Athletics and football . t thevery fastest runners should be placed, andmany men have made a brilliant show inthis position simply and solely owing totheir pace. However, though fast running alonecan never make a footballer, the really fastrunner has a great pull at three-quarters,for the best tackier in the world cannotstop a man whom he cannot reach, andthere have been many fast runners, especially in the earlierdays, who have gained tries simply through their fleetness offoot. Useful therefore as drop-kicking is to every three-quarter, the feature of outside three-quarter play is running, a
Athletics and football . t thevery fastest runners should be placed, andmany men have made a brilliant show inthis position simply and solely owing totheir pace. However, though fast running alonecan never make a footballer, the really fastrunner has a great pull at three-quarters,for the best tackier in the world cannotstop a man whom he cannot reach, andthere have been many fast runners, especially in the earlierdays, who have gained tries simply through their fleetness offoot. Useful therefore as drop-kicking is to every three-quarter, the feature of outside three-quarter play is running, andin selecting the three men for the place in every team differentqualities are required for centre and side. Lastly, all thethree-quarters • must recollect that they have only one backbehind them, and if they miss a man or if from any cause arunner has passed them, they must be on his track at fullspeed without delay. They must in one word recollect thattheir business is defence as well as attack, and must continually. Three-quarter back : An anxious moment. ^ 348 FOOTBALL see that they are covering the field between them and are notall massed together in their greediness to get the ball for ashowy run. Undoubtedly the best three-quarter of his day was L. Stokes,the Blackheath captain. There have been both before andsince more brilliant runners and safer tacklers, but probablyno better drop-kick, and none with more judgment and know-ledge of the game. His command over the ball in drop-kickingwas marvellous, and his drops at goal and long drops intotouch were masterpieces. One great element in his successwas the careful eye he kept on his halves and backs to ensurea safe defence of the field. In his time, first one, and thentwo three-quarters were played, but in the present game hisstyle of play would have fitted him for centre are rather inclined to think, however, that Wade, theOxonian, was the best three-quarter we have seen. He andW. N. Bolton, of Blackhe
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1894
