

Throwing 12-pound hammer Ball 110 " 3-1/2 "

A. A. L. Games at Olympic Club Grounds, San Francisco, March 16, 1895.

Event. Winner. Performance.

100-yard dash Lippmann 10-4/5 s.

220-yard dash Hanford 25-1/5 s.

120-yard hurdles Dawson 19-1/4 s.

220-yard hurdles Dawson 31-1/2 s.

Half-mile run Russ 2 m. 20-2/5 s.

Mile run Jackson 5 m. 5-1/2 s.

Running high jump McConnell 5 ft. 3 in.

Running broad jump Lloyd 18 " 6 "

Pole vault Woolsey 9 " 2 "

Putting 16-pound shot Lloyd 32 " 8 "

Putting 12-pound shot Throwing 12-pound hammer Lloyd 104 " 5 "

It is interesting to note the records made on this occasion, and to place them alongside of the performances of our Eastern scholars. The accompanying table will show that, even with almost a year's advantage in the comparison, the Californians are behind the New-Yorkers in every event. In many events, of course, the records of both leagues are better than the performances made on these two specific occasions; but the comparison goes only to show that in a contest between Eastern and Western schools, could such a one be arranged, there would be but little doubt this year as to the probable winners. Perhaps some day such a meeting may be brought about. What might be called the first step in that direction has already been taken by the California State University team, which is coming East next month to take part in the Intercollegiate games at Mott Haven. In a year or so the Pacific coast schools may get up enthusiasm and enterprise enough to follow the example of the college men and seek new laurels in the East.

It is possible that the universal interest in track and field sports, which has so rapidly developed in the last two years, will prove harmful to baseball and tennis. Already I have heard several complaints from captains of nines that it is difficult to get candidates to come out and try for positions on the team, because almost every boy who has any ambition for athletic honors is running or jumping, or otherwise training his muscles that he may take part in contests which offer material reward for success. In other words, gold, silver, and bronze medals are more tempting than a proprietary interest in a champion pennant. If it is true that an appreciable number of boys go into track athletics not for the sport, but for the medals, the sooner medals are done away with the better. But it does not seem possible that this can be so. It is more probable that baseball and tennis have been superseded, to a certain extent, by track and field sports because of the nature of the latter. A boy can go out and run or jump or put the shot all by himself at almost any time of the day. But he cannot go into an open field and play baseball with himself, nor can he go to a tennis-court and play tennis with himself. In one case he must secure one opponent at least, and in the other he must gather a dozen or more companions. To be sure, these objections are not very valid in New York, but I have no doubt the charm of individuality has tempted a good many boys to indulge in track sports. If baseball and tennis have suffered thereby it is all the more reason why baseball and tennis enthusiasts should strive by every means in their power to organize good nines and train good tennis-players--for it is an unhealthy tree that puts all its vitality into one branch.

There is talk of changing the const.i.tution of the New England I.S.A.A.

in order to allow scholars over twenty-one years of age to compete in games held under the rules of that a.s.sociation. The subject will be brought up for discussion and probably decided at the meeting to be held in Boston day after to-morrow, May 2d. The motion should be unconditionally defeated, and the const.i.tution left unaltered. Except for very unusual reasons, a man twenty-one years old has no business being in school. He ought to be at work or in college. If, however, he still lingers about the school-room, there is no reason why special laws should be enacted for his benefit. He deserves to be discriminated against. Besides, there are probably not more than half a dozen men of that age in all the schools of the New England League, and these can certainly spend their time to better advantage in studying than at foot-racing and jumping. It is unfair to allow grown men to enter into compet.i.tion with younger men, and I earnestly hope that those who control the policy of the N.E.I.S.A.A. will realize this, and unceremoniously shut the men out.

At the annual in-door meeting of the New England I.S.A.A., held in Boston last month, there were 342 entries, representing thirty preparatory schools. This would seem to show that there is even more interest in track athletics in Boston than there is in New York. The result of the meeting was most satisfactory, inasmuch as five records were broken, one was equalled, and a new record was established. The team races were a new feature, and as rival schools were purposely matched against one another the contests proved most interesting and exciting. The Worcester High-School managed to retain the championship of the a.s.sociation by scoring 19 points; the Worcester Academy took second place with 14-1/2 points. This prowess was not relished or appreciated by the boys of the Boston schools, who are not by any means anxious to see the pennant float over any city but the Hub; yet it has been evident for some time that any one who wants to defeat these Worcester school-boys will have to get up very early in the morning and travel remarkably fast.

THE GRADUATE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STAMPS]

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

Since the discovery of the variety of the twelve-cent United States stamp ill.u.s.trated last week, many collectors have sought to find other varieties in the same issue, thinking that if a new plate was made for the twelve cents it was likely that other new ones were engraved for different values. Thus far no further discoveries have been made.

The one, two, five, and ten cent values of the new United States newspaper stamps have thus far been issued.

In the three-cent stamp of the 1857 issue, the "Outer Line" variety consists of a fine line running all around the stamp. Each of the stamps has a line on the side, but in the variety an additional fine line appears at both the top and bottom, the perforation sometimes destroying one of them. The outer-line variety is not as scarce as the price given would indicate.

The high values of United States envelopes are now a thing of the past, the department no longer printing any value higher than five cents on the envelopes.

Many stamp papers say that only the one, two, and three cent values of the new postage-stamps have been issued and printed, but the ten has also been sent out.

It would not be surprising to many collectors if the current issue of United States stamps, which were first printed by the Bureau of Engraving, should be catalogued as a separate issue before many years, there being many points of difference between those first put out and what the bureau is now printing. The colors, perforation, and gum are now much superior to the first printings, and smaller things than these have caused stamps to be separately catalogued.

Another question that puzzles many collectors is the difference between wood-engraved and typographed stamps. Typographed means set and printed from type, so the United States officially sealed stamps of this variety are printed with regular type, while the lithographed are printed from stones, the designs being engraved, and thus fancy and very different from the type-set stamp.

A new stamp paper will shortly be issued from Boston. It will have a good financial backing, and it is expected to be one of the leading publications in the philatelic line.

Since the last catalogue added the varieties of United States stamps on ribbed paper, it has caused collectors to hunt for them, but probably with little success, as they are very scarce. Ribbed paper is a variety of wove, having lines running up or down or across, and showing on the back of stamp.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

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