Handicapping Runners.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3163, 26 March 1889, Page 2

Handicapping Runners.

The following kintß on handicap, pirig, taken from an American paper, should receive attention from Jpl athletes:—A handicapper'slot rffbt ' a happy one, To. handicap runnors on tbeir true merits is an utter impossibility. A man may rim well one day, and the noxt. a yard or so slower, A man's condition should - never count in handicapping him, When.a man entera a race he is supposed to be in the best possible shape, aud if not in good trim it is his orD fault, and ho should be liandicapjjgL - .. the same as if be were in trim, MoB./ runners aro inolined,to be selfish, They want a sure thing or they com- <, plain of unfairness. In handicapping '\ a race the best,runner (scratch man) f deserves ' the most consideration I , beoauso he is at a disadvantage in run- ' ; i niag through his men, and again he is considered the best man in the race ' ? and the doubt, if any should be in his favor, We find now meri iriour field trials, hut miss them at the next mooting because they could not win'cr wore dissatisfied with their running No man can go out and make a goourun- I ner in a day. It takes praotico like J| everything else, audi am soiry to seo so many give up after Iheir flat race. Jumpingeventssbould never be handicapped. In a long jump a man will vary fromone to three feet in his jumping, and every jumping avent that has tikeu place on the coast in the last few years has been a surprise and disappointment. In a high jump many men will vary two to threo inches on . I different occasions, in a lung race . the handicapping system Bhould be changed, A close finish in our present stylo is seldom seen. The runners should he given so many seconds start according to merit, and tho man could then figure out how fast bi- , 1 would havo to run to win." '