THE TUG-OF-WAR—“THE DROP.”

From the date of their first admission, however, they inaugurated a war against the sparring exhibitions which occur on one of their days. From that time to the present they have continually protested against it, and just as continually have they come in crowds to see it. There is in the first President’s report (Harvard Athletic Association), after the establishment of Ladies’ Day, a notice that “the ladies ought to understand that if blood be drawn in the sparring, the men will not leave the ring as they did last year;” and again in a report two years later: “We decided last year to have light and feather weight sparring on the first Ladies’ Day, and although there was at the time much talk against it among a certain number of men, we did not find the apparent interest of the ladies in any way less, or that their number decreased from the year before, although it had been extensively advertised for more than a month that there was to be sparring, and it is not to be supposed that many of the ladies were ignorant of the fact that they were to see it. Far would it be from me to force ladies to look at any event that was distasteful to them, but I fail to see why the large number who are entertained by sparring should be deprived of seeing it in our winter meetings because certain others object to it, more especially as the latter are in no way compelled to come unless they chose to.” The “large number” has continued to come, and the sparring still continues.

The financial status of the Association was assured by the success of the winter meetings in the gymnasium, until, in time, it was able to engage a track-master and trainer for the men, so that all competitors, poor as well as rich, trying for places in the team which annually competes for the intercollegiate cup, could have an equal chance of responsible training. It was also able to contribute $1,000 towards the construction of the hard cinder track round Holmes Field, finished in 1883, and now is able to pay all the expenses of the team which competes at the intercollegiate games. Besides the annual income received from the winter games, it receives a large sum annually from its membership roll. Though the fee is but small, only $3.00 for a life-membership entitling free admission to all games, a regulation forbidding any undergraduate to be present at the games unless he is a member, annually forces nearly the entire freshman class to join.

THE HARVARD BASEBALL TEAM.

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LARGER IMAGE

There is not space in the limits of an article of this nature to mention more than a few of the men who have been connected with the rise and success of this Association. Some of them have already a world-wide athletic reputation, while many stand at the head of all college athletes. The fact that not until four years after Harvard’s entry into the Intercollegiate Athletic Association did she win the championship cup, but that then she won it for seven successive years, shows the need that existed originally in the college for such an association, besides demonstrating the success that has since attended it. Mr. E. J. Wendell, ’82, did more in his day than any one else, not only to increase its prosperity at home, but also to win laurels for it in its intercollegiate contests; and the names of Soren, Goodwin, Easton, Baker, Rogers and Wells show what strong representatives the Association has had. Out of the twenty-four first prizes that Harvard won the first four years she held the cup, W. Soren, ’83, won seven; he gained first prize in every jump in the intercollegiate program—running high, running broad, standing high and standing broad—besides the pole vault, and in the standing high jump holds the best amateur record in the world.

The following table shows the best records made under the Harvard Athletic Association in events contested at the intercollegiate games:

100 Yards Dash 10s. E. J. Wendell, ’82.
220 Yards Dash 22s. W. Baker, ’86.
440 Yards Dash 50¼s. W. Baker, ’86.
Half-mile Run 1m. 59 1-5s. G. P. Coggswell, ’88.
Mile Run 4m. 38 3-5s. G. B. Morison, ’83.
Hurdle Race, 120 yards 17 3-5s. S. R. Bell, ’91.
Hurdle Race, 220 yards 26 4-5s. G. S. Mandell, ’89.
Mile Walk 6m. 59½s. H. H. Bemis, ’87.
Bicycle Race (2 miles) 6m. 2½s. R. H. Davis, ’91.
Running High Jump 5 ft. 10¾ in. H. L. Clark, ’87.
Pole Vault 10 ft. 5-8 in. R. G. Leavitt, ’89.
Throwing Hammer (16 lbs.) 93 ft. 2 in. H. B. Gibson, ’88.
Putting the Shot (16 lbs.) 40 ft. 1½ in. D. B. Chamberlain, ’86.
Running Broad Jump 20 ft. 10 in. W. Soren, ’83.