THE SPORTING WORLD

September 18. A LOSS TO ATHLETICS. The athletic world has suffered a very big loss through the death ot* James E. Sullivan, secretary of the Amateur Athletic Union- It is only a matter of about 10 weeks since the writer wished the deceased "good-bye"' at Euston, when America's foremost' worker for athletics returned to his home after attending the English championship^. He looked his usual cheery self then., and it comes- as a shock to know that the hearty voice is stilled. Jim Sullivan was a real hustler, and on the death of William B. Curtis, soon established himself as the greatest authority on athletics in America. His work in the cause since the revival of the Olympic Games has ben enormous, and it is extremely doubtful if any other man has accomplished half as much for athletics as tho deceased. The writer first came in contact with Jim Sullivan towards the end of 1888. and kept in close touch with him ever since, and he can truly say that the longer he knew him the more he admired and respected him. Points of difference naturally arose, but the deceased always showed himself a good sportsman by recognising "' the other fellow's point of new." As he wrote soon after the 1908 Games, when we could not see eye to eye with each other : " You are one of the Englishmen I can correspond with at this period without our calling each other thieves and liars, although we disagree."

Jim Sullivan was always willing to advise and help the young athlete, and his w>nrk in connection with the formation of the Public Schools' Athletic League has borne , great fruit. As a legislator he was in the front rank, and no one was a greater sticker for accuracy in connection with athletics. He once told the writer how he first came to recognise the necessity of accuracy in connection with athletic proformance6, and it is worth repeating, as it may serve as a lesson to some. He relates how he rushed down town from the old Pastime A.C. Grounds, New York, to tell the late William B. Curtis that he had seen a certain novice put the shot 42ft. '* I know everything is correct," said Sullivan, " as I measured '.he put and weighed the shot." His enthusiasm wae damped when "Father Bill" remarked r "And did you test the scales." On being informed that this had net been done, Mr Curtis advised his young friend to do so. This J. K.S. did, and discovered that thc scales were a lot out, so that the actual weight of the shot was only just over 141b. That lesson," remarked Mr Sullivan, "was one 1 never forgot, and it taught me ihe necessity ' of accuracy." His death leaves a bla:'»__ in the athletic world, for there wasonly one Jim Sullivan. His passing on also makes one reflect on others contemporary with the writer and the deceased in the athletic world who are no more. The list includes Lou Myers, Wiiiie Day, Hugh S. Hart, W. T. "Cajsar'" Young, and T. P. Conneff — famous names in the history of foot racing. SOLDIER ATHLETES. The list of killed and wounded from the seat of war contains the names of many men who have done big things on the running path. The latest shows that Lieutenant H. E. H. Blakeney, of the Royal Sussex Regiment, is numbered among the wounded. He is a member of the London A.C, and represented Great Britain at the last Olympic Games. He excels as a sprinter and hurdler, having twice finished second in the 100 Yards Army Championship, whilst he was second in the 4 fl o Yards Hurdles Championship of England last July. In addition, he was once credited with running the 120 Yards Hurdle Race in 15|sec. The Royal Sussex is the regiment to which Sergeant G. W. Hutson, the onv and four-mile champion, belongs. No news has been heard of him so far, and hie many admirers hope he will come well out of his campaigning, though " 'tis a long way to Tipperary — otherwise Berlin." Soldier athletes of every nationality will glow with pride to read how M. Georges Andre, the famous French athlete, recently distinguished himself. He is reported to have cut* down the Germans defending a flag nnd to have captured the trophy, for which he has been promoted to the rank of sergeant and awarded a special medal. Andre is the best all-round athlete France has produced, and as recently as last June he ! won four championships. He alsp - shines as a Rugby player, having represented France against England, Ireland, and Wales. THE TURF. The Jockey Club have just decided that it is advisable to carry on racing. As the stewards point out, this course is not recommended in the interest of those who attend meetings for amusement, but because they are satisfied that cessation would throw large numbers of people out of work.

This is a Avise policy, for it Avould be foolish to make matters hard for those Avho are unfitted to serve.

Apropos of this, Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., has made a strong plea to masters of hounds not to stop hunting, Avhich he considers splendid training for cavalry officers. Another famous soldier in Sir Douglas Haig, noAv serving in France, is a great advocate of polo as a means for training cavalry officers. He Avas a keen player himself when at Oxford, and figured in the team which beat Cambridge in 1883, and also in the 7th Hussars team which Avon the inter-regi-mental tournament at Hurlingham in 1884.

The list of men connected Avith the Turf who are now doing military Avork groAvs every day. The Hon. Francis Lambton, a brother of Lord Durham, who runs a training establishment at Newmarket, has just been given a commission in the Guards. Other notable recruits are the steeplechase jockeys J. and T. Lyall, A. Smith, W. Payne, and M. Bletsoe. The first named has joined the 4th battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, and the others the Northants Yeo-

manry. j The victory of Black Jester in the St. , Leger proved very helpful to several relief funds, Mr J. B. Joel having given £1,000 of his winnings to the Mayor of Doncaster's Relief Fund, the Mayor of St. Albans Relief Fund, the Belgian Relief Fund, and the Jewish Relief Fund each getting £250. FOOTBALL. Thc Football Association recently offered to stop the playing of football matches entirely, if the War Office authorities thought it advisable. The reply Avas in the negative, the authorities being of the opinion that it Avould not be advisable to stop entirely. The War Office very gladly avails itself of the help of the Football Association, hoAvever, in regard to the use of grounds for the training of recruits, the obtaining of new recruits, and also in regard to the raising of money to be used in providing for the families of football players who are serving. Many professional clubs have constructed rifle ranges at their grounds, and are also

drilling the players. Tlie Huddersfield Football Club are fortunate in having an ex-drill instructor in W. Norman as trainer, and he is putting the players through their facings in fine style. The club will also allow season-ticket holders to make use of the rifle range, which is a practical way to help. — The League Championship. — ■ A feature of the League tournament, so far, has been the poor form of Aston Villa, secoud to Blackburn last season, and the brilliancy of Sheffield Wednesday, a club which was absolutely last of the teams other than the two which went down to the second division. The "Villa" visited Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and met with a severe reverse. Humphreys scored twice for the losers, but the defence broke down badly before the clever combination of the Wednesday's forwards, of whom M'Lean was particularly prominent. He scored three goals himself, and with Glennon and Wilson also getting through, the Yorkshire club gained a brilliant victory. This gives the club 7 points in four games, a decided improvement on last season. Turning to the second division, it is not surprising to find the Arsenal showing the way. The club only just missed promotion last March, and the present record of 10 goals for and only 1 against speaks well for the future. The Arsenal entertained Fulham (second on the list) on Saturday, when King (2) and Rutherford scored the goals. This xeve.se came as a shock to the Fulham supporters, being the first goals scored against the West Londoners this season.

Before finishing with soccer, a word must be said about the unexpected defeat of Celtic in the Glasgow cup tie. The match attracted 20,000 people, most of whom expected to see Clyde well beaten, hut the non-favorites scored twice, and 60 knocked out the Scottish League champions. THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP. Thousands of English sportsmen greatly admire Ernest Barry's sculling, but many feel he might show a little more enterprise. Following his latest victory over James Paddon, he was challenged to another race for £500 on the Wanganui River, the cartel being accompanied with an offer to allow Barry £500 for expenses and to give him half the steamboat receipts. Barry has declined these very generous terms, saying he will only scull for the championship over the Putney-Mortlake course. He added that he is anxious to visit Australia and New Zealand, and that he will entertain offers to take part in handicaps. Rowing at home is a big advantage, and Barry evidently wants to retain this. On the other hand, it would better please many of his admirers if he gave some of his beaten rivals a chance on their home courses. His triumphs' over Towns, Arnst, Paddon, and others were gained on the Thames, and one recalls that Arnst risked and lost his world's championship title in London, so that Barry would only be following *the former holder's example" if he met Paddon in New Zealand. IN GENERAL. H. W. Stevenson and G. Gray are now meeting in a series of matches, each of 500 up, for the benefit of the Prince of Wales's fund. The former showed fine form on Wednesday evening, when he made a break of 439.

J. W. H. T. Douglas, the well-known Essex cricketer and boxer, has joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. Frank Woolly, Kent's best all-round cricketer, was married to Miss Sybil Fordham at Ashford on Monday. Forty-two playing members of the Sunderland Rugby Football Club are now serving in the Army or Territorial forces. Young Ahearn, whose projected matches with G. Carpentier and Gunboat Smith fell through, is sailing for America to-morrow.

Sportsmen in general, and cricketers in particular, will be pleased to hear that Lieutenant A. C. Johnson, the well-known Hants batsman, is rapidly recovering from the wound in the thigh which he received in one of the early battles against the Germans.

The Prince of Wales's relief fund sports at Twickenham on Saturday afforded J. Rooney another chance to show how he has improved. He was given 1-iyds start in the 150 Yards Handicap, which he won outright in 15isec. The time does not appear very smart, but adverse conditions in the matter of a heavy grass track accounts for this.

F. Wootton purchased the winner of a selling race at Warwick, so he now joins the list of owners.