MARATHON RACE

A long distance race, held in connection with the Olympic Games and named from a famous event in Greek history.  The accepted Marathon distance is 26 miles, 385 yards.  The race was won at the Olympic Games held in England in 1908 by John Hayes, an American, in 2 hours 44 minutes 20 2-5 seconds.

OLYMPIC GAMES

The Olympic Games are open to the athletes of the world.  The following events are contested for: 

60-metre run 100-metre run 200-metre run 400-metre run 800-metre run 1500-metre run 110-metre hurdles 200-metre hurdles 400-metre hurdles 3200-metre steeplechase 2500-metre steeplechase 4000-metre steeplechase Running long jump Running high jump Running triple jump Standing broad jump Standing high jump Standing triple jump Pole vault Shot put Discus throwing Throwing 16-pound hammer Throwing 56-pound weight Marathon race Weight lifting, one hand Weight lifting, two hands Dumb-bell competition Tug-of-war Team race Team race 3 miles Five-mile run Throwing stone Throwing javelin Throwing javelin held in middle Penthathlon 1500-metre walk 3500-metre walk 10-mile walk Throwing discus Greek style

MARBLES

There is a large variety of games with marbles and the expressions used are universal.  Boys usually have one shooter made from agate which they call a “real.”  To change the position of the shooter is called “roundings,” and to object to this or to any other play is expressed by the word “fen.”  The common game of marbles is to make a rectangular ring and to shoot from a line and endeavour to knock the marbles or “mibs” of one’s opponents out of the square.  A similar game is to place all the mibs in a line in an oval and to roll the shooter from a distance.  The one coming nearest to the oval has “first shot” and continues to shoot as long as he drives out a marble and “sticks” in the oval himself.  Reals are often supposed to have superior sticking qualities.  Playing marbles “for keeps” is really gambling and should be discouraged.  The knuckle dabster is a small piece of cloth or leather that boys use to rest the hand on when in the act of shooting.  The best kind of a “dabster” is made from a mole’s skin.

NAMES OF MARBLES

The common marbles used by boys everywhere are called mibs, fivers, commies, migs, megs, alleys, and dubs.  A very large marble is a bumbo and a very small one a peawee.  Glass marbles are called crystals and those made of agate are called reals.  The choicest real is supposed to be green and is called a “mossic” or “moss real.”

MUMBLETY PEG