IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
1.0
I.I
I ^ I-
I us 112.0
1.8
1-25 ||.4 1.6
4 6"
►
V]
Cl
DlAnOND inPORTERS . . .
JEWELLERS & OPTICIANS
HAVE ALWAYS ON HAND A FINE ASSORTMENT OF
C»r|W5jj!JV|5»|i5;|^.;i*^»^
■a^js^^^jvB^^w*
f,*:^^:f^^ fQ!^f^'if ^ii^^'m^'^i?^t?^'^ '^^'^'■^
'uCik:^
A
CnV75
Set In Diamonds,
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PRIZE CUPS and HEDALS In all the Latest Designs.
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My a Tborenvli OpUclan at -*''' -^"^ CiUllcnnt- .^irctl.
HE
••
irwimi
Insurance Company, L^
DP LDNDDN, BNBLnND.
•»
■ «•» I
®— ESTJ^BXjISHIEID 1803— ®
■ «■> ■ ■
i
Head Office for Canada ;
IMPERIAL BUILDING, - MONTREAL.
G. R. KEARLEY,
Resident Marmger,
( GEO. 0. HIAM.
1 JOS. A. LAURIN.
i
i
t
^
Sports of
Greater Britain
. . COnPKISINQ . . .
SHOOTING, FOOTBALL, HOCKEY,
CURLING, FISHING, CRICKET,
GOLF, LACROSSE,
TOGETHER WITH A SHORT HISTORY OF THE
montreal Hmateur JItbletic Hssociation
IIV
W. R. GIliBERT.
Printed for the Author at ••'I1u' Sharcholcler " Office.
1 1
h
\l MON TRIiAL 1S98.
/.
\^i.
L
A
iO
EDWARD SHEPPARD, Esq.,
J'resident Montreal Amateur Athletic Association,
ANl'
HENRY BROPHY, Esq.,
Prfsident Amateur Athletic Association of Canada.
15 this ^mixU it'iooU Hcdicatcd.
NCI <'M\ IN THKIk OIIKIAI. ( AI'AC 1 IIKS, l;l I .\l>(> I,
IHKM I'KKSCiNAI.LN, Till, IMl-.KKM
\\\V.\ l:(»in lAKK iN
KKIXC >r) W 11 1 KNOW N.
W. 1^. OlLiBE|:^T.
2T,2 ll^ood Avenue,
IVestmo/inf. Montreal.
HH(pl3
\A/BBTIVIDUNT BDYS' BCHDDL.
I I I
-'.33 lVo,>J Avenur, West mo nut.
The above named School has been opened as a Boarding and
J^ay School /or Hoys.
With a view to give each boy careful personal attention, the
number of pupils will be strictly limited.
The curriculum tvill be so arranged as to afford the necessary
education for those who are to enter professions, and in order to
keep pace with modern reqtiircments, special attention will be given
to those pupils who contemplate following a commercial career.
Both in and out of sehoof my aim will be to encourage those
manly ideas which are fostered, and have proved so eminently
satisfactory, in the best English schools.
T^he boarders, apart from their school laorh, will be treated
with the considcratisn they would receive at home, and will be
under the careful supervision of A/rs. Gilbert.
All legitimate ifc rts will be encouraged, and an Athletic Club
will be promoted in connection ivith the school.
Private pupils coached for examinations, and back-ward boys
given extra tuition. .
An evening Preparation Class will be held, for the supervision
of pupils' home work.
Also an Evening Class for those engaged during the day.
W. R. GILBERT,
Head Master.
Guardian
FIRE AND LIFE
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^^■^■^y.^y.^yyyjry yyxyy^yy
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Chaiinian. Deputy Chairma)i.
W. H. BEATTY, Esq., loronto. J. Q. GRAVEL, Esq.
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The BEST Company is the
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SIXCE ITS OnOANlZATION
i IN 1S43
I Has paid to its Members while living- $271,681,876 29
! Has paid to Beneficiaries of Deceased
Members
- - - 191,325,374 42
$462,987,250 71
It holds for the Security of its pre-
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It has paid to and invested for its
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J
Iprefacc.
A 7e:Lj di-?tiqguish.:'/l /;nte^ on ■■ Spores," who lived in
•no last oentu'Lj, said, ■■ Dhlkctanuo fmrithrqi'k monkndo
unould bo ^H^O' doGigq in LOfiding a book into oirCLilatior|,"
I* is to bo feared that ■eal success fails +o very few, 0^
l.ro the soinoetltioq cinvono -Aoters oq Sports has been
-o great tha' they h|avo fnllu equalled the vvants of the
iJ'ibli.j : Ipnce the greate- lifficulty in such a ^olunie as
dm: of e^ei] equalling those book;, that have gone befoi'e,
Iii0wri^:> does tpt wisl^ to coqteqd ..vitdi yjol^, but only
:'-UT.t3 the fevv practical ''enia'-k. con[taii]e(.J l]eiein may both
Oe inte'-esting and of se'vice to -le rislqq qeqe'-atlon,
Sun Xife Hssiuance Go'^
of Canaba*
HEAD OFFICE, -. - - MONTREAL.
R. MACAULAY,
PrL'sidcnt.
HON. A. W. OCILVIE,
Vice-President.
T. B. MACAULAY,
Secretary and 'Actuary,
jHi-:
COnPANYS HEAD OFFICE
BUILDING
year iSi;; was a ver\
surcessful oiu' with the Tiik
Sux Liii: of (Canada, in which
very sul)stantial progress was
made. A large addition to the
amount of business in force was
made, and gratifying growth in
As.sets, In(-ome and Reserve was
experienced, while the Conipanv
continues to realize satisfactory
returns from its Investments.
The New Policy contract is
proving a good feature, '['he
Company has for years been
well known for the liberality with
which it treats its policyholders,
and this further proof of its
willingness to simplify the policy
issued to its applicants is being
amply ap[)reciated.
^-EACH POLICY--®
Guarantees l^eserves, Guarantees boans,
Guarantees Paid-up Values,
Guarantees Extended Assuranee.
■ t»> «
Full information given on application to any of the (^ompanys
District Managers, or at the Head Office.
-ASK FOR NEW PROSPECTUS-
SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIH.
^«
N the following SL'iies of articles iiiultT the above headini;.
I would, before coniinetHinLj on anv one suhjeet,
«^ place before my readers one or two reasons for
writing al all. In the first place, 1 l)elieve that a bo\
or a man wlu) goes in con ainore for s[)ort, and
becomes a " s[)ortsman "" in the real meaning of the
word, will be able to fill his place in the world for
a longer {)eriod and to greater atlvantage than lu'
who '' moons about" with no definite aim in lite. ho
nor let nu' be misuiulerstood. I do not uphold the Sportsman r,f.
the Reading .Man. Par from it, but 1 contend that it" the latter
could combine some sport with his reading, he would be in a belter
condition physicall)' to gain high honors in the liierar\- world.
Ha\ing arrived at the fact that athletics or sport of some kind is
desirable, then I sa)- tliat each one who undertakes an\- oiu- branch
should use his best endea\o!s to e\ci-l in it ; for have we not read
" That whii h is worth doing, is worth doing well ^'^ ( "oiu iiiced of
the truth of these general maxims, my chief aim in these articles
will be to be of service to beginners in each branch of sport and
reiukM" what assistance I can to those who are not too far advanced
to acce[)t hints, and at the same time, to intersjjerse anecdotes in
connection with each chapter. With this brief introduction I will
comuK'nce with Shooting.
SHOOTING.
'I'here is no doubt that in shooting the gun is the first essential,
yet how few peo[)le take this into consideration when buying. One
hears a man say : " I gave $100 for this gun ;
and I cant tiit a haystack.' I'here is a Health comes from
sim[)le reason for this the gun does not fit the daily use of
him, - and this may arise from numerous ^^. ^^^r, ,.
. , , , , , ,- i Effervescent Salt.
contingencies "long or short stock, bend ot J
^I'l'KIs (,i (.KKAIKR I;kit\|\.
y ■
*.ck,ll>„- „«.„fgn,,,,..„, .Sh„„l,l ,lK. gu„ „„t come up to the
Z'Tr fir.. ,.is no .a,ti,ly „.. t,y,„g to .it tho .,- o Z
' tlicr .a>r a ,k„ one, o, l.avc the old ont- altered. This can be
'2- '"■->■ f°otishalaneed; a3
«l'u I *ayth,s, I „,ea„ tl,al there should not be, when at the
shoulder any ,n<:l,natio„ for the „,„..,e to dip or ise ap r frl
our want, or use As regards the weigh, of tIre piece, i' i i, a
- bore, anythn.g between (, ^ and ^<4 lb. would uit, hou. I, ™u
«■. 1 be apt to hnd that the lighter the gun the higher „ e pri"; "or
C Tlit i:\™"""'' ' fT "'* '- "-""■« "'"-than
»land an) extra charge one uught ivar.t for " wild fowl."
In England a, the present tinre tnost of the best shots use .o
Iwre guns, with loads of 2 drs to ' ' ,ir« „f „ a 1
„, „|,„, f.,r . ., ^- "' - 4 drs. of powder, and U to zi
.shot. Of course, ,f we con.pare this charge of shot to the , ''I
h r^un?' , H "° '"''" °' ='"" '° °"^°' I'-d-. used in
other guns -^t does seen, to handicajr one\s shooting powers but
■bag i Id '■'";"■ ' "'"' " "' '" S-t" ""Portance,
bag „, and bag ,t, too, w,th the least amount of trouble
hat ,s n.ore annoyu.g than to know that vou have n.ortalTv
wounded a b,rd or aninral and then not to be able to ga e
I hereore, wl,en buying a gun you should not only see that " ,s "
p2.^^o f'v^^L : ::^::r: -- -- -^''^ --- -
how von f 1 ''^done, as any practical gunsmith will
.in ;,'''':'■'"' '°'r1^ '' ^"' °^''"^^^^ ^°^^y^-°^- ^^-'-h will
- unta,ni,. space occupied l,y an ordinarily large bird Suonose
- use No. 6 shot, then there are in any ordinary charge" for a'?!
- Kun .;o pellets (a sn.Uer Lore will do with small^ p^ t ^ d
-^^ .--..„. then, ,f you c-an show a penetrating pattern o 60 vou
hav^a^a^^, ,,,.,,„ , say barrel / n J ^^'^Z
ABBEY'S i . ^''^' ''''''^'"'' ""'-^ ''''''"^^ 'Shoots in a
Ettervescent Salt I '"'"'^'"" "'''""'''■ ^'^^ "'^i-r is hound to act the
Excites j ■'''^"'^'- ''<"■' 'f you do, you will be grievously
the Appetite. i "I'^taken ; you must try both. A.s regards
the charge put into tlie cartridges, all young
JS
SI'ORIS 0|- C.REA'IKR MRITAIN.
sportsmen fancy that the more powder used the greater the
distance covered. 'I'his is a mistake, for some guns will burn
far more powder than others. 'I'his is easily to he proved.
Let the sliooLer put a little more powder in his cartridge than
ordinarily and lire along a layer of snow, or, if that is not handy,
liave some pa[jer laid down for ten yards from the mu/./.le of his
gun, and he will fmd the grains which have not ignited left whole on
the surface. i'his will prove to him that he has wasted the " raw
material." Novices will complain, " Oh, my gun kicks." Do they
ever think why ? Nine times out of ten it is because the gun does
not fit their shoulder projjcrly, being too short in the stock, and
the maker is brought to task. He, who very likely has pointed this
out when the purchase was made, is far too alive to business to
say boldly " I told you so,'' but smiply says - " Ah, yes, I see," and
either supi)lie.s another gun or puts a heel on the stock, which
remedies the defect. Should this kicking result from anv other
cause, it is most likely from using too heavy a charge in a light gun.
Consequently the objectionist is on the horns of a dilemma. Do
not think from this that I am a gun-maker or writing in their
interests. 'I'liey are just as liable to make mistakes as any other
human being, but it is so easy to lay the missing of an easy shot,
or anv other *' ills a shootist (American) is iieir to," to that "ass"
the maker.
1 now take it you have a weapon to suit you. Well, steady
yourself ; do not think the mere fact of putting die gun up, shutting
one eye and pulling the trigger is going to fill your bag. This is not
so, I quite agree with putting the gun up and pulling the trigger,
but not so mucli with the shutting of one eye. That may be very
well in ritle shooting or a " pot " shot at a partridge on a tree, but
it will hardly work with the samj bird on the wing, let alone a cock
tir a snipe, in support of this T cannot do better than quote the
words of Dr. Carver, the best wing shot the world ever saw, who,
when shooting pigeons out of a trap in I':ngland, was asked :
"Doctor, do you shut one eye when you
shoot '^" " Shut one eye :" he replied, " it ABBEY'S j
takes me all my time to kill even with two, ! Eflervescent Salt i
IS
and, if 1 had been lucky enongh to have been VIVIFIP
born with forty, I guess I would keep them '-
M'OKTS OK C.KKAIl.K llklTAl.N.
all open." The real fact is that the hand and eyes work
together, and it may be taken for ^ranted that all shut both
cT^s on the discharge. (Really good shots may find fault with
mc here, as they k.iow intuitively whether they have killed or not
1 have m my nnnd's eye one old friend ; if he differs, let him prove
me wrong). , will put this in a practical form for young sport men
as regards sundry h.rds further on, my intention at p;esent being
more to show shooting froa, a theoret.cal point of view, and I would
wndupwunoneortwo standard rules as regards the management
ol guns, winch may well be taken to heart even by older gunners :
>. -\Vver point the gun ---whether loaded or not or allow it
to be pouued at yourself or any other living object, except the game
you are n. pursuit of, especially when you are cocking or uncocking
the weapo,^ as the cock is liable to slip from your hands.
-^ In walking always keep the gun so that, should it bv
accKlent go o,f vou will only hurt Mother Harth or the celest.al
-Vs i Ins rule n,ore especially applies to inconsiderate mortals,
-'' ow, . wHchever way you nuay turn, have the muz.le of the gun
on the level with one's diaphragm.
3- Uhen not shooting always remove the cartridges from the
gun, n.ore esper.ally when getting into a wagon or boat.
i^efore commencing, as to the charges of powder and shot
re, nred to brn.g your gan,e to bag, I should like to be perlectlv
c^mun that you ave a gun which will allcnv vou to doth,' l' sa
'^' "- adv,sedly, ,or should the defects pointed out e.xist, you
nu.st assuredly w.ll only hit by chanc:e, and .nav st.ll go on be g
as your dearest frtend w.ll point out, "an auful shot." This maJ
be, .s not your own fault as regards shooting powers, but si'mplv
through want of k.,owledge in choosing your weipon. ' Hav nd
aitended to, \ i/. : the tri'r OF CKKATKK l!KITAI\.
Now in writing, as 1 am, cl.idly in tl,c interests oC th-
jjicshurc oui,Mu to be broii'^hf to Iimti- f i
r 1 I r ^'"'"^,111: to J)fai to cause the rjun to <'o off
k „w ha, f„r an old «tn,„.r, „n... „l,o has n.ix.d „d shot wuh
:' m:,:,'"^:',"' '^ " "•'""««" " '» "- «- "- "^ " «;
o, o ,„ td r '""' ^'"I'h-^'i-li) -y that snch a„ one ought
e;,.,::, .r ' . a: :;;«:;'''i,"""''' „ •'■» "r ''"-^ ' ™>-
„ ,1, , , """'"'if.^' 's O'le that makes the (■un discharL.c
a. t every sl,ght=,s, provoeation, and, indeed, after some use h
„ s been known to do so without any assignable eause T,e eTor
• "1 ^"oosinLM our Lain vnu hn,-„ f i , nit,iciore,
the bird at all. Q'schargc before the gun is on
Above I made, u.se of the phra.se "old gunners," but, if you
shot u.th the.r brother ,sportsmen.-' Now, I do this because in n.v
shoo .ng tnps in th.s country I have been .so struck with the fact
hat the greater portion of the sportsuK-n <-away back in the woods"
are -well, of more than a certain age. This being ,so. one would
have thought that they had con.e to '< years of discretion '' as rega ds
he carrynig of those anti.,uated pieces of artillery which they are
^e^c. to call guns. (Do not think for one moment th.t I under-
rate the shooting powers of these heirlooms of better days) Hut
no . age has not had the desired effect. The average man c f these
ZT::r ';r '^" i'' '"'"^^' ^" "*^ ■'^- ^^^^-^ p--^^^
notice to keep the mux.le o( the apparatus awav fron, himself
Mding H ,n such a position that the unwary stranger, if endi:^
- th c.xt.a good eyesignt, can almost see of what number shot the
harge consists ; or he carefully arranges so that in <-ase of accident
thejull^charge would lodge under his companion's belt Really
Nature's Gres^^ T'dT" 'f' '"'''' "^' ""^' '' ''^ ^•-
, Gift is Health. ' " ''>' ^'^'^oimg in company with others
i Abbey's Effervescent '^'"^ ''''^''^-^^ considering their safet)' before
I Salt gives Health. '''^' ^^^-^ of the "bag."
, f,.^,^j ,^^, ^,^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ _^^^ satisfied
M'OKis OK (.hi-;mi:r i.kiiain. 15
with your gun Che cjuestion now arises what to [>ut in it.
(iiven then a 12-bore gun of 7 '4 lbs. weight for an ordinary
shooting trip, I do not think you ran do better than tell your
gunsmith to fill your cartridges with ^^^4 drs. powder, and i/,s o/.
shot, the size of the shot depending, of course, upon the birds
you expect to shoot, and also the distance the birds are likely
to be from you. If you exi)ect the birds to be wild, you may
require to use larger shot. A real gunner, who not only can
shoot, but also knows the habits of birds, having been on the
outlook for partridges, and having fair-si/ed shot in his gun,
would, u[)on coming to a likely jilace for W(jodcock or snipe, replace
these cartridges with others containing No. 8 or No. 10 shot.
Above I said: "(let your gunsmith to fill your cartridges.'
This I mean especially for young shooters. On the score of
safety \ou should do so, and of cleanliness also . and, as regards
price, I do not think that with the ordinary .lumber you usr
you will appreciate the difference. Hut, if you must load your
own cartridges, I shall be only doing my duty in giving the follow-
ing hints, vi/.. :
Provide yourself with the best powder to be obtained, and, to
prove if it is good, place a small (juantity in the palm of your hand
and rub it hard. It ought to leave no dirty mark.
Remember the danger attached to powder — never load excejit
in the day time, and never forget to put what powder you have left
back ill its proper place, out of reach of small children.
He careful not to get your measures mixed, and so use the
jjowder measure for the shot and I'ice versa.
It is not necessary to ram the powder too hard, but the wad
shoukl be pressed on the shot, so that on shaking the cartridge you
cannot hear the pellets rattle.
Hefore leaving the subject of cartridge loading I must add one
other caution. The [lowder used should be perfectly dry, as it will
be if bought from a respectatile practical
■ \ \^ ^ ii . r ' The Roses of Health come
gunsmiih. But suppose that, from some ; to the cheeks
cause or other, this is not the case, do \ through the daily use of
not be tempted to put your powder in the |
oven to dry : this is a very risky experi- '
ABBEY'S
EFFERVESCENT SALT.
I'l
^I'OKTS (,y (,RKA||.;|< iiruain.
;■' -;''■"">■ .-".i i.. s,.n.,„s ,|.„,a,, ,„„„„ ,,„,|,^,„
;;,'.''"" '"" ""■■■' l>.rfe..Hy aiMiKlu , in ..„, and plun-e
:,.':,::"«"" •""■ ■■■- •»■" "'■^-«. - -'>• ,,. ,.oj,,.d .,>. ,he
I -I KM \ )•, I 1 1.. steam ,L;aui;f.
I .a,,,,.,! ,-,„„|„,|r IIK.S.. ranarks .i.l.oul one word a., l„ ,he
■'"■ A, |,„.s,.n, „ ,„a> >u.|||„. said ,l,a, ,!,„ ..Sh„l„" " K (■ »
„ IHT,. „ „,av l„, Uu. .aso, l„„ ,akc ,ny advice, and when
i . V ,;;;:' "7 't "' '--^""'^ i-- "■■""" » — .-.i-ie
-H.k. .... ■«ns,,|,K.n,l,.„nadan,^day y„„ a,v al.lc- ,o „, ,„ur
"'■"■I. '" il.. M . In snpporl „f ,l,is ar^unK-ni il is only nt-ccsarv
„::";,:■ ■,i:: ^"' -"v-^' '"^>™ ■*- - i-.ia„d a:n;
I '"l^r.. and tic al„,„. a,v „,,n ,|,a, oil-times have /•, ooo at
..:.l<.- ;>.. . s,„,,,e .,,„, , ,„ „„, , ,„^ themselves ;i,;ri,u
eoniliined nith outside lu'ltors.
lo ..m.Nne d,e ptaetical with the tlteoretieal. let tts now fancy
■> I- '!.c- h, t ol Noven.her. an.l tha, we a,e leavint- one of the
::;;::;',;;'■;:'''"- ""•'•"-■■^ ■.«'.-" n,iiesfro.„'u.::'
^Mlll WMK h U is c-oniu'cted )\- a l••lilu•^^• tl, ■ ■ , ,•
'-'-1 "N a iaiiua\, the onoma iiieofwhieh
'"; "'7:^"' ""'"■'" "■'"■"■t-l, •■ I h-e,„ titne to ^o to tow b
■"". - n,o,-n,n,, so „,nst jttst htnrv „p and walk- ,1, „
-• .i^.U»e ha.e had a ,ood b.eakfast, whieh, l,y d, , J"
■".l;"-r..n....en, will eondnee tnost „,ate,iallv to v„ ,r ' ha
l,nn„„, ,ack a ,ood l.a,. and have neither fot.ott;.,, ,„„ ,
Md.« o. other ,-e„.,s,tes : all of wh.eh thtngs have' been h,™
ABBEY-S I ■',' '"""' "■'■"' '" '-■"iigh'.-'"«.-d Montreal, let
: Eftervescent Salt, "'"■■ "'^'■"""■"W "disthrestful-coi,„trv. Ue
• the Foundation J"^*' '""'^'' ''"^ ''tat little withy bed across the
i __ of Health. 'nd«e. Xow. voting ones, has it entered vour
~"' ''™' "■'"' "1'^' yo" are likely to .ceet' on
SPORTS OF GRKATKR BRITAIN. 17
such ground, and therefore what cartridges to have in your gun ?
This ought to be your first ihou.^ht when loading, and having put
cartridges into your gun, remember what size shot is in eacii barrel,
and do not be like a certain young Englishman in India, who, in
starting out alter snipe, was warned to be sure and keep a ball in
one barrel, in case of coming across any wild animals, and who,
when a snipe got up, unfortunately discharged the barrel containing
the ball first, leaving only a charge of No. lo shot to withstand the
attack of a wandering panther. A friend who identified the collar
and boots at the coroner's inquest, when the latter commented on
the terrible result of such a mistake, was heard to murmur, " Ah,
but he killed the snipe, anyway." History deponelh not if the
remains of the snipe were as large as those of tlie individual who
caused its death. Mais revenons a nos moiitons : — Snipe is the
bird we expect now. We have No. lo shot in the first and No. 8
or 6 in the second barrel. If you can see this little piece of ground
by the river just as I have it noy in my mind's eye, you will know
that when the first bird gets u[), it is a case of now or never, so let
drive, and do your best to kill. In a case like this there is no time
to ponder, for apart from having to shoot through the willow trees^
you have also to contend against the natural instinct of the bird,
which teaches it to do all it knows to get out of the way of the
shot.
Now a snipe is not, for a young sporcsman, the easiest bird
to bring to bag ; for its very squeak, or whistle, or whatever sound
it makes is called, is calculated to upset his nerves and so prevent
his killing the bird at wliat I, personally, consider the easiest time,
that is, just as it rises ; and, that time having flown — and the bird
with it — it becomes a ditificult question when to shoot, for this bird
has a knack of executing a greater number of gyrations in a given
space than any mathematician could calculate. This being so, it
is needless to tell the young sportsman that having missed the
golden opportunity, and wasted his charge on the air, it is best for
him to wait till the bird has finished its
mad gyrations, and pauses a second before
commencing its legitimate flight ; the diffi-
culty then lies in judging whether it is still paration*.
within range or not. To be a judge of
B
Abbey's Effervescent
Salt is a health-giving,
health-preserving pre-
>l'"l; 1^ <|| (;|;k\ti.;k |;ki r.\l\.
f ''"";■" '^ •■' ■'"''• '/'">^'^on t.) a ,,,hm! sportsman, l.t-causc it would
''""'''>' '' ■ I"" '"""^■'" "i>"w-.M cidiNuratclv Irt drive into a
■^""'l""'l I'.nlsonihcoirrhan.vof l,nn,,iM^r ,„„ to l.a^r, and the
;■'■■••'""•)■ of wonndn,:,^ s.„„r. A ..in-. arnVr of this kind oudit to
•y ■''•^^•^•^■^^'•'1 "■' iH^half nl thr Son.ly for the iMwenlion of
(nid.) to .\nn„als. To iuW^r of distan.v. Irt thr "shoo-isf lire
alany(;l.j,rtlhal n,avst,ik.. hin,, at th. edge of water, when he
^y" - =' - "- -<• :. lanlv ,ood pattern of the cl^ar^e, and will
also l)e al)le to measure the (h^taner
I I'ust mv rra.lers will torsive me this lon^ di^rrssion
our start, n,u ponu "A i ),, 's Shoolin,^" -hut 1 am Mire you
arc latlurs, at anv ral
from
who
•<■, ^vlll )int .^rud-,. anvspaee I may take up,
li.- ly, n, tea. h,n^ ,hc. youn^^ ,dea the vah.e of salety in the carryin-
olthe,un.nnd.s,.eondlv, n, nurcasing the , hanees of his bringing
you home a rfspcit,dilc ha j-.
':!:•';-■;.;'■'■"">'"'—. "Jn.k," our keeper, shouts "Mark;
'""'^•.. '''Y^ '^ "" -'-i^^" "'"i^^ -lipe, yer honor, an.l, hy
jahers, ,i ynu d..n , kill it, ifs the wor.t look Til give you - \\\. „o
°V"''''" "^' ""'"■' ' '"- •""■• ^'^ -'^"''^ ^-'^ti^'^ meanin^^\
solitary >n,pe(6-,,/y/;.,,,. ,;;.,/;.., uhieh is nearly twiee as ian^^.s
anonhnaryone. and hy a .hoo„ng n.an is e^nsidere.l as .,^at a
i>r./easa-(;,lK.n,u- trout lo a llshing man. (1 will not stake my
existence as to the ri.ht spelling of this word.) - \h„k ' hu.h -
U IS u.ry easy to put the laUer word on paper. Ini, it .vrtaiuly
does not convey ,h.. meaning that an evated Irishman would wish
~./T''""'^''':'7'" ^•'■^'^'"-■•i-yare,al>out lour hundred
1;"^' ^;"" "■-' "'"' '''^^'^'^ "P. -idently frightened hy our shot
^""'. ""• "''-^- ^'^.-••■^ ^^^ "^-'"^ All Hat country, nu chance of
'7^''"''^'"^ "^""- -^'^^ ''•■'I'PV though,. Mack, how long ^yilli,
'':'"V^'^^"'' "^^''•■'-'^MDcr,)- "<.uarterofanhour,
i , ';'-^'^;- -'^•-- -'i- l''^" --^nd two uunutes more to make sure
and then let the dog go up the river.' It has .-ome off as wished
for; we were at our station in time to have two barrels into' the
Salt 'ic^ilc of the stream. Did we get them
Re'ams and Regains ^^'' "^"^ '^ happened we only got two
Health. '»'!'' ^^itli each barrel : this is ^^y not
- shooting into the "brown,"' a practice
Sl'cikl^ Ol (.lil'.AIKk IlKIIAIN. I()
whirh hriiiL^s so inanv otherwise good shots to L^ritl. I hear
sonicoiu- snyii\n : " W hv did In- tell his mnn to send his doL; alon^
the ri\er, ;iMd not t'H the man to i;() himself?" SiivipK', m\
enqiiirinu; hieiid. I iiiav tfll yoii Ihf wild duck is a wily hinl \ery
ituu'h so and had ihnt man shuwii himsilf at all, tlh'\' wmuM ha\t.'
hecii II)) and awa\ al!o;^ctluT, whercjis with a dot; eominu alon^;.
they sim|iK' .^et up and sail (|i;i(tl\ np the middle oftlir stream.
"Now, lack, whereto? ho \()U think thiae's a ch.inei' of a
grouse if we skimmed the side of the mountain and then took a
boat hack to thi' ( "iare shore ?" " Nmw, \er hunor, would \ou \)c
after leidinL^ a poor man asihray alther grouse in Xox'emher? Ach.
now, ihe n.isk will ni\er hould onl !" "Never mind, jack, its all in
the d;i\'s work," and ha\-,nLi; ccjiisoled him tluis far we set off for
till' mountain side. We liad not got fardier than the edge of tlu-
first co\er( and I may point out to those who do not know, that
there are really good cowrts, in hlocks, on the sides of most
Irish iriouniains when jack in his best Irish whis|) r hlurted out,
" Look !" 1 did look, and saw that h\- certain signs we'll known to
real sportsmen, men as I ha\e said who not onl\' go out shooting,
hut also study the hahits of birds there were, or had bi-en,
woodcoi'k about.
Now, those who go out and make tlu'se wonderful liags of
"rock" in the Lcnver I'ro\inces, and as it has been returned to me,
never miss a shot, "dress up'' and let us havi' a good look at \oii.
'These are the sort of men that tlu' late 1'. '!'. liarnum would have
showai as natural curiosities -for indeed they are. though the\' do
not know it. Now, those wlu) talk like this, how would tlu.'y like a
man to count their ( artridgi's in the morning, go with them through
the day, return and count both what ore left and the proceeds of
cartridges shot off i^ This trial is of course fair enough for cock
shooting, where you do not very oftiai kill mork than one bird at a
shot ; and if practised you will find \()ur ingenuit) pretty well
taxed to make the two accounts tall\'. Mark I'wain, wcjuld, I think,
rail this " sarcism ;"" but, my readers, m\-
readers, my (-onscieiice will \iot allow me Abbey's Ellervescent
' Salt
to let the fanciful tales i)romulgated by _ ,,
, , , . , Cures as well as
these sportsmen go unchallenged. .A boy Prevents Disease.
may go out for tht' fust time, and being of
ao
SI'ORTS <)|. (IRKATKk ItKITAIN.
a iKjrvoiis disposition, in fact nearly afraid to piill tlic Irij^gcr, may
Im or miss as the case may be ; l,ut it is our "swagger man "' who
on missing a shot s.ys " too far ; ought not to liavc shot !" -and in
this way he accounts (or his wasted cartridges. Take it from me,
and il not satisfied go haci< forty years, which will take vou heyond
my own personal prejudices, and you will find that even' then a man
was duhbed an ass if he made any excuse at all in shooting I
grant you the sluKHer may he right, and he may ,,rove it to his
own satisfaction, l.ut the odds are very much against his convincing
others. This IS an old adage: "The proof of the pudding is in
the eating."
I have seen some of the best shots in England perform with
the- gun (and it must be remembered that ordinary partridge
sho."'
Having had a little lunch (too big a one is a great mistake), we
make our way to that favorite marsh where we know we shall be
sure t(^ have a couple - or may be more- shots at duck or teal.
Having chang(-d our cartridges — knowing w^ shall only see sni[)e on
the wav and fearing we shall be tempted to shoot and so disturb
the larger birds -we, in about a (|uarter of an hour, arrived at our
destination, a swamp about sixty )ards wide — a nice width for a
gun to walk each side —covered up with high flag grass, ^\'e do
not go with the wind now, but keep it as dead in our faces as
possible. We have not gone fifty yards when up gets an old
mallard, (piacking as hard as it can to give warning of danger. It
is no good shooting too far, so hurrying on, we come right upon
three more, whic-h get u\) between us and lake a bee line over
Jack, so that I am unable to slioot, and he. when just pulling, finds
himself over his knees and gradually sinking in a " (juaking bog."
Not understanding Irish I cannot give the meaning of the
expressions made use of by him whilst
extricating himself. In some places these ' No other preparation j
.same "bogs" are verv dangerous, and i i;/>f ^^^^''^ " ^«
^ ^ ' , . , Abbey 8 Etiervescent
make it unsafe to go out shooting alone,
^\'hat with the talking and laughing, we
Salt.
Sl'OK IS OF C.kliA I F.k llkll WIN.
iievLT not a sliol at the ducks, l)ut (.ventually managed to get
three teal and a l)iid I never saw Ijefore, a pochard or dun bird
(the latter name from the color of its eye). I'or culinary purposes
it is said lo be almost as good as the famous canvas-back of the
United Staies ; but never having eaten the latter 1 cannot speak
from experience. IJefore leaving the marsh on our way home, we
picked up a couple of moor hens, something like the coot out
here. Having made up our minds to be back home in lime for
the " flight shooting,'' we did not waste much time. 'I'hough we
had a chance of killing a couple of hares, we would not shoot, as
they are preserved for coursing. We made up by shooting three
couple of snipe and a couple of golden plover on the way back.
Leaving our game bags at the house, we hurried up to the
top of the hill at the back of the village to be in time tor the
evening shooting, and took our stations wailing for the ducks,
which come over this hill in hundreds from the large lakes, to feed
in the meadows below, 'lo be a good night for this sport, the
wind should l)e blowing dead against the ducks, which will make
them come o -r at a reasonable height, whereas on a still night they
are so high t> it with so little light you are unable to see them. To
my mind this is by far the hardest kind of shooting there is, for in
the first place it is hard to see the bird, and then it is harder still to
judge the distance, though if you i a\ see the bird the chances are
It IS well within shot. And again, every now and then you get a
severe fright by a lluck of teal "swishing" by within five yards, and
(lying so close to the ground that it is im[)ossible to see them.
Still, if it is the hardest, it is the most exciting shooting t)ne can
have, though it lasts far too short a time— half to three-cjuarters of
an hour ac the outside.
On this particHilar evening we had a fairly good wind-up to our
ilay, i)agging four ducks, three widgeon and a teal, and losing one
duck which we heard fall behind us. .So ended an enjoyable
sporting day, as all days of that description are in Ireland. 'I'he
rru 7-, ' „' '^^''^^"" ''"■ this is simple enough, it lies
The daily use of ;,, ,u,, ,.„,■ , ,■ \ ■ ^
Abbey's Ettervescent ' '"'^' "^ '"'^^ >"" ^'"'"^^ ^'''^''
Salt will keep your '".''^ "'''- '''''''' \'''' '''^'^'^^■^' "^ •'-''.Ui^'ng. I
blood pure. "'" "^^ K'^ ^^o far as to say that this was
— — the worst day I ever had in that country.
si'ORis ov (iRi;Ai i:r kkiiain.
23
but certainly it was a lon;^ way from bcinu the l)est. In conclusion,
I would ^ive one more piece of advice to all who wish to be s[)orts-
meii in the true sense ol" the wcjrd -not pot hunters, (iive an hour
e\ery now and then to reading good books as to the habits and cus-
toms of all things that you are likely to shoot at. 1 grant you one
pound of practice is worth a ton of theory, but still, one who starts
with even a slight theoretical knowledge, and by careful jjraciical
research imjjroves that knowledge, will in the end be in a far better
position than one who, though he has lived in the woods all his life,
simply carries his gun to fill his pot.
In this article on shooting 1 have endeavored to teach the young
idea "how to shoot," not only theoretically, but also practically. I
know there are many things I ha\'e missed, and before closing I will
try and place them. I'irstly, I must put before you that it is wrong
to shoot jF.Ai.oisLN', for in doing so you will not only offend your
companion, but you will most likely injure your own shooting by
being in too great a hurry to shoot first. When you feel sure of
having hit a bird, never take your eye off it whilst it is possible to see
it, for you never know when it will fall. Very often, if it is hit in the
head or spine, it will fly off a short distance as if nothing was the
matter, and then go u[) some height in the air and fall stone dead, —
99 times out of a 100 you will find it o\ lis i-.ack. As nature has
endowed birds with wings, it is, to say the least, far more sportsman-
like to allow them to use them, and shoot them Hying and not sitting;
though I have n( doubt that there are those in this town who would
act as the Frenchman, who. when out pheasant shooting in ICngland,
upon being cautioned by a friend not to make such a lAix pas as to
shoot one of the birds whilst running in front of him, remarked,
knowingly: " Non 1 Non '. My dear sare, I will not do that, I will vait
till he do stop ! " Remember always to see that your gun is pro[)erly
cleaned, more especially if you have been shooting near salt water.
Most young shooters having put up birtls out of range find
great diitlculty in marking them down, or rather in marking tliem
down sufficientlv well to be able to put them ,
up again. In the first i)lace some point ! Abbey's Effervescent
should be noted past which you think the
birds dropped, and another straight behind
you : this will give the dinnuion. As regards
Salt IS a standard '
English preparation.
It's use gives health.
■il
t i
' ■ 'I
^4 STORTS OI- OKKATER URITAIN.
distance, it is nearly safe to say that the bird has pitched farther away
than you thought. In any case, never think the bird has pitched till
you see him stop in his flight and llap his wings ; which all birds
must do before they can alight on the ground.
Above I have written regarding looking after and trying to gather
wounded birds; but do not ccnnniit that awful sin of going to look
for birds you know in your heart you have never touched. I fancy
I can hear some one say "a man would never be such a maniac as
that; what on earth would he do it for?" And I answer there are
hundreds that do it; and the reason is that they do not want their
companions to think that they have missed, and so make up a lie,
and waste half an hour's valuable time, all because they have not the
common honesty to own to a miss.
As I have tried to jioint out, there is a vast difference between
practical shooting and theoretical shooting-or, rather, "aiming '
ihere i., m reality very little difference between the paces of birds •
though the larger birds seem to rty slower; yet a duck, for instance'
Hies as fast, it not faster, rhan one of our ordinary beach birds; and
to carry my argument still further, a wild goose, or, still better, a wild
swan will out fly all its sm.ller brethren. As regards this matter of
pace, there ,s one bird th;,t I personally think flies with a greater
velocity than any bird of corresponding weight, which is the grouse
when driven for shooting purposes. Tmie after time this bird has
been proved to compass a distance of three miles at the rate of 70
mi es per hour. Now, theoretically, what chance has one of killing
a bn-d g.mg at this pace:> It is perfecllv absurd for any man
however good shot he may be, to give his advice in print. The
truth -s, that a man who kills these birds does it intuilivclv, and if
asked why or how, will reply, " \\\\l I .over the bird, give the uun
a t.p, and there it is, < don't you know I' ' And that >s just where
It IS : ,t smiply being that the eye and the hand go together,
^' '' "" ' '"y ^^^" '^';- ^ ''--^t-class shot like Sir Ralph i'ayne
, ;- , (ualway, who has been writing letters on
lor the mormnff I ^h,,nt-nn ;., -// / -j
after the night be- "'"^.'" ^^" ^'""^^ ''' t^'" "y^,
.''^-
You are invited to inspect the above
at our Studio.
k
■^■5
14 Phillips Square.
O We are now taking orders for Xrnas delivery
and_ can give more time and attention than dnring the
Holiday rush.
?
FOOTBKL.L-.
^^•^
the following I cannot lay claim to much originality of
subject matter in the work, since nearly everything that
there is to be said al)out the game of Football has been
said before, still I trust that these remarks on practical
lines may prove of interest.
I have pre-supposed on the part of my readers an
elementary acquaintance with the game, so have given
no definition of the game itself, and have eschewed all
reference to the ancient history of the game, and simply start with
the
, DKVELOl'MENT OK THE I'LAV.
We need not pause long to discuss the much-abused shoving
matches of the days when twenty aside were played. They have
gone never to return, regretted by none, unless perhaps by the
modern half-back when he dreams of the glorious chances he would
have if the forwards, and especially the wing-players, would only
continue to entangle themselves as inextricably as of yore. In
justice, however, to the players of that day, we may observe that they
held their jjroper place in the evolution of the game.
The change from twenty to fifteen aside, which was started by
club secretaries because of the difficulty of putting twenty men into
the field, was officially adopted in 1877, at the request of Scotland.
A more open style of play naturally followed, which was so much
appreciated that the laws were soon altered to suit it by insisting on
the ball being put down immediately it was held; and this led to the
increase in the number of three-tjuarter-backs, first from one to two,
with two full-backs, and then to three, with
one full-back -in other words, three-quarter-
back became the main line of defence against
the rush of opposing forwards. Meanwhile
the advantages of passing the ball were
The Roses of Health come
to the cheeks
through the daily use of
ABBEY'S
EFFERVESCENT SALT.
30
Si-OKIS Ol- liUh A I IK i;kii \i\.
lK'comiii_L; ,i|)i);irciit, ;iii(l n sxstciii oi' sIktI I'assinL'. nmonj^'st the
forwards only, u,is hroi'-ht to ;i consiilcmlilc pitch o\ prifrction l)y
a few (liil)s.
Many chil-s adopted the passiii- L,'nmr without I'tillv tmdcr-
slaiKhn- the [)iincipK-s ot it, and ccitainlx without iindcrstandiiiL;
that It -ocs hand in hand with the (hihhlin- .name, and tliat to liavc
aci|nirrd ihc first withoiiL the scrond i^ at \hM onI\ halt" thr haltlc,
and is hkrly to i;nd in total dchat.
'I'hc splendid jjossiMlities in the way of ronihination and of
passiiiLi witl) tlic frfi afloidrd !i\ the drihhlin.i; ,^;i!ne ha\X' ncxxa \rt,
so far as we ;nv auan^, hern I'lilly woi krd onl. 'I'liis (le\L'!oi>iii,Mit
of the pl.i\ we hope to see taken in hand 1)\ some eoinjietent team
nnd l)i()ii-ht to a stale of perfection in the near future.
< .\I'IAI\(\ .
It is not IK-rhaps full\- apj)reciate(l as yet that the captain of a
football te;nn holds just as dilVK ult and responsihle a \)o>l as the
captain of a cricket team. The same sort of (lualities ait- reiiuired
tor both, and both -el in the c-ourse of a match those oi)enin-s for
the displav of -.aieralsliii) which ofU'ii decide the mal(-h. A bad
captain nnxses the cpi.ortunities ; a -o
of Abbey's Effervescent^ i-q)ressing all unwarrantable appeals on
Salt. j '''^" I'-T'l ''f lii^ men. If this elementary
" pre<-aution was taken b\- all captains
^t-'
si'uk i> (iK (,Ki-..\ri;k i;ki iain.
3'
we mijj;lit hope to sec less of the hickeriiiii and wrani^linj^ which
ate still far too prt.'valenl at the jjresi'iu time.
Ai'tei lh(jrouL;hly inasteriii;^ all the laws, our captain iimst next
niaki; up his mind as to what st)le of play he means his team to
adopt, and hy personal inslrui lion, hodi on the field ol play and
off it, he must see that his nun full) understaml that sl\le and (any
it out in all its dilails. Ol course his selection of a style may
he limited hy the traditions of his cluh, if those traditions are
sjunti, in wliich i ase he will he wise i^.ot to attempt more than the
introduction of any modifications which seem to him necessary ;
or again li\ the capacity of the rm n at his disposal. It is his
husiness to get out of his nu'u ahsolutely all that tluA- are w()rdi,
and a great deal ma\ he di^ne h) skilful education, wilh what lo( ks
like poor material at the start ; hut ii is no use to adopt a st) le for
which his men are [)hysi( ally unsuited.
And here we may remaik that it is of the utmost importance
that the ';a|)laiii should ha\e the unfettered selection of his team
whenever such a course is po.tsihle.
(Irantcd, then, that tlie captain's power is praclicalh ahs(>lute,
after deciding en what is to he ihi' dominant st\le of his team, lie
must see that they are ahle to ada[it their si)le to any emergencies
that arise owing to variations in the weather, ortiie strength and sl_\ic
of teams o])[)osed to him. if, for instance, he has adopted the long-
passing game he will prohaM)' luul it useless in wet weather, and
must make' his men drihble instead. If he is i)la)ing four thrie-
([uarters and thids that his eight forwards are swamped li\- the
opposing nine, he must make his extra tliree-cpiarter go forward. If,
when pla\ing against a strong wind, he finds his hacks unahle to
cheek the attack of his oi)ponents, he may sometimes l;e justified in
playing an extra man behind for the lime, provided that the forwaids
can si)are the man ; or, if his team are accustomed to play an offensive
game, he may have to make them ado[)t defensive tactiis. su( h as
keeping the hall light in the scrunniiage, or punting it constantl)' into
touch for a while ; hut we hope that no cai)- -^ —
lain will ever make his team adopt the tight ' Nature's Greatest
i'()Kr> or «'.ri,\iI';k i-.kitmn.
33
• jiKirters, of whom there arc already crowds in the field. If a
captaii) has not ^^ot a full I tack ready made in his team, the best
thing he can do is to j^et the most likely of his three-ciuarters for
the work to take the post, and then to keep careful watch that he
does not let his old habits as a three-cjuarter get the better of him in
his new position. Such a n\an would be es|)ecially liable to the
common fault of coming too far u[) the ground. A fullback must
always stand far enough back to be able to receive the ball without
having to turn round and run after it, at the same time he must not
stand so far back that he has to run up to get it after it has jjitched,
since either of these positions allows time for the opponent's forwards
to come up to him before he has got in his kick. A very little prac-
tice will teach him the right position. After he has learnt where to
stand, he must then learn to make sure of catching the ball without
"muffing" it ; for if he fumbles it at all, he is held to have played the
ball, and he thereby puts on-side any forwards who have followed up
off-side, and who are bound to give him five yards clear if he catches
it true.
A recent alteration in the laws has added a new danger to
fumbling on the part of backs ; for if they touch the ball and then
let it cross the goal lint, they are held to have [)assed the ball across
their own goal line, in which case the opponents have a right to a
scrummage at the spot where they touched it, unless they can bring
it out without making it dead. Of course they must also beware of
kicking or carrying the ball across their own goal line at all times, or
the same penalty is incurred.
(iranted, then, that our full-back has learnt where to stand and
how to catch the ball clean, the next thing that he has to make sure
of is getting his kick either a punt or a drop — into touch as tar
down the ground as he can. He must find out by ex{)erience how-
far he can make sure of kicking in various states of the wind, and
aim for touch at that distance ; but he should always bear in mind
that he must send it into touch at all costs, as that means so much
ground gained for his side for the next line
out : whereas if it pitch in the field of play, Health comes from
his own men are all off-side and his op- .fl_^ ^^^
1 Abbey 8
ponents are free to resume the attack at | Effervescent Salt,
once. The only exception to tliis rule is, '
rf
I I 24 SPORTS or C.RKATER HRITAIN.
if he is near enough to his opponent's goal to try a drop at
goal, in whicli case he should always do so, if he has a clear chance.
Goals have often been scored in this manner ; but still more often
the chance is lost, though one might fairly expect the back to look
out for what is practically his only opening for offensive play.
By far the hardest part of a full-back's work consists in receiving
the man witii the ball. If he lets only the ball pass him, it is still
possible for him to get out of the difficulty ; but if he lets the man
with the ball pass him, it is all up with his side, for the time, at all
i
!( events.
%
There is one elementary rule about tackling under all circum-
stances, and that is, to go at y(jur man low — to aim at the hips and
not at the shoulder. In the latter case the tackier can always be
shoved and the try is a certainty : in the former case, provided the
tackier knows the right moment to go for his man, he is certain to
hold him and the ball. But how he knows the right moment is a
mystery which wc have never been able to understand. We can
only suppose tliat it comes by instinct to some and not to others.
It is easy enough to learn to tackle as a forward, where you can go
at your man with a rush, but it is ijuite another matter to stand the
last man on your side, and to feel that you must bring the runner
down at all costs. Some backs seem to exercise a sort of fascination
over you, and you feel bound to run into their clutches.
The only way to elude such a tackier is by passing just as you
come to him, unless you have the power of turning when going at
full speed.
If a captain has to choose for his full-back between a good
tackier and a good kick, we should certainly recommend him to
take the good tackier — a bad tackier will never become a good one,
playing at full-back ; wiiereas the worst kick in the world can learn
to punt respectably, and punting is an art which is not studied
nearly as much as it should be by backs — it is easy to learn, and is
1 much safer in wet weather than drop-
Abbey's Eflervescent I kicking. If a team possesses a back who
Salt is a health-giving, i -^ ^^^^ ^ ^.^^ ^^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^ ^^^ j^i^,^
health-preserving pre- 1, ^ ° ., ... .
norafion I "'^^y ^^^^^ cvevy game with a feehng of
confidence, which, of itself, goes a long way
paration.
M
SPORTS OK OKKATKR HRIIAIN.
35
towards victory ; it is for this reason that we have tried to show that
tin; importance of tlie post can hardly be overestimated.
THRKHX^UARTKR-liACK.
( doming next to the three-(iuarter-baclcs, the captain has to
settle liow many (>f lliem he means to play. Since the introduction
ot the open passing game the orthodox number has been three.
Hcfore coming to a decision on this knotty ([uestion, the captain
must duly consider the pros and cons of the case ; in all ordinary
cases three three-quarters ought to be able to defend their line ; it is
therefore^ to strengthen the attack rather than the defence that a
fourtli is played, consec|uently he must be given plenty to do if his
place is to be justified. Now, in a great many teums — in many even
of the first rank — even the three-quarters Jo not get nearly enough
work given them ; in such teams, the.i, it would be simple madness
to have a fourth. In other words, the fourth three-quarter would be
worse than useless unless the whole team, and especially the half-
ba(ks atid the other three-(iuarters have worked up a system of
passing sufficiently reliable and accurate to make sure of the ball
reaching him pretty often, otherwise he will play the part of a spec-
tator during the game when he might be doing good service in the
ranks or the forwards.
Supposing that only three are played, the next (luestion to be
decided is, which of them to put in the centre, and which on the
wings. In our opinion, the best player of the three should always
be in the centre -mere s[)rinters will do for the wings, if nothing
better can be secured ; but the centre must have a head on his
shoulders, as he is the man who has not only to bear the brunt of
the attack, but also to give the wings their openings, and sometimes
to win the match hiniself by dropping a goal. To fulfil these
requirements he must throw hnnself witl out hesitation on to the
ball at the feet of the opponent's forwards when they are dribbling
down upon him — a task which is not half so difficult as it looks, if
done fearlessly. He must be equally good at taking and giving a
pass, that is to say, he must always place
himself on the open-field side of the scrum-
mage and must warn the half-backs of his
whereabouts by calling. The moment he
receives the ball he must make for the open,
ABBEY'S
Effervescent Salt
is
VIVIEIC.
'til
l^'
i '
I
36
Si'ftKTS OK (;RK.\l'l<:k liKITAIN.
I'll
an
d, before he is tackled, pass 011 to the wing, who is still
further in tlie open, and then l)ack liim up to receive the ball
again just before the wing is tackled, and so on until the ball is
safely landed over the goal line, as it should be, if the passing is
done with precision. Lastly, he must be quick at taking his drop,
for as he starts much nearer the forwards than the full-back, he will
have to kick from nuicl more difficult positions. In deciding when
to kick and when io pass, he will be guided principally by the posi-
tion of the [)laycrs on the Held. If he sees a good opening for a
series of passes, he should take it in preference to kicking into touch,
as being more likely to lead to an immediate score. If, on the
other hand, his side is being ])ressed, from his i)osition in the field
he will gain more ground than even a full back can for his side by a
long kick into touch.
In wing Lhree-(iuarters, paci; is the first essential, because they
should be the first try getters in the team. Their principal work
consists of getting into position in the open for receiving passes
from the centre, and sometimes direc t from the halves, and then
running as hard as they can run. In this way sprinters, pure and
simple, have often earned for themselves great reputations ; but a
real player will make much more out of the i)ost than the best
sprinter. He will not allow himself to l)e run into touch or tackled
by the last of his opponents, as the sprinter so often does, but will
pass back again whilst still engaging the attention of that last man,
and so make a try a certainty for his side. Many a glorious chance
of winning a match has been thrown away by wings holding on to
the ball just too long, in the hopes of getting through themselves.
Moreover, n wing's work does not lie solely in scoring tries, he
has also to sto[) his opponents from getting through the main line
of defence, and this calls for no mean tackling powers, as any
runner who reaches that line will by that time l)e going at his best
pace, and will have in reserve the power of [)assing or of pretending
to pass. The wings should therefore keep well out, so as to cover
the ground Ijetween the centre and the
touch-line, and if they fail to stfOp the baU
as well as the man, should at once go at
full pace to the help of the full back who
may fuid himself in a similar^ difficulty.
"For the morning
after the night be-
fore" use ABBEY'S
Effervescent Salt.
it'' -I
t
SI'OK-l> OF (.RKATI.R ISRIIAIN.
37
is still
the ball
e ball is
assing is
his drop,
:, he will
ng when
the posi-
ng for a
to touch,
, on the
the field
side by a
luse they
pal work
ig passes
md then
lure and
s : but a
the best
' tackled
, but will
last man,
s chance
ng on to
elves,
tries, he
[lain line
, as any
his best
etending
to cover
and the
the ball
ce go at
ack who
difficulty.
In any crisis it is always the duty of one of the tliree-.
Tlie work of a forward can be suitably divided into two
branches, play in the open and play in the scrummage. It is given
to few -very tew to be equall\ good at both ; but a . .nery player,
however good he may be in tlu- ojjen, has to go into "-innnages
whether he likes it or not, he can at least learn not to spoil the play
of the genuine scrummagers : imd as every scrunuuager has to make
a show m the open, he can learn to follow up and to tackle, even if
nature has not intended him to shine in the finer arts of passing and
dribbling.
It is only by working on these lines that a captain can hope
to overcome the great difficulty of settling what number of each
class to have in his team. If he has good men behind, including a
pair of halves who know how to pass, he can afford to increase the
!unnl)er of forwards for open i)lay, provided always that he retains a
modicum of clever scrummagers who know how to bring the ball
out to advantage. If bis hnlvi'S are no good at passing, he has to
trust to his forwards to make the game loo.se, and he should then
aim at a team that can break away in a body with the ball at their
feet perhaps the most irresistible form of attack that has yet been
devised, If neither his halves nor his forwards can be taught to
make it loose, then he and his three-(iuarters cannot hope for
anything better than a dull season's i)lay, for it is an axiom that
cannot be insisted upon tO(J often, that fast open play constitutes
real football, the tight game being strictly
limited to the crises oi the game.
Supposing, first, that the passing game
is adopted, forwards nnisi remember that a
series of passes is hardly ever brought to a
ABBEY'S
Etfisrvescent Salt,
the Foundation
of Health.
\\;:
i\i
38 SPORTS OF GREATER HRITAIN.
successful issue without their aid. It is true that the half-back will
start the passing whilst the scrummage is still breaking up, but
directly they can free themselves from the scrummage, it is their
business to spread out over the ground at some distance from one
another, so as to be ready to take up the passing as soon as the
three-quarter gets into ditificulties with his opponents.
The grand secret of good passing lies in accurate backing up—
the constant passing forward, which is such a nuisance at the present
day, is almost invariably the fault of the l)acker-up. The holder of
the ball is bound to pass it into his hands, and if he is only a foot
too far forward the game has to be interrupted ; he must, therefore,
take the greatest care not to get quite level with the runner, and
before he calls for a pass he must lake equal care to see that he is in
a better position to make headway than the man in possession.
Bad passing is entirely due to the neglect of these axioms. Men
get an idea into their heads that they ought to pass at all costs,
and that they have a riglit to call for a pass in any position. In the
nature of things there nmst always be a more or less open course on
one side or the other of a runner, and it is in a line with that course
that the backer-up should keep ; whilst another player must do the
same for him as soon as he gets possession of the ball. We have
already warned him not to get too far forward ; it is ecjually
important that he should not keep far behind, as a long pass back is
so much ground lost, which has to be made up again before
anything is gained. In ideal passing you may zigzag as much as
you please, provided that the general direction is towards the
opponents' goal.
If the backing-up is systematically worked, the passing game is
quite irresistible in fuie weather, but it suffers from the serious
disadvantage that it is liable to break down in wet weather or on
greasy ground. Under such circumstances it is very dilficult to
catch the ball when passed, and it is to meet this case that every
team which plays the passing game should always be able to dribble ;
hut it is not enough to have one or two
The daily use of > good dribblers in the team ; for dribbling to
i Abbey 'sEflervescent : ,,^ effective there must be combination.
By all means let the liest dribbler start the
ball, if possible, but he must be backed up
Salt will keep your
blood pure.
.•*
1
SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
39
»ack will
up, but
is their
'oni one
as the
ng up-
present
lolder of
y a foot
lerefore,
ner, and
he is in
ssession.
Men
all costs,
In the
ourse on
It course
t do the
^Ve have
ecjually
s back is
1 before
much as
irds the
game is
! serious
er or on
ificult to
at every
dribble ;
or two
>bling to
)i nation,
start the
eked up
by all the rest of the forwards in fairly close order, ready to take
command of the ball if perchance the leader oversteps it, or if he
has to pass it to one side in order to circumvent an opposing back.
In this way the ball can be rushed right up to the goal line, but
it should be picked up a few yards before the line, so as to make
sure of scoring a try.
This is dribbling as it is at present understood ; but we can see
no reason why a team should not take a lesson from the Association
game in this matter, and advance in open line, passing right across
the ground when necessary. We admit at once that it is far more
difficult to dribble with our oval ball than with their round one ; but
then we have nine forwards as against their five, and we can cross
the line at any point instead of only between the goal-posts.
Moreover, under our off-side laws, it is perfectly legal to pass
forward with the foot, provided that the backer-up keeps on-side
until the Itall has been kicked. On the few isolated occasions when
we have seen this plan adopted, the opposing backs were so
completely nonplused, that we should confidently predict success for
any team which adopted it as a system.
A few years ago a proposal was made, in the interests of
dribbling, to change the Rugby ball into a round one. It was
withdrawn m deference to the opinion of old players, who held that
the oval shape was essential to long drop-kicking, which has always
been one of the main features of the Rugby game ; but if at any
time in the future the change is adopted, we very much doubt
whether the passing game, despite its attractions, will hold its own
against dribbling. As matters stand now it reigns so supreme that
with a few exceptions, players need very little exhortation to pass ;
a captain has rather to see that it is not overdone. From the
spectator's point of view its popularity is no doubt due to the fact
that it affords unlimited scope for combination between the backs
and forwards ; good coml)ined play being always prettier to watch
than flie selfish feats of individuals.
Turning now to the other great branch
of forward play, namely, scrummage work,
it must not for a mon\ent be supposed that
shoving is all that is wanted. It is a great
thing no doubt to get the first shove, and
Abbey's Ellervescent
Salt is a standard
English preparation.
It's use gives health.
'€■
1 orates for stopping a man's beer or his pipe, we do not want the
training of an athlete preparing for a race, but we do hold it to be
the imperative duty of every member of every team, however humble,
t3 keep in good condition. No doubt some men are much more
favorablv situated than others for getting regular exercise ; but every
man can find time to use light dumb-bells and clubs, to indulge m
an occasional bout of boxing and wrestling, and to go for a sharp
walk varied l)v occasional sprints in the evening after his work. W e
probably all know onlv too well the inevitable resnlt of neglecting
these simi)le measures. .\s the gan.e proceeds the forwards become
slow at packing, slower still at coming round to the !)ack of the
scrummage : the following up and the tackling become slack, and
your stalwarts hnd themselves beaten by men who are their interiors
in ev.ry point of physi,]ue. and, it may be, of skill in the game.
11 IK Kl-.lKRi:i-..
The referee is oi comparatively modern growth in the Rugby
game • but his iM,wers have been increased so steadily year by year
that ii is now no .xaugeration to sav that on him more than on anv
siivle individual depends our enjovment of a match. A few bad
decisions by the referee are enough to spoil the^ game for players
and spertat(Ms alike. Imoiu many points of view the post is a
thankless one ; and it certainlv demands no small degree of love for
the game on the part of players to make them turn out week alter
week to cffKiate for teams who are none too prone to take a
charitable view of their best endeavors to be prompt and impartial
in tlieir decisions. _
■\nv man who is willing to undertake the responsibilities ot a
referee must frst be certain that he knows all the laws down to their
minutest details, and the interpretation of
them in all iheir bearings. He will be wise
to carry a rule book in his pocket, both for
the inirpose of refreshing his own memory
before the match begins, and of convincing
The Roses of Health come
to the cheeks
through the dally use of
ABBEY'S
EFFERVESCENT SALT.
-m
n
It
42
SPORTS OF ORKATER BRITAIN.
1' I
any captain who (juestions his interpretations on the field. We
hold that every player should read up the laws before each season,
but that a referee should study them before every match. Novel
and unexpected points arise in almost every game, and it is only by
constant study that a referee can hope to be prompt with his
decisions ; and unless a decision is given promptly it loses half
its effect.
*
The referee must next realize that considerable activity is
required in order to keep level with the ball throughout the game.
A referee who strolls after the game in an ulster is quite incom-
petent to give a decision on any fine point which may arise in the
distance. He should always appear in light marching order,
wearing a cap rather than a hat, and he must provide against a
possible wetting by bringing a change of clothes with him ; if he
does his duty well, there is not the slightest fear of his taking a chill
during the progress of the game.
As a general rule, the referee should keep in a line between the
two sets of goal posts, as far as is practicable ; if he finds that the
direction of the game is forcing him towards either of the two
touch-lines, he must move around to the other side of the next
scrummage that is formed, so as not to lose his vantage-ground
for judging dropped goals, which cannot be gauged accurately from
the sides, and so as to be ready to reach, at the shortest notice, any
part of the ground where a sudden move of the game may call for
his presence.
Until the day comes when umpires have been turned into
linesmen, the referee has not only to watch the play but also to
watch the umpires' flags ; for, excepting in a few cases specially
provided for in the laws, he cannot grant a claim without at least
one of their flags l)eing raised. It is worth his while to see that the
flags are of a suitable color, white being far the best, because it is
very hard to see a dark flag against the line of spectators at a
moment's notice. He should also see that the whistle is one which
will carry all over the ground, and he
Nature's Greatest j should always blow his hardest. Nothing
Abbey's^Eflervescent ! '' "^^'"'^ '''''^''''^ ^^"" "" f^^^^*^ ''^''''^^'
Salt gives Health. ' Practical experience has perhaps made
_ . _ yg dwell more strongly on the drawbacks
n
SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
43
field. We
ich season,
:h. Novel
is only by
t with his
loses half
activity is
the game,
ite incom-
•ise in the
ng order,
against a
im ; if he
ng a chill
tween the
i that the
the two
the next
e-ground
:ely from
tice, any
y call for
than on the pleasures of refereeing ; but referees must not forget
that they can always rely on the unfaltering support of the Rugby
Union Committee, which is fully alive to the difficulties of the work,
and which has shown its anxiety to make things easy for them by
passing special laws for their guidance and protection, laws to which
we attribute largely the undeniable growth of the feeling that a
football referee has a right to expect as good treatment as a cricket
umpire. The one is as liable to make mistakes a^: the other. They
only undertake to act up to the best of their ability, and, having
done so, both have an equal claim to respect for their decisions,
whether right or wrong. In football, as in everything else, men
must learn to stand by their luck without grumbling.
And now, one word of warning before I close this chapter —
one question to those players who hold that football is the greatest
of all games. If one of you owned the finest dog which could be
placed on a show bench, would you, either with malice prepense or
in a milder fit of rage, illtreat that animal to such an extent as to
make it an eyesore for spectators ?
So with your champion game ; would you, as was done last
season, by breaking laws both human and divine, so drag football
through the mire as to make the game the target for the finger of
scorn, and yourselves the recipients of censure from all right-
thinking people ? Verb. sap.
led into
also to
specially
at least
that the
ise it is
)rs at a
e which
md he
'Nothing
le.
s made
whacks
!^
\^^
Happiness is the outcome i ^^
of Health. Health is »
the outcome of the use !^^*
of Abbey's Effervescent ^^
Salt. I
ll
I 'II
! :i
! I t
A Liberal and a Conservative
Policy for Canada.
SUCH IS THE FREE ACCUMULATION
POLICY OF
•<' •/■ X y y X y
A LIBERAL POLICY under
CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT
IS BEST FOR THE INSURED AND
BEST FOR THE COMPANY.
THE LIBERAL ADVANTAGES OF THE FREE ACCUMULATION
POLICY ARE AFTER ONE YEAR
1st.
2nd.
3rd.
4th.
5th.
6th.
7th.
Sth.
9th.
loth,
nth.
I2th,
'"^'Tf^n.;:^:;?^;'"""'^"^ ™'"'"^ - --• --ice i„ the
Kreedo";; «f ["i^fnce (excepting in the tropics).
free.iom of travel excepting in the tropics
Incontestable with above exceptions. ' ^•
Indisputable ,f premiums paid and age admitted
ncorrect age DOBS NOT forfeit^tl.e pXy '
laid up Insurance after three years ^'
3oTa;:' '^^'^ ^''^^ "-- y/ars at 6 p.c. interest.
poi;;;l:^K^-^;;:StS^-nc-:;;^Sa!-°^---'^-
OrrtCERS OF THE COMPANY.
V T. President, JAMES CRATHERN
Vice-Presidents, HON. SIR J a rTTAT=rir*TT
Medical Exlinet T G RODm4''°^'^'^ ^- ^^^^T.
Treasurer and Acting Secretary. a'^J.^^HO^DaSON ' ''•''•
Genera^anager. DAVID BURKE. A.I.A.. F.S.S
For Agencies or htfotmation concern hu, T if. ^ ,- •
HOCKev.
da
^t^
11' is a matter of great difficulty to trace the history of the
game of hockey. It is probably as old a game, in one
or otlier of its numerous varieties, as any of those
played with a ball, and it is well known to have
existed in a crude form for centuries in Ireland, where
under the name of " Hurley "" it has been regarded as
the national game. 'I'he game used also to be played
in Scotland under the name of " Shinty," whilst now
[)!ayed on the ice it is the favorite winter game of the youth of
Canada.
Hockey, like all other vigorous games, has its enemies on the
score of supposed danger, but serious accidents are almost unknown.
The rules of the game have l)een so framed as to reduce the risks
to a minimum, and as long as the game is played in a proper
spirit there is very little chance of players being badly hurt. 'I'he
game, of course, can be made dangerous, but foul play cannot be
indulged in without being readily detected, and its suppression is
easy at the hands of resolute umpires who will strictly enforce the
rules of the game.
Hockey at present seems the most free, of all games in Canada,
seeking " gate receipts '" from the semi-professional element, and it
would remain entirely so were there no s[)urious incentives in the
way of " cu[)s "' or "shields'" to be played for.
There is plenty of healthy rivalry between clubs at present, a
rivalry of a widely different nature to that engendered by cup
competitions, and it is to be hoped that we may never see in hockey
the evils that have arisen from the institution of such com|)elitions
at football. Cup ties eventually lead to ,
professionalism, and this would prove a ! Abbey's Effervescent
curse to the game that must be prevented
at all costs. If the game is worth playing
at all, it is worth playing purely as a game,
Salt
Retains and Regains
Health.
46
SPOUTS OF GREATKR ItRlTAlN.
1
I
- !
and hockey will continue to flourish on its merits, without any
spurious inducements which would only introduce a class of player
which it is desirable to avoid.
The following hints may be of use to young players who may
not have practical experience in the game :
FORWARDS.
Forwards in general should keep strictly in their places, and
always try to keep the game oj)en, which can only be done by
unselfish play. They should make point of never leaving the
opposing point and cover alone when they have been tackled, as
they can thus prevent them from getting in a hard hit or feeding
tlieir own forwards. They must use their discretion as to charging
down on a point when he is hitting, as unless they can get right up
to him before he hits, they have more chance of fielding the stroke
by keeping a short distance away, but they must not give him time
to dribl)le into a good position to bring off a pass to one of his own
forwards, i'inally, forwards must remember that the whole secret of
their strength, if it can be called a secret, lies in combination, and
no amount of individual brilliancy will compensate for its absence.
A clever dribbler, who will never part with the ball until it is taken
from him, is of far less value to a side than a player who, though
individually inferior, will do his best to play a combined game.
Forwards can often materially assist their point, when hard pressed,
by worrying the opposing forwards, and nothing is more discouraging
to points than to see their own forwards loafing about waiting for
the puck to come to them, while they themselves are doing their
utmost to save their goal. Last, but not least, is the all important
item of pluck. The finest back division in the world is of no use
behind a set of faint-hearted forwards. It recjuires a good deal of
pluck to charge down the hits of a pair of hard-hitting backs, but it
has to be done, and forwards must not shrink it. They must keep
going their hardest right up to the sound of the whistle, and always
— remember that a game is never lost till it
The Foundation of Strength n r i "^ i i i i •
is Health. ; '^ ^^'^'^' Matches could be quoted m
ABBEY'S \ which a team has been several goals
EFFERVESCENT SALT i i j . .u i . . • . j
I 41. c ^ .1 . w i*t. ! behuid up to the last ten nunutes, and
is the Foundation of Health j ^ '
^ has saved the game by making a draw
Sl'ORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
47
may
or iven winning, solely because they have stuck to it with
deterniination, instead of feebly "chucking" it.
COVER POINT.
The cover point is an important element in the team, bemg
concerned e(iually in the attack and defence. He is perhaps, the
hardest worked man in the team, if he does his work properly, so he
must be well endowed with staying powers. He has to follow up
his forwards closely when attacking ; and, at the same time, he has
to full back directly his own forwards lose the ball, so as to be ready
f.o break up the passing of his opponents, if he has not succeeded in
intercepting the ball before it gets to him. The great value of a
good cover lies in his ability to break up passing, either by
intercepting the passes himself or by forcing his opponent to pass in
such a way that the point behind him can get the puck. When he
has got the i)uck, his object must be to get rid of it as soon as he
can, and to llie best advantage of his side, by feeding the forward he
considers to be in the best position for starting an attack. From his
position he can feed either wing, and he must consequently give each
its fair share of work. When his forwards are in, or close to their
opponents' circle, he must be on the alert to place the puck as well
as he can for a shot by any forward he sees in a good position, and
in this case he should always have his eye on the two outside men.
A quick pass to either of them often finds them unmarked, and
gives them a chance for a clear side-shot. Of course his first aim is
to mark the opposing centre forward, and he must make it his
business never to let him have a clear opening to get away. If a
good centre forward is carefully " shadowed " by the cover, it is
wonderful what effect this has on breaking up the combination of
the whole of the forwards. A cover has more freedom as to his
movements than any other player on the field. He must all the
more be careful not to wander out of his place, as this error is often
attended with fatal results when near his own goal.
It will thus be seen that the chief requirements for a good
cover are pace and staying power. He
may have to sprint half the length of the
ground several times in succession with-
out touching the puck, but he must never
give in. By always falling back when he
Abbey's Effervescent
Salt
Cures as well as
Prevents Disease.
48
.SI'CJKIS Ol (.KKAll.K r.KII.MN.
' I
ii i;
i
I,,
has hecn pnsscd, In- iiKiy oficti slip in wlicn the point has been
l)L*attii, and ^avu tlic downfall of his j^oal. ("overs must he genuine
hard workiTs, wiih no wfakncss for show) pla\'. Hoth point and
forwards an- largely dependent upon him, and a sound cover goes a
long way towards the making of a good team.
I'OIM'.
I'oint forms the last active line of defence, so the first require-
ment in his play is that he should he a steady player and liable to
make as few mistakes as possible. A good jjoint will ni:\c(- lose his
head, even when the attack is raging round his own goal. He r.iust
never leave anxtliing to chance, but should make as sure as he
can <^f each stroke before he attempts it. Me should always stop
the puck if he can l)efore hitting it, in |)reference to taking it on the
run, but he has not always time to do this, so that it is necessary
that he should have an accurate! eye, and be able to hit in any
position in an emergency. Mis game so far resembles that of a
cover that he must get rid of the puck as soon as he can, and a
[)oint must never, under any circumstances, indulge in dribbling.
He nmst be able to hit hard on occasions ; but herd hitting is
overdone even among good players, and effectually spoils a game.
In clearing his own goal, a back may hit his hardest, but he should
not hit straight down tiie line, as the i)iick only goes to the oi)posing
backs, U) be at once returned. Instead of this he should try to
hit into touch, and the further down the line he can do this,
without risking the chance of the puck being fielded, the better.
The relief afft)rded by a well directed stroke of this kind is of the
greatest value. It is just as much the duty of a ponit to feed his
forward.s as of a cover, and when he is too hampered to get in his
hit he can often pass to the cover in front of him, who in turn can
teed the forwards. In sto|)ping a combined rush of forwards, a point
can either interce[)t the passes, in which case he has no difficulty in
getting his hit afterwards, or he can tackle a forward directly he has
taken a pass. Pace is, of course, a valuable attribute in any player,
be he forward or point, but it is not so
The constant use of , essential in a point as in a cover. If he
Abbey's Efliervescent i u^^ .,„„ i , , i , • , , •
Salt will keep you in i ^'"^ ^'^""'^ ]'^ ^^" I^^^>' ^^^^^ "P '^^^'^'"^ '^'^
good health. cover, and so smother a bout of passing
before the forwards have got into their
l^
>l'i)k 1 ■; I IK (IK I. A I !• k IIUI IAIN.
4M
: has been
be genuine
point and
n-er goes a
St recjuire-
I liable to
er lose his
He must
Lire as he
rtays stop
\ it on the
necessary
it in any
that of a
in, and a
Jril)bling.
hitting is
s a game.
e siiould
opposing
d try to
do this,
e better,
is of the
feed his
;et in his
turn can
, a point
iculty in
y he has
■' player,
not so
If he
lind his
passing
o their
■,tn(ic. Pa'-^iiig i-- more easily broken up in this way, and if they
tail lo stop a mil al itu first atlemiil, both comt and point can get
back lor a second ailempt belbn; llie forwards have had time to get
dangerous, if, howe\er, a [)oint is deficient in pace, he must be
((iiueiit with playing a more strictly defensive game. He must
ket p farther back behind the -over, and not dash in unless he is
sure of support from the cover, forwards who 'lave passed a cover
caiinol go so fast when they know there is a point wailing for them,
iiid lliis ( ircumslaiice gives the cover time to recover himself and
make another attempt at stoiiping them before they have reached
liie point. There must lu-ver be any hesitation about a [)oint's
play, whether he is fast or slow. He must carefully watch for his
opportunity, and when he sees it, make up liis mind at once and go
straight for the puck. Hi'sitation means defeat, and if he makes a
mistake, be must not lose a moment in trying to retrieve it. .\t the
same time, lie a\oids hampering his goal-keeper and enables him to
liave a clear view of the piuk, which is a most im[)ortant matter for
a point to In ar in mind, ^\■hen the ])lay is near his own goal he
nuisi keel) w.ll in front of goal, and must leave the outside men to
liis co\er, or he will seriously weaken the defence.
The combination in defence which can so greatly strengthen a
back division already strong as individual 'players, has not yet been
developed to the exleiu that might ha\e l)een exjiected. 'I'here is
nearly as much rciom for combination among backs as among
forwards, though it may not be so apparent. They should alwa\s
be supporting one another. 'I'here should be a thorough under-
standing between poiiit and cover. There is \et to be seen in
iiocki. i g(H)(l ( ombination of back pla\-, and iheie is no reason
wh\ it should not be achieved. When this combination has been
developed, iorwaids will find goabgetting a matter of much greate,-
difficulty than it is at i)resent.
THK iioAi. kki:i'i:k.
This is wii.houl (juestion the most unenviable [)osition to
occui-.y, yet, at the same time, one of the
,nost important. It is usually the goal- , No Other preparation
". , ,, 1 11 IS jusi as ffood as
k..epers f.te to get .-hillcl to the bone, ^^^^ Elfeivescent
a lid then he has to cheerluUy niterpose ^^^t.
any })art of himself liL-lween the puck and
I)
W
■m
i
■ 't.
: I II
50
Sl'OK
OF C.KKATF.K liKITAIX.
its destination. Few people, when blaming the goal-keeper for
the result of the match, realise the hardships of his position ; he
should not he loo severely judged for his shortcomings. The first
thing a goalkeeper should do is to take every means in his power
to keep himself warm, as this will make him far more capable of
doing what is required of him. He must be very tjuick on his feet
and never take his eyes off the puck when near his own goal. He
should stand just in front of the goal line and ([uite clear of it, so
that there may be no doubt as to whether a shot has been stopped
before it has crossed the goal line. Shots along the ground are
best stopped with the feet, as less time is lost in getting the puck
away. It goes without saying that he must get the puck away with
the utmost rapidity, and he should never hit it straight in front of
him, but always get it away to the side and clear of any opponent.
If he has not time to hit the puck, he must kick it away, and when
severely pressed, should not hesitate to hit or kick it behind his own
goal line and so concede a corner, rather than run the risk of having
the puck rushed through after he has stopped it. To deal with side
shots he should stand on the side of the goal from' which the shot is
coming, as he thus covers more of the space available for shooting
at, and he will fmd these shots coming at an angle the mcst difficult
to save. If his view of the puck is impeded by one of his own side,
he should at once call out to the offender, as it is most important
that he should never lose sight of the puck. He must be a good
judge of distance and of the pace at whicu tii- puck is travelling, so
that he may know whether by running out of goal, he can get to the
puck before an opponent, but he must never do this unless he feels
certain of getiing the puck. He should leave to the point all the
hits he can reach, and should make a rule never to run out of the
circle. When he does run out of goal, he must get back again as
soon as he can. 'I'he knowledge that he has a good goal-keeper
behind him has a great effect upon the play of the point and enables
him to play with confidence.
A goal-keeper may be recommended to
wear cricket pads in preference to shin
guards, as they afford protection to both
ankles and knees, and this is not to be
despised.
Health comes from
the daily use of
Abbey's
Effervescent Salt.
a
■J.
■It:
n.
.m'
HAVE YOU TRIED
"MONTSERMT"
Pure Linie=Fruit Juice
With Apollinaris, or Soda, or Water,
as a cooling and refreshing beverage
at all seasons?
If not, TRY IT!
OBTAINABLE FROM GROCERS
AND DRUGGISTS
Giieaper man vmm, aim piucn more Gomlent.
xr •^••••••••••••••••••^•xxy
Order " MONTSERRAT" and do
not take any inferior brands— there are
many such,
"MONTSERRAT" is made from
cultivated Linfies.
M
i''
i i,'
(phC4>
LONDON, ENGLAND,
/k
Assurance = Company.
c
BRANCH OFFICE FOR CANADA: | ^
t
f
1
1724 [lotifE Dame ptiteet, ■ lyjontfeal.
INCOME.
Annual Revenue from Fire and Life Pre-
miums and from Interest upon
Invested Funds - $5,520,000
FUNDS.
Capital and Accumulated Funds - - - - $37,220,000
Deposited with the Dominion Government
for Security of Canadian Policy-
holders $200,000
ROBERT W. TYRE,
Manager for Can ail a.
CURLING.
a,ly i.s „a...|,w„„U. | J^-^^XS^t
On the ice all divisions and diflereiues, g^j^ ^^ keep you in
caused by rank, riches, religion, polili.s, , ^^^^ \^Q2\\h.
or anything else, may be said to disai)i)ear.
54
SrORTS Ol" CkKAil.k UKITAIN.
Landlord and tenant, clergyman and arti/an, merchant and
mechanic, can meet together in social brotherhood, forgetting
for the time all distinction save that of curling skill Add
to this the ineviial)le humor which is one of its concomitants, and
some idea may be formed of a game which, in Scotland most
certainly, and in Canada most likely, is by far the most popular of
'ce sports.
As far back as i 7 15 it was said :
" To Curie on the ice does i^rculy please,
Being a Manly Scottish (.xercise ;
Jt clears the Biains, stirs up tlie Natisa Heat,
Ami gives a gallant Appetite for Meat."
Robert Hums, speaking of Tam Samson, says :
" He was the King o' n' the coie,
To fuard or draw, or wick a bore.
Or up the rink like Jehu roar
In lime o' need."
Of the origin of curling perhaps no more satisfactory account
can be given than the traditi(;n that Albyn Jove sent it as a gift to
" Auld Daddy Scotland," as he sat one day "bare leggit on a
snawy brae," with icicles at his snout, and crying :
'•Oh: for a cheery, heartsome game,
To send through a' the soul a flame,
Pit birr and smeddum in tha frame
And set the l)luid adinlin'."
One can hardly give credence to the fact that a Scotchman, Rev.
John Ramsay, writing on the game, ascribes to curling a Continental
origin, from the number of Dutch or C.erman phrases used in the
l)lay ; but it is true, nevertheless, and more remarkable still is the
fact that the reverend gentleman lived to a good old age and died
with his boots off For my own part, curling seems to be most
undoubtedly of Scottish origin, but i 1 .457 we fnid the Scottish
Parliament prohibiting golf and football as "unprofitable sports," no
mention being made of curling, from which
we may make the deduction that if the
game was then in vogue it was clas.sed
with archery as a i)rolitable sport.
riu' earliest literary notice of the game
"For the morning
after the night be-
fore" use ABBEY'S
Effervescent Salt.
si'oK'i> OF (;ri;atf:r uritain.
55
no
of curling is found in the "Muses Thrcnodie " (1638), where
we find :
"His liats his iioods, liis balls, his bones,
His allay bowles and curlinj,' stones,
The sacred games to celebiat."
The most ancient extant specimens of curling stones are to be seen
in the Macfarlane Museum, Stirling, one being dated 151 i. There
is a tradition that James IV of Scotland (1472-15 13) was a curler,
but there does not appear to be any evidence in supi)ort of this. It
seems as if curling was a b^nd of union between l':piscopalian and
Covenanter, for in 163S George (Iraham, I'.ishop of Orkney, was
charged with being ''a curler on the tee on the Sabbath day,''
while William (iuthrie, a noted Covenanter who lived about the
same date, was a keen curler.
By the end of the seventeenth century, the earlier tyi)e of
curling-stone without handle had been disj)laced. Still greater
progress was made in the course of last century. In such repute
was the game held in the Scottish capital that at the beginning of
the century the magistrates of Edinburgh are said to have marched
in procession, headed by a band of music playing the " Curler's
March," to open the sport on the North Loch.
Perhaps it is to Dr. John Cairnie (1833) that the present
generation of curlers are most indebted, for in his " Essay on
Curling"' he gives information as to the making of artificial rinks
on which c-urling might be had with very little frost. This system
has been developed till we see the enclosed rinks of the present
day. It is needless here to go into the history of the Ro\al
Caledonian (Mub, which was formed in 1838, and which is the
fountain head of the game, (airling seems to have found its way to
Canada as far back as the beginning of the present century, irons
being at the present time used instead of stones, in a great measure,
though in Ontario the time honored " stones '' are still in plav, the
principal stone in use being the ''Ailsa Craig."
It cannot be said that (-luling is seen
at its best in our covered rinks, as when
The Roses of Health come
to the cheeks
played on a fro/en lake or loch of pic- ; through the daily use of
tures''^^i'''^ ^ ^^"^^^ »"«."
— There! "That's anither mote i' their ee."
SPORTS OK GREATKR I!RITAI\. ry
" That's a seed in ihei, teetiV and with n self satisfied smile sli'()KT.s UK i;rkati;r nkicAiN. 61
cloor-post, exdaiming: -I'll learn ye to sit there and mak' thow."
I his IS one ot those instances in tlie game where the humor was
not seen by one of the parties interested.
Curlers are generally good husl)ands, and all the better for their
curhng. It has an excellent eflect on the tempt'r. it clears the brain
and warms the heart, and so the ladies give it their counte.iance and
encourage it ni many ways. 1 cannot conclude this all too brief
article on this genial game, in a better way than by cjuoting the Kev.
Henry Duncan.
" N'do fill a biiinper to the brim
And drinlv with tinea times three, man ;
May cinleis on life's slippery rink,
I' r.ne cruel rubs be free, man.
Or should a treacherous bias lea"
Their erring course ajee, man,
.- onie frit-ndly inrinLj may they meet
To guide them to the tee, man.
The author's thanks are due to Rev. J. K.-r for sundry
(piolations in the foregoing.
.'sN. T'«= ^■oundation of dtrength ^^
<^ is Health ^^
'^ ABBEYS "^'
^^ KKFtRVESCENP SALT ^^
*^^ is the I'Dundation of Health i^^*
( (
Canada for Canadians."
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" Che Eargest * Cbe Oldest • Cbe Best
HOME INSTITUTION
9f
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ESTABLISHED IN 1847.
Of tiie lushest class. Cone>pon(I with
PERCY MARLING,
CniiiMln Mfe AMNnrnnce Kiiihiin;;, M»KTRKAL.
For the Best Value in the City in
FURNITURE
AND
H. A. WILDER & CO.,
Down Town, 232 to 236 McGill Street.
Up Town, 2415 St. Catherine.
WISHING.
ff
'^
A I AN was, it is said, the father of lies, and as in old
Pnnts ii.. is often represented carrying a net over his
^ ^1^ ' %^ ^;lioiilder, tiiere is very little doubt hut that this sport of
^ fishiM- gav,. rise to the sayin- \ct it seems hard to
^H'^iT" ^"''" "" '' '' '''"'''' ''''"''' '" ^''^" ^""''y ^^'^^« t'^e wily
^Mf ''^''^■^'I'an brings us home. These same tales do anv
amount of service they tend to expand the imaKinatioii.
N\hy, I liave known in my own e\i)erience a lish to be
2U n>s.-"a real nice f.sh. old chap, don't cher know " -at eight
o clock at n.ght, whilst at ,. it has been "well, old man, I don't
mind telhng you, because you know 1 wouldn't tell you a cram, it
was a real f.eauty, 4-*^, and then not quite fit; don't go telling
where I was.'' Again, it makes men have a wonderful command
over their features : it is no good a man telling a story of this kind
without looking as sober as a judge, and looking, too, as if he
really believed it himself: whilst on the other hand it would be too
rude and ungenllemanly for the listener to express by even the
twinkle of an eye any doubt as to the veracity of his entertainer
Uhy, to do away with these "tales" on returning from a day's
fishing, would be like going to the theatre to see "'Hamlet " with
the character of Hamlet cut out, It may well be said as regards
fishing, if " the brave deserve the fair," then in the weather they
have often to put uf) with the plucky fisherman ought to fare well.
Taking into consideration the amount of water there is in
Canada, giving to the great number of enthusiasts in fishing such
facilities for pursuing the sport, I feel I am taking upon myself a
great responsibility by even giving a hint : I can assure your critics
I would not do so if it were not that I am
writing for the benefit of the young, and Abbey's Effervescent
not for the seasoned fisherman. Salt isahealth-gfiving,
In connection with fishing in Canada, health-preserving pre-
there is no doubt that the trout are not so ^^^ ^°°'
64
Sl'OlMS OF (IKLAIKK liRirAlN.
hig'iily cdLicak-d licie as they are at home, tlie si/.e of the Wags
lirought l)ack fully proving this. Here a man will bring back more
from one day's fishing than just as good a fisherman in ICngland
would i:atrii in a month. Vet there are plenty of fish, but they are
so worried by the continual endeavors to catch them, that they
become just as artful as the man who is after them. There is no
doul)t that even here the best lisherman will in the long run secure
the greatest catches, but at the same time the mere tyro will get
good *' bags,"' when in I'Lngland he woidd not cat<:h a fish in a week.
Of course this to a very great extent is accounted for by the fact
that in all preserved waters — and in the old country there is very
little free- -the use of bail is strictly forbidden. It is needless for
me to say that minnow is allowed in the Thames, for the trout in
this river, ranging from 3'- lbs. to 10 ll)s., and even larger, will not
look at a lly. Trout fishing in Canada is far more like that in
Ireland than any we have in I'higland.
I propose in this article to give a few hints as to lly fishing, and
tackle retjuired for th« same. To oroceed then to a description that
may be of use to the young hand. The rod should be light enough
to be managed easily with one hand, and should be chosen for
him by some old fisherman ; for with a rod, just the same as with
a gun or cricket bat, it is not the actual weight that is of so much
importance as the distribution of it. Draw off from y3ur reel from
15 to 18 feet of line, throw out to its extent, and fish in towards
\()U. Different men ad()|)t different ways of throwing the fiy, but it
really does ni>l matter which is followed, so that one has entire
control of one's rod and line, and can do what one likt'S with the
tlies. It is really is of no use to try to give theoretical lessons
in throwing the tly. for nothing but practice will ever give pro-
ficiency ; lei the beginner rather spend two or three days in watching
a gooil man ; then come home and practice in the b.ick garden,
putting down some objec-t to cast at. Do not be discouraged if, the
first few days you go fishing, you see other men catching fish with
— _ l\^^^, same l1v and in the same water vou have
■^.^ ^""-E-^ *3 , heen unsuccessful in : remember, Rome wds
Effervescent Salt, . , ,. , , , ■
the Foandation , ''"' '''"'' "\ ^''^^ ^'^^>' '''''^ ^''^ '"^^'^'^ '^''»'*
of Health. '*^^''^ only gained by hard practice, whereby
iu- is able to let his Hies pitch naturally upon
SI'MKIS OF CkKATKR HKITAIN.
the water :„d.h.r ouglu yo,, to take ,. hardly ,l«, he should have
aselfsat,sfied™,leo„ his countenan,, whilst doing .so, rri valrv
■s the great .est ,n ail sports, and the Osh taken by an e, ,er ou. of
water .Ineh ,,as l,ee„ „o,ed out of all .shape hy' .he 1.4™:^^:
Although as I have said ahove, praetiee is re,|ui"red more than
attythrng else u, throwing the «y, it „,ay be well to give a bin" 'r two
on ,t, tryurg ,„ point out where lie the dangers to the young hand
l.> watebu.g all begnrners it will be found that two or three fe "of
me drop on the water belore the fly : this is fa,al. The fly should
fall as nearly like the original as poss.ble, without anyr^'tl | '
ttsel touchM,g the water. To „,ake .be throw, sav frlu, Z2
oulde, w,th a rod of , , feet, take the east in rbe left hand so t a
the fly, s dear of, e ground, wub the rod pointing forward and to
the left . then on loosnrg the east, by a half side n.ove.nen, of the
arm, sweep the hue in a gentle ,urve till i, i., well behind you It it
here that a disaster n,ay oecur, for if the fl,. ;, j,,^,^ \ „, . ,,^
snapped rrght off. Having eseaped this .atastrophe, ,he li, l "
brought fron, hehnrd the head to the front ol ,l,e body, when it s
allowed to go forward to the full length of the arm, making ,l,e Hies
ptteb on the water gently. This being -lone it is requ.red To
n.ampulate tbem to look as n.uch like the real artiele as possible
As ,n all sports, the wat.hword of the young angler should be
I iltlGIICC
Remember ihat in striking a fish it is not ncce.ssary to put in
a 1 the force of arn, and shoulder, hut it only requires a sharp turn
of the wnst just to f... the hook in the (Ish. This mav seem
unnecessary advice, hut it will he found that the tvro ierks as if h«
were shark fishintr. ' ^ ^'^ " ^^
Before proceeding to talk of salmon fishing, 1 will try to prove
that .so.MK day there will have to he, even in Canada -full of llsh as
Its waters are-hetter preservation for trout, or there will be the
same cry as to tiie scarcity of fish that there is at present in ICnghmd
I know I shall be laughed at by nianv of , - ;"" '
those who go tishing even now and bring Abbey's Effervescent
home their do/ens in a day, but I am sure that Salt
those sportsmen who go out for the day's H"**®' ^ ^®^^ *■
sport, and who make a study of the subject _ . •"®v®^ts_l>isea8e.^^
E
66
SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
will give me some credit for my warning voice. The more the
country gets opened up and populated, the more fishermen there
will he, and naturally the more fish will be taken. I have been told
that there is a law making it illegal to net trout? If this is so, it
certainly is a dead letter in some districts. \Vhose duty is it to
take cognizance of this ? Have these laws, that seem to be dormant,
been made because our legislators, having nothing much on hand,
thought it well to frame something so as to ap()ear to be busy. Too
much praise cannot be given to the Montreal Fish and Game
Club for its exertions in the interests of sport, but it should
certainly have a greater amount of assistance from Government.
As regards the decrease of trout in some streams — especially
the smaller ones — in England, 1 am sure that this has been brought
al)out to some extent by over-preservation, paradoxical as this may
seem. There is every reast n to believe that there is more disease
now than formerly, for nature provided means in the shape of
otters, herons, etc., (which the keepers now kill off indiscriminately)
to rid the streams of those fish which might otherwise propagate
disease ; fur it is a well-known fact, that animals and birds of prey
find it far easier to catch the fish weakened by disease, and therefore
do so. It has been {)roved over and over again on the Scotch
grouse moors that it is far better to let the hawks remain to kill
diseased and weakly birds, and to put up with the loss of the few
healthy birds they may caijture, than to kill ihem off, and so allow
the whole moor to get diseased. Again, the entire abolition of the
use of the minnow has done harm. Now do not think I am an
admirer of the use of the minnow, i)ut there are limes when it is
allowable and justifiable ; for instance take a small stream that you
know holds half a do/en olu "warriors " about four pounds weight ;
you might fly fish till you wm- black in the tace, and you would not
get a rise. Now, one of these fish will eat more of its species in one
day than you will catch in ten. Under these circ umstances, is it
not belter for the sake of your after sport to use the minnow, with
. which you have some chance of catching him ?
ABBEY'S i I ilo not say that these latter causes will
Effervescent Salt militate against the fishing ii\ Canada ; but I
I do say that however plentiful il.e trout may
_ be, netting ought to be stopped at once, in
conunon fairness to those who fish honestly.
IS
V IVIFIC.
SPORTS OF GRKATER URIIAIN.
67
the nl r''^"''; '^'' " .' ''"^'" ^^^ ''^"^'^''*"" ^^ ^^^--y ^^-^herman, from
Lark ?7" N^'^'^' '"""^ "^' ^^^"^ '""'^'^'-^« f- ^tickle-
a salmon. L nfortunately, I have noticed that to whatever country
you nu.y go to attain this desirable end, it is rather an expensive
uxury ; .t^.s npart from tiie sport, a good deal cheaper to buy than
to catch, and therefore is like unto one of its concomitants the
cucumber, which is also cheaper to buy than to grow. In the' first
place you want a good " (Jreenheart " rod, of from ,6 to 20 feet in
ength ; spliced, I would say, for choice, as this gives nicer play
than any other arrangen,ent. It should balance about evenly where
the upper hand grasps it above the reel, which is placed about ten
inches from the butt. The line shr)uld not be less than eighty yards
long; and should taper down to nearly half its original si/e where
the cast ,s fed on : which c:ast, be it remembered, must be of saln,on
gut, a great deal thicker than that used for trout. To assist the
young fisherman in his first attempt to catch a salmon, I would
•strongly advise his getting some one who lives near to, and has often
fished the water he is gcmig to try, to aid him in his selectio.i of flies
and pomt out the different parts inhabited at various times by
salmon ; he will be able to go l)y himself another day; that is if the
water remains about the same height, but if it should be higher or
lower to any extent, let hin, apply for additional aid. As a rule the
larger the body of water, the larger the fly recjuired ; the size of the
Hy depends also to a certain extent on the color of the water.
This being a two-handed rod, it requires both more strength
and practice to become proficient in casting, than with the trout
rod. I would advise in c:a.st from the left shoulder backwards, then
brmg slowly and s-a.uiily our the right, then keep on accelerating
the speed till you ^ yards from the wicket,
he cannot be knocked about very much ; and I would have you
remember, both batsman and bowler, that that ball, though it be not
straight, is as good a one, save for bowling the man out, as if it were
straight : by this I mean that a good length ball off the wicket is as
hard, if not more so, to keep down, as when on the wicket. Be
sure, if you are to stray from this pitch, to let it be farther up and
not shorter ; for the farther you pitch up, within reason, the more
likely you are to get catches.
Always, when practising, bowl with the
same action, and in fact do everything the
same, as if you were in a match.
I )o not strive to get work or twist on
* The Roses of Health come
to the cheeks
through the daily use of
ABBEY'S
EFFERVESCENT SALT.
;(' SPORTS OF GREATKK liKlTAIN.
,,, the ball till you can iK)\vl straight and pitch the hall within 4 inches
III ^ of where you wish to. N'ariation of pace will get far more wickets
|| than miles of twist.
^ After all is said on the theory of bowling, there is one bald fact
for the bowler to grasj) ; that is, he must use his head in discovering
the weak spot in the batsman, for every batsman has one ; having
found it, then comes the time to make use of his store of theoretic
k. and of practical knowledge.
Finally, my bowler in embryo, ilon't get cross if a man misses a
catch ; smile as you were wont to smile ; keep your head cool
though you may be hit for six ; try him again, but give the ball a
litlle more elevation and shorten the length, when virtue may be
rewarded, and you may be able to study with pleasure the symmetry
of your opponent's back as he retires to the Pavilion.
iuthn'c.
I am sure it is unnecessary to jjoint out to cricketers that there
arc many wielders of the bat who cannot be called batsmen— the
former are (luite content to hit the ball one time in six, while the latter
lay themselves out to play the ganit-. It is not vc'-y difficult even
for an outsider to distinguish between them, l-'or any of my readers
who may not be (luite sure, I will take the liberty of giving a few
pointers. First, the "would-be"" batsman usually comes on the
ground late, taking care to let everyone know he has arrived.
Having satisfied the spectators of this important fact, he divests
himself of his natural garments and walks into the field, of course
not forgetting his cricket war-paint. He then proceeds to practice,
getting some jinnocent soul to bowl lobs to him so that he may
make sensational hits, and elicit ecstatic cheers from the ignorant
mob.
Mark on the other hand the "Cricketer,'* and by this I mean
the man who not only understands, but plays the game --how differ-
ently he behaves ; no fuss or bother -he has done his practice long
ago ; he may, perhaps, have half-a-do/en balls just to see if his eye
*uv \ ^^ 1 's straight, and there is an end of it : his
silSheX^! I '-'- '^ "" ^-'''' ^^^"^^'"^ ^-^ ^' '"^^ »-
health-preserviig pre- "'"""^"^ '• ^'^ ^^^'^ "«^ ^^'^"^ a band of
music to usher hmi into the wicket ; and
-' when asked, " How was that ?" instead of
SPORTS f)K f.ur.vrKR liRITAIN.
77
answering, " Oh, awful luck vou know, old chap ; hall hit on a bit
of dirt, you know;" our critkcitr replies grimly, "Hit my wicket
down, coiifoun.l it." This, young players, is rather a homily to you
on how to play the batstuans game theoretically ; now I will try in
my poor way to throw it into practical form.
Here again I repeal that these hints, as well as those on
bowling, are intended for young players ; though of course I will
consider it a comi)limeiU if older men fmd them worth reading.
'I'o business then : First of all, you play with too large a bat ;
now, don't mistake me, 1 do not mean too broad, but too heavy and
too long in tia- handle. I5v all means use a bat with as large a
surface as cricket law will allow. No boy can play <:;-/<:/&<'/— though
many attcm|)t it with a bat that weighs 2 lbs. 2 o/. at the most,
and which he has not had (piite one-half inch cut off the ordinary
handle. After having selected his bat of about this weight, the
corresponding thickest nart being about 2 '4 inches from the bottom,
he should then get the handle to fit his hand, so as to be able to
get a good grip of it. Handles are, as a rule, made too small, a
fault easily remedied by adding another layer of twine, or, if this is
not sufficient, a coating of wash-leather ; though I do not advise this
for those in the hal)it of making centuries, as it is apt to get greasy.
I presume now thai you are fitted out, but still I suppose you
want " pads " and gloves. Well, in choosing the former, though the
bat ought to |)rotect wickets and legs, get a pair that fit, and see
that the straps are perfect before you go in to bat ; and for the latter,
always have a new pair to lend a novice, while you borrow a good
old pair from some confiding friend for your own use. Take my
word for it, you will be far more comfortable.
Always look at the batting list before the innings commences ;
and I would advise that yon should make your entry from the
pavilion — from whence you are expected— and not draw extra atten-
tion to yourself by coming from some shady spot on the ground, or
from the grand stand, then your duck's egg — if the fates have it so —
will be far more palatable. Having got to the
wicket, take guard still without fuss : by
guard I mean get to know that your right
foot is clear of the wicket, that is, that your
toe is as nearly in a line with the leg stump as
Health comes Arom
the daily use of
Abbey's
Effervescent Salt
78
SPORTS OF GRRATKR BRITAIN.
is possible without covering it ; this being done, it does not matter
in the least wliere your bat is, for to a certain extent you will be
bound to follow out the golden rule of a batsman, '* Keep your bat
straight " I This is the whole secret for young players ; old ones
may take liberties by which they suffer : keej) your bat straight, and
coMinu)n sense must tell you that the bowler has pretty hard work to
hit your wicket.
This renunds nie of an anecdote of a boy who, looking on at a
match, with his mother, and being rather down-hearted because his
side was getting the worst of it, on being reminded that his brother
had yet to go in, said : "Pooh! he don't play with a straight bat " :
upon which his fond parent remarked consolingly, " Never mind
boy, I'll buy him a straight one I "
Meing now in position I take it for granted you have in your
mind's eye t'ne position of the fieldsmen ~ you are ready to receive
ttie attack of your whilom enemy, the bowler -as regards whom,
never mind what idiotic gyrations, or tortuous windings he may go
through, remember it is not the man you have to play, but the ball —
therefore you have to keep your eye on the ball, and the ball only.
The ball having left the bowler's hand, it is for you to make up your
mind at once how it is to be played ; for should you be caught in
two minds, woe betide you. Of course this is a matter of practice,
but to assist you at the critical time, tlie following rules will be a fair
guide : ist -Should the wicket be hard and i^ood, play right straight
out, keeping the left shoulder as well ovt "^e hot as possible, which
will enable you to keep the ball along the • lloor." 2nd — The wicket
being dead, i.e. slow, play l)ack, watching carefully the break, whether
it be frcni the off or leg, by which means you may be ready to take
full advantage of that sweetest of all sweet things— a I'Mig hop. To
assist you a little further, when watching the delivery of the ball
your eye should practice itself to tike in the bowler's wrist : should
the Hudcr [)art turn upwards, which is the ca>e 90 times out of a
hundred, the ball will break into you :
' ut if the toj) |)art turns upwards, the
ball will cdtne in from tiie leg. As 1
am here talking to beginners I will not
bother you willi ai.y remarks as to
'• placing"— this you may or may not
Happiness is the outcome
ot Health. Health is
the outcome of the use
of Abbey's Effervesc Mit
Salt.
si'Okrs or c.reatkr r.KiTAiN.
79
be able to do wiih, say two or three years hard practice, ^^'e will
now take it that our young batsman has been playing carefully, and
has his double figure, I would here advise that the batsman should
count all his runs ; it makes him [)lay far more steadily, apart from
the good done to the memory and the player's arithmetic; he should
not then think it time to go in for a smile or gallery stroke, but play
the innings through as he has commenced ; he will have plenty of
opportuni'.ics of hilling bad balls without any risk, keeping in mind
the fact that batsmen are put out by their own foolishness far oftener
than by the cleverness oi the bowler. Keep away from all fanry
strokes, such as the "draw."" playing "under the leg," "cutting off
the middle stump, " etc., etc. ; liiese are all very well for old hands,
but sudden death to ihe youngster.
I am afraid my young reader will say, " its all very fine : he
tells me what not lo do, and does not say much about what we are
to do." 'I'o this I answer, '' If you follow out these few main rules
as to what not to do, and if you have cricket in you, instinct will
most assuredly suggest wiiat you are to do. IJut should you do
what you ought not to do, instinct has no chance to assist you."
Al)Ove I have said " if you have cricket in you." Now, if you have
not, it is no more use for you to try and rise al)0ve the level of the
mediocre school-boy player tiian for one wIkj lias no music in him
to endeavor to become a .Mo/art.
To be a good cricketer, the game must be inherited just the
same as music, painting, etc. This bt ing so, steady practice does
the rest. Now just one word as to running ; for nothing looks so
utterly feeble as to see men collide in the middle of the wicket.
'1 "o avoid such cntastrophes, alwavs run to your left. When
called, make up xour luiiKl at once whether you will run or slop
your partner ; if the latter it nuist be done instantaneously, or the
• blame is on your shoulders. Theie is no reason or law against you
saying " No," if \()U do not think you are ahle to make the run.
Should the jioiiit be contested, you ma\'
remind your partner that it lakes two to , _ ««v«^^ o^ «»w«,i-vBt, ,
make a run, and that the fac! of his gelling
down to your wicket doi s not necessarily
ensure your getting luck to his.
Nature's Greatest
Gift is Health.
Abbey's Effervescent
Salt gives Health.
I
The
Standard
IjZIPE
Assurance =• Company,
OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND.
ESTABLISHED 1825.
(SI. — • — .®
Head Office in Canada, - Montreal.
Subsisting Assurances $117,000,000
Invested Fumls 42,000.000
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J. HUTTON BflliFOUH, W. m. HRCnSRV,
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GOLF,
i',-„twi^
[VJOW that (loir has taken siu'li a prominent position in
^ the worlJ of s|>oi"l, it is impossil)li.', in such a small
* hook as tliis is, to i^ive that amount of attention the
game deserves. This is all tlie more to be regretted
since no l)ody of men are more willing to pay for
■^^^S- I'tt-'ralure [)ertauiing to their favorite game than are
t^ A^^ golfers, and no tjody of men criticise the work more
keenly. Still, a hook with the title this one possesses,
would be far from comjilele without (lolf, so I must e'en brave the
critics, and with some kind assistance from Mr. Lanskill, trust that
mv Haying may l)e of a gmile nature.
Of the origin and history of this game little need be said. The
term 'golf,'' |)r(inounce(l ,i;;o/f, is evidently derived from tlie (icrman
v.'ord /y-if//>(', signifying a club, or llie Dutch woid /co//, of similar
meaning, and impKing a game \vhic;h is placed with club and ball,
(lames with club and tiall are numi.rous. and tneir origin is doubt-
less coeval with man.
lUit so far as liriiain is concerned, the origin ot golf must be
conceded to Scotland, where, as early as March, 1457, the game was
being played with sw h zeal as greatly to interfere wid^ what was
deemed a more popular necessity, vi/., that of training in archer)'.
Although decit-es were passed that golf *' l>r cryit do:^n and rocht
usit^' and that ■'//(' ['lace be used for fntehalL i:oife, or other sik
unprolitabill spoytCi^' the [uople gave no heed. Somehow they had
l)e»\.nie pc.ssessetl nf so fascinating a sjiort, that it further be(-ame
necessarv to ''prohibit such pasty me as i^o// upon the Sabbath day.''
It mav be the people were more anumable to this last decree, but
nothing could dislodge the lnvc and dr'light -
which the peo[)le of Scotland have always
The constant use of
1 r I .1 r , rr,J \ Abbey's Eftisrvesoent
entertauied for this their lavorite game. i_ .. •'... .
In the end, however, it was rei i)gni/.e(
"' '^' [Salt will keep you in
''*' '^' I good health.
the national game of Scotland, and mon-
82
si-ORTS oi (;ki..\ii:k hkiiain.
arclis iKjcaiiK' not only its ])air()i)s, hut thty also distinguislied
themselves in the practice of the noble science.
M\- oliject is not merely to in( ite a love for the game. I desire
at the outset to notice sonu' of its many advantages. To play the
game successfully requires a vast amount of most prompt and careful
judgment, it entails also the most iinigoraling and healthy action
of arms and legs. Indeed, I might sav, although in regard to it
there may lie e\ci'ptions, a good golfer should possess the cool head
of a professional whist or chess player. He shoukl possess, more-
over, the arms of a navv} or Macksmith, and the imtiring energy of a
September sjx)! tsman.
In golluig there is no st;ition;uy \voil< for either legs, arms, or
brain. Like the fact' of nature, the game is a series of jjerpetual
changes. I'roblem aht r problem, or, if you like it better, difficulty
after difficult)- arises, which you are calKd upon to surmount by coo)
judgment and prompt ac lion. And as thosi- dililicullies, subject as
they are to llie ruks ol ciiance, may never oi-cur twice untler similar
cirtaiices, the exercise of judgment has therefore the wider
scope. In golfing there ts no tall, as in the game of cricket, for any
sudden and \iolenl e.\ercise to be followed b\ a chilling inactivitv.
There are some men to whom the term "tluffer"'is a|)[)lied.
Man\ of such men an- blessi'd with great nuiscular power, and
nothing seems to give them so nuich pleasure as driving a ball
single-handeti, and in that way fuml)ling, to[)ping and bunkering
over a golf (ourse. I!ut e\fn an indifferent player, or an elderly
man who cannot stand too much hard work, can indulge in a
modified form of the game-, lie may |)lay in what is called a
"foursome" by securing a partner better (pialilied than himself, or
by special arrangement he may hire a first-class professional to |)ull
him through. As a rule, a bad driver is a good ha:;d at trie short
game. A foursome IS b\ no means such hard work as a "single.
In the former case, the partners playing every alternate stroke, it
amounts to just one half of arms' work, unless one's ally is con-
tinually landing himself in the jaws of some
Abbey's Ettervescent terrific san tlir same -reen without any collision whatever!
This arises iVom tiu' fact that all su'.mii to i|,i. strict discipline ot the
game. Indeed, a -..It" rule comnunds. I feMi, more respe. t and
prompt ()lw;di..Mic.e tiian 'i ol play, you
blood pure. ' '^'^"'^ ^"■'^'^^ >'""■ attention to the ball.
— — ' Remember this —while in the act of
SI'DRTS OF CKKAII.K l;KIIAI.\.
S7
making a .strokL-, do not on any account allow your eyes lu waiidur
from the ball ; no, not for an instant. Aim at strikinj; tiie hall with
the ccnLre of the lace of the iluh, and strike well at the root of the
ball so as to avoid topfjing or missing the b;ill allogetlier. Ii would
be belter to .?6-///(?//" the turraluile, i\\k\ give the ball a chance of
going, rather than to continue the habit of hilling the ball on the
top. A lopped Ixill makes no progress, and the action presents a
most unseemly operation on the part of the i)laver.
Having acquired a knowledge of ihc ccjrrect style, position and
swing for driving, then by nil means go out alone and iMaclise all day,
from day to day, until i)roliciencv therein is attained. Nou might
ifpo.ssible, choose as your companion an c\|)cricn.ed caddie, who
would take no small interest in your efforts ; and nou would do well
to invite his criticism, ksl any fault be unconsciouslv ilevelo|)ed in
your exercise.
Do not as a beginner be over-anxious to play in matches, but
spend much time in (uiiet |)raclice alone. Ncj one. with any
ex[)erience, cares to i)lay with an erratic beginner, because it lends
to make even a good player careless, l-aults are infectious.
I'll riN(;.
1 will now proceed to give you some few hints on putting.
Many of the best players vary in their standing position while
putting. Some stand in front of the ball, while others lake up a
position behind it. Some, again, will stand near, and others as far
as possible hom the ball ; while some will grij) the < lub short, and
others give it its full length. i!ul the following is, I think, the best
course to adopt : Stand s(|uare to the ball, having the feet about
eighteen inches apart, and so arrange yourself that the ball may lie
a little nearer to the right foot than lo the left. Aim at the back of
the hole — which means the further side f>f the iiole from where you
stand and allow the i)ulter, in its motion, to follow the ball. Hut
in doing so be careful to avoid shoving or [lushing. The ball must
be played fairly and honestly for the
hole. I have said, aim at the back of Happiness is the outcome i
the hole. At first sight, possibly the I ot Health. Health is I
reason for this may not be ap|)arent. the outcome of the use |
rpi 1 • .1 f ^1 I 11 f V of Abbey's Eftervescent
The simple reason is that the ball, if it : „ ,. •'
' Salt.
fall short of the hole, has no chance of
88
SI'ORTS OK CkKAIKK imiTAIN.
going in. I therefore say, give the ball a chance. The common
advice of a professional teacher to a beginner is, " Remember the
hole will not^conie to you."
'I'he above advice holds good whether you use wooden or iron
putters. l"'or my part I prefer the former. Still, if a ball lies cupped
on the green, then by all means use a cleek, which is a most useful
club when holing out.
In using the " cleek " let the club lie naturally, and do not
place it so as to make its face s(|uare to the ball. In that case you
would necessarily be obliged to stand very much in front of the ball,
and the hands being thus brought too much in advance of the club
head, a truly following stroke under such circumstances could hardly
be made,
rr.KiNc.
I have already explained the teeingground, and now, on the
subject of teeing, I offer you the following hints. Whether the
teeing be done by yourself, or whether it be done, as is usual, by the
caddie whom you engage to carry your clubs while at play, see that
only a small pinch of sand be used for the purpose. A ball placed
upon a positive mound of sand is as unsightly as it is unnecessary,
and the practice is most absurd. Note well, the sand should be so
pinched up as to touch only the centre of the ball. Some caddies
and inexperienced persons will sometimes put down a big i)at of
sand, into the centre of which they positively press the ball. That
ball 1 consider to be bunkered rather than teed.
CKNKR.M, ADVKK.
Lastly, I come to more general advice, which 1 trust may be
also useful to a beginner. It not unfretjuenlly happens that the first
day's play of a beginner is better than the second. At this be not
disheartened ; it simply suggests the necessity of more steady and
(^iet practice. If in playing you lose a hole, especially at the com-
mencement of the game, do not begin to fume and fret over it like
a child over spilt milk. Remember that other holes are before you,
and by steadying down you may possibly
do better with them. This holds good
both in score and hole play. Many a good
player may start with a record of two or
three holes to the bad, but in the end he
Nature's Greatest
Gift is Health.
Abbey's Effervescent
Salt gives Health.
.SI'ORTS Ol' CkKAlKR IIKIIAIN,
89
may have so retrieved himself as to come in with a good srore, and
possibly, alter all, he may t)e amKniiiced the winner. Never talk of
bad luck. If you make a bad shot, do not on the next occasion
dash at the ball in a rage and hit wildly, in which case the last
stroke will, in all probability, be worse than the former. Do not in
a fit of passion throw your clubs about. Such an effort could
certainly do you no good, and it might be destructive to your clubb'.
Always remember that a bad stroke is not the fault of the club, but
of the man at the entl of it.
The roiindation ol Strength ><7,
. ^ KHHERVKSCKNT -SALT ^—^
*^^ is the I'ountiation of Health ^vii*
C^ is Health.
•^^ ABBKY'5
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
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1^ 1112.2
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2.0
1.8
1.25 1.4
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Photographic
Sciences
Corpor&don
4
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[V
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LACROSSE.
C) wiile ii[)on Lacrosse in Montreal, at first si<^ht seems
not only a work of su[)ereroj^atioii, i/dt also a rather
darinir venture, considering that from the small hoy
with his minaturc lacrosse, to the veteran with many
scars gained in the game, ahout (;o per cent, of the
'^ci''^ Ijopulation arrogate to themselves tiie right to criticize
-^ both exponents of and writers on the game. Under these
circumstances 1 have thouglit it wiser to give merely
general observations on the ])lay, rather than a scientific article on
the intricacies of the game. The following short history of the game
may be interesting to those who have not yet read of the game in
its infancy.
The game of lacrosse has a very interesting past. It is the
invention of the Xorth American Indians, and it is highly i)robab!e
that it was played by them as a formulated jiastime as far back as
we know |)olo to have been by the Persians. Catlin, in his travels
sixty years ago, found tribes lo the number of fortv-eight, and
separated by a distance of three thousand miles, playing the early
form of the pn.^sent lacrosse in a way that proved it to be a well-
established thing, but the earlier records which exist in connection
with polo are wanting. In Callin's time, and later, the game was
something more than a mere i)astime on occasions, for when tribe
met tril)e the interest a|)proached the nature of warfare, the exinte-
menl prevailing being no doubt the prototy[)e of what is now
witnessed with ourselves amongst the partisans of the contesting
sides in a ( 'apital t.s. .Shamrock match. The night previous to the
game would be s])eiit in savage modes of preparation, which would
but ill accord with our modern notions of ,
training. The whole of the available , The Roses of Health come
to the cheeks
males of each tribe appeared to take part ' through the daily use of
in the contest : indeed, Catlin's i)ictures abbkvs
, , 1 , I ,1 1 „ I^FFF.RVfiSCENT SALT.
show some huinlrcds engaged. 1 he ball '
92
SPORTS OV ClkKAlKK imi'IAIN.
was of deer skin, stuffed with hair, and the ciosse in which it was
carried was a small affair compared with that now in nse, the netting
being not much larger than the ball. Two crosses are spoken of,
in some cases, the ball being held between the two. Tribes varied
a little in their modes of play, whilst each made a "point of using
some particular form of crosse.
Crosse is, of course, a more modern term, given by the French
Canadians, because the form of the implement used suggested the
Bisho[)'s cro/.itr. From this it is clear that the game, as seen by
Catlin, had undergone some development before reaching Montreal
and other of the more Eastern towns, 'i'he game, as played before
Catlin, must have been a terrific scramble, and without combination.
Amongst so many players one could not expect to secure the ball
often, so he had to do the most he could when it came in his way.
It is not difficult to imagine the frantic efforts which some athletic
young brave would make to carry the ball into the goal, and probably
he would become considerably damaged in the process. These
efforts, it is amusing to learn, were further inspired in the case of
married men by the privilege which extended to the wif*^ of making
a formitable birch out of hazel switches, and with it relentlessly
thrashing her spouse whenever his efforts slackened. As the i)layers
wore nothing but a waist-cloth — paint and feathers distinguished one
side from the other — the woman was able to inflict considerable
punishment; and it was considered shockingly bad form on the part
of the husband to offer violence in return. The reason for the
extension of a privilege so unusual in the case o." an Indian squaw,
was the fact that the women invariably staked a considerable quan-
tity of their worldly goods upon the issue of the game. Goals under
ordinary conditions, i.e., from two hundred to two hundred and fifty
yards apart, appear to have been very easily gained, for the game
was commonly one of one hundred i^oints up, each goal counting
one point. And now note a very curious thing : did the score reach
ninety-five all, the players were allowed to set to ten. It is surprising
indeed, to find a custom in vogue at rackets
and fives developed in the natural order of
things by .savages with whom we could have
hatl no communion, living across some thou-
sands of miles of ocean. The goal posts were
ABBEY'S
Effervescent Salt
Excites
the Appetite.
SPORTS OF CRKATKR nRil'AIN.
93
over twenty feet hi^di, and sometimes the players had only to i^et tlie
ball across a goal-line, which would account for the rapid scoring.
The old men of the tribes made all preparations, and acted as
umpires. The testimony of otiier travellers goes to show that the
playing of lacrosse, or the ball-game, as it was called by che Indians,
was one of the occu[jations of their life.
c;KNKRAI, OMSKItNAllONS ON I'l.AV IN IHI'. IIKLI).
The almost universal ust- of the overhand throw has made the
game faster than it was in the first days of its introduction, and there
is less running, l)e('ause men are more accurate with their throws,
and more handy with their crosses. The old game once consisted
of a speedy wing man running down at right angles to the goal, and
then ttirowing the ball across, so that it fell in front of the posts.
iiut it was soon realised that this could be done much more expe-
ditiously by the throw from the centre of the field without much
pre[)aratory running. iUit these tactics were not persisted in so
soon as defence men took lo holding down the crosses of the attacks
as the ball approached and kit the goal-keeper to deal with the ball.
No two teams play precisely the same game ; but, as a general thing,
it may be assunn;d that the object of the manieuvring is to pass the
ball on to one t)l' the homes, who shoots at goal. The rapidity with
which this is at times accomplished is one of tlie features of the
game.
A single mistake on the part of a defence player, and the
ball may be through the goal in fifteen or twenty second from the
start. This is not a hypothetical case, for it happens every season.
In the early days of the game, when tlie matches we.e three goals
out of *^.ve, the actual play seen in a match of the highest imi)ortance
might not exceed half a-do/en minutes, so rajjidly were tlie three
goals scored by one side. Now matches are played differently, and
it is wonderful that paying spectators ever tolerated tlu' abt)ve system.
I refer to this matter with set purpose, for the beginner cannot too
soon engraft the fa(~t on his mind, that the ball 'can be made to
travel through the air some two or three times
faster than a man can run along the ground, i Health comes from
Consequently, the most expeditious way of \ *^® J^^^y ^]^^ °^
, ,, • , ' . I Abbeys
getting a ball to a given spot, is lo throw u j Effervescent Salt
there, and not to carry it thither on the crosse. '
94
SI'ORTS OF f.RF.AIKR l!RII'AI\.
'I"lu' |;l,i\i'r iK'i'il iiL'wr fcnr that his It'L^s will not have had sufficient
exeicisr liy llu' .iiiir tiu' iiuilch is over. At lacMosse there is none
of llie loui h line pl:i\' which gi\es football plavers uiuler hotli codes
short iiuer\;i!s o[ lireathiiig s])ace : the ball is always traxellint;, and
ihuse |)l,i\e;s will L;ei on best who can save their powers for those
oc(asion> wlun [\]c ball conies in their vicinity and they have to
liL;ht for il with an opponent, 'i'lie sudden sprint at top s|)eed
which uels the i)la\er to the ball before the opponent is what is
valuable in the runnel'. It mav be that no other course than running
lies open to him. in that event he must run; but, if a irieiul placed
in a favorable ])osilion be unchecked, the ball should go U) him on
the instant. Running gives the opi)onents time to concenlrate, and
to co\(.r their men. Kunning has been called the refuge of the bad
pla\er, and certain it is that an inveterate runner will alwa)s be one
who is not cle\er with his crosse. He is a nuisance on a side, for
there can be no combination with a man who is jjerpetually sprinting
half the length of the field.
Lacrosse is not a game of sustained effort, but one of a succes-
sion of little tussles, the sharper while they last for being short-lived.
The player's motto should be. obtain the ball as often as you can ;
hold il as little as you can. But this motto cannot be followed out
in jjiactice if the player does not (jualify himself therefor. What a
novice wants is to have the ball frequently on his crosse, and if
is put green-handed into a match this is precisely what he does not
get. There is no ([uicker way of getting handy with the crosse than
by forming a ring of four or five pla)ers (svith five or more, two balls
can be circulating at the same time) and throwing the ball from one
to the other. th(; thro\vs being varied as nmch as possible. It is not
necessary to hn\e more than one (if the players an e\[)ert, but there
should !)e at least one who initiates the learners into the various
throws and the manner of catching the ball. It must be the object
of each man to i)ass the ball on with the greatest ex|)edition.
Catches will come to him high and low, and wide on either side^ and
the throws have to be made from those
Abbey's Effervescent j positions, the player not being supposed to
Salt is a health-giving, j .-evert to his favorite attitude before throw-
health-preserving pre- ■ ^j^
pavation. i
Anotlier essential thing to practise is
«''ORTs OF (IRKATKR Kkita.X. ^^
into .l,e o,u.,r..„..|,d .:",";: "; ' ^"'^-'- ^ ^'« "- '■all falls
ahead ,I,x.,, „„t ,„al,« .„;,'' """,■'" """"■'• ' '"'I-'"" far
'« avoided . .,„ ■ Vs ,':;,::'" '^ ^"-^''■'■'"'" -'- "- >"
.i>eov:H:,d;i:;;:'';:;:,'';';::r:;;r' '-''■- "-"'-• '-^
difficuhies ° ' ■"■ '" ""-■■"■ 'l"-^ly a..d a..curau.|y „„de,-
Of dj pi;;:::':: ::;:;'''• 'i^;'™ '•""-"" ^i- u,e , hentele. We hive relaxed no .fforts in
,„,r fii.U-ivors to kceiJ ii'ir lin-.in,.--,s coiuinuiUy in a tliorou^'h ■■ M/t /■j r.-i«,x;^.
OHMRGES 7WYODERKTE.
montreal JImateur JItbletic J1$$ociation.
jVTO hook on Sports emanating from Montreal would he complete
*■ ^ without reference heing made to what is now a landmark of
the city, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, which has done
so much to foster an interest in the different branches of s[)ort which
are connected with it. Its aims are to kee[) each sport on a strictly
amateur basis, which in these days of mixing the pay of the
professional with the social standing of the amateur, is indeed a
herculean task ; still, with energetic committees with the good of
athletics at heart, there is little fear of the result. 'l"he city of
Montreal should be proud of such an institution, for its influences
are widespread, and are used more especially for the good of youth.
It ma/ be of interest to give a short history of the club, for some of
the facts for which I have to return my thanks to the Montreal
IVi/ness,
THE FOR.MA'IION Ol' THK M. A. A. A.
Its formation originated in the minds of some of the older
members of the senior clui)S, and its history briefly told is as
follows ; In 1859 a gymnasium club was organized. This club in
1862 induced the Mctiill University authorities to erect a gymnasium
near the old High School, to be used conjointly for the benefit of
the pupils and the club. In 1867 the members formed a joint
stock company and erected on the corner of Mansfield and Burnside
streets the splendid and commodious stone edifice now owned and
occupied by the M.A.A.A. The gymnastic institution flourished for
some years, but later interest in it fell off, especially on the part of
the younger members. This was the condition of things in March
1877, when the officers of the Montreal Lacrosse and Snowshoe
Clubs determined tD have some fixed habi-
tation for club meetings. They leased two
rooms in the Montreal Gymnasium. This
joint occupancy was continued until the
end of 1878, when the gymnasium directors.
Abbey's Effervescent
Salt
Cures as well as
Prevents Disease.
I02 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
finding they were gradually but surely falling in arrears, for they
had a heavy mortgage on the building, determined to sell the
proi)erty. The two clubs, finding that the rooms they occupied had
been of great use to them, made overtures to the gymnasium
authorities to lease the whole building for a term of years. After
some trouble this proposition was accepted in January, 1879, at
a rental of $1,000 a year. The gymnasium was then thoroughly
overhauled and a shooting gallery added. Rules and regulations
relating to the new order of existence were promulgated, and card
playing and gambling were strictly prohibited. The clubs prospered
under the new regime. Some of the leading spirits who had thus
far guided events now proposed a scheme to save the gymnasium
for athletics and the building as a home for the clubs. The rental
barely gave the directors enough to pay the interest on the mort-
gage and other sundry expenses, and they were still talking of selling.
The clubs accordingly offered to assume the mortgage if the share-
holders would deed over to them the property, and receive in return
a life membership in the building and club house. After some
months talking about the scheme, in April, 1881, the Lacrosse,
Snowshoe and Bicycle Clubs (the latter joining in order to assist the
scheme) found themselves in possession of a home of their own and
a valuable acquisition towards the promotion of athletic interests.
In June, 1881, an act of incorporation was passed by the
Provincial Parliament at Quebec, and under the name of "The
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association," the Montreal Gymnasium
lost its identity in its amalgamated successor. Such was the forma-
tion of the Association. From that time it has " boomed " in every
sense of the term. Above all, its membership increased — one of
the healthiest signs of an institution — it became a most popular
resort. It had a most salient feature, and one which without any
doubt contributed very largely towards its success, the evils of
gambling and drink were most strictly eliminated.
The M.A.A.A. is composed of six clubs— the Montreal Lacrosse
Club, the Montreal Snowshoe Club, the
Montreal Bicycle Club, the Montreal Football
Club, the Montreal Cricket Club, and the
Tuque Bleue Toboggan Club. The Associa-
tion chose for its crest a unique conception
Health comes from
the daily use of
Abbey's
Effervescent Salt.
SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN. I03
in the shape of a winged wheel on a double barred shield
under which is the motto : " Jungor ut Implear," which means
literally " Union is strength." It is due to the manner in which the
Association stuck to this motto the success which it has attained at
the present day.
Montreal athletes keep on improving if only in booming athletic
sports, and no greater evidence is there of the truth of this than that
great monument to Montreal's love ot athletic sports, the Montreal
Amateur Athletic Association. This great institution is the result of
the natural inclination of the Montrealer for athletics, and the pre"
dominance of amateur athletic sports over professional — predomin-
ance which existed in Greece, was perpetuated in Great Britain, and
to-day is so much in evidence in the M. A. A. A.
In concluding this short story of the club I would again refer
to the influence for good — moral as well as physical — which the
M. A. A. A. exercises over the young men of this city and which
is very great. Thtre they learn the true value and meaning
of honor and fair play. They are safe-guarded against gambling
and strong drink. The founder, in order to eliminate all fear
of the former, prohibited the playing of cards ; while as for
drink, nothing of the kind is tolerated on the premises. There
they learn practically that when the body is kept in a healthful
condition by exercise, liquor becomes repulsive to the senses.
Among some of its maxims it says that " daily exercise will wonder-
fully help young men, in connection with cool baths and a simple
diet, to live chaste lives." The M. A. A. A. also engenders
a feeling of loyalty among the young men for everything Canadian
and national.
I cannot close this short tribute without congratulating the
members on their selection of President. Mr. Sheppard is himself
a young man, consequently is able to look with a more lenient eye
on any little infraction of rules, occasioned by nothing more harmful
than the exuberance of youthful spirits,
than would a man whose age has made
him forget the follies of youth.
Happiness is the outcome
of Health. Health is
the outcome of the use
The Association, too, should be | of Abbey's Effervescent
proud in possessing the President of
Salt.
104 SPORTS OF GREATER BRITAIN.
the Amateur Athletic Association of Canada as a member, in
tlie person of Mr. H. Brophy, and all true lovers of clean sport
will congratulate him on his temerity in so quickly tackling the
amateur status after his accession to power.
Last, but by no means least, comes the name of the Secretary,
Mr. Herbert lirown, whose arduous, and at times thankless duties, ]^
are so thoroughly and genially carried out. It is safe to say that as
long as he holds the position, the wants— within reason— of the I
members will be studied to the best of his ability. «
Long may the M. A. A. A. flourish like the proverbial "green
bay tree " to carry on its good work.
^^->^! The Roses of Health come \y^,
^-^ to the cheeks ^^
ABBEY'S ^^
*/^\ EFFERVESCENT SALT.
*^\ through the daily use of
'^
•
■^t
r^H**- ,*^7*.i-" ♦^•.- ■ ,.'r^'*i^*;-^f'
I
Beaver Line
JRoyal Mail Steamships
SAILING WEEKLY BETWEEN
Liverpool aqd Monlfeal, ■ in ^ummEii
Liverpool aqd ^t John, W.B. in Winter"
CALLING AT MOVILLE AND RIMOUSKI
to land and embark Passenpers and Mails in Summer, and Halifax and
Moville in Winter.
From Liverpool Every Saturday.
From Montreal or St. John.. Every Wednesday.
" LAKE ONTAEIO," " LAKE SUPEEIOR,"
"LAKEHUEON," "LAKE WINNIPEG," "GALUA."
These Steamer* have been built specially for the North Atlantic
Passenger trade and hare excellent accommodation for all classes of
Passengers.
RATES OF PASSAGE TO LIVERPOOL:
First Cabin... .....$50.50 and upwards.
RoundTrip $»oo. $»05 and upwards.
Second Cabin to Liverpool or London 'if.^^^
Round Trip *^*'-75
STEERAGE AT LOWEST RATES. INCLUDING COMPLETE OUTFIT.
^rSPECIAL BAIL RATES TO AND TBOM ALt POIWTS.-^
Passengers and Baggage from the West are transferred at Montreal and
St. John from Depots to Steamers Freb.
AGENTS:
D. W. CAMPBELL. Hgr.. D. & C. flACiVER. Hgrs..
18 Hospilal St., Montreal Tower Building, Liverpool.
Asento In nil principal Towns and Cities.
I
BOVRIL
TKe post Perfect Fonn or Gonceiitrateii iioorisiiDieiit.
'•The Glory of a Han is his Strength."
l5vJ V Wyl L is the best Training Food for
Athletes, it produces Strength and fluscle with-
out adding superfluous fat.
It is used and recommended by all the leading
Athletes of the day.
BOVRIL LiniTED,
3o Farringdon Street, London, Eng.,
And 27 St. Peter Street, Hontreal.