Putting The Shot

When most of us think of Canada it is as a land of sport, and there pass before our mind's eye visions of snow-shoeing and jolly toboganning and skating am fishing; and f we havo seen a match o lacrosso. Canada's national game, be tween an American and a Canadian twelve, we remember the easy manner in which our friends from across the border threwgoal af ter goal, and proved their supremacy over us in that branch of sport But there is another branch of athletics in which Canada excels us - and not us alone, but our English, Irish and fecotch cousins across the water as well. Ireferto "putting the shot" For the benefit of those of my readers who are not familiar with this branch of athletics, I will explain that the "shot" is a ball of iron or lead weighing from twelve to fifty-six pounds. The weight which is almost invariably used, however, is the sixteen-pound. Putting consists simply In pushing or shoving the shot violemly out from the shoulder to as great a distance as possible. The shot is usually put from out of a circle seven feet in diameter. A curved "toe board" about two feet long is placed on the circumference, and the athlete stands with his right heel on that part of the oircumference directly opposite. The shot is held on the palm of the hand near the ear. After balancing carefully on the right leg, a quick, short hop is taken, then a short step with the left foot, and finally a step with the right, at the same time drawing the left back to aid in recovering tho balance. As the last step is taken the arm is pushed auddenly and violen tl y forward, and the full strength of every muscle from the toes, on which extended the athlete stands, to the shoulder is applied in giving momentum to the weight. In regaíning his balance the athlete must be careful to step neither upon nor over the toe board, nor to touch the ground beyond the forward half of the circle with any part of the body, eitherof these acts constituting a "foul. " It is evident, from what has preceded, that the flrst essential for successful shot-putting is a strong and unlformly dovoloped body; and the second, science sufficient to enable the athlete to make the best application of his strength. Tho higher the degree ín which these two requisitesare combined, the further, of course, will he be able to nut the shot -