SPORTING COLUMN.

SOME of the records made at the recent college sports in England are well worth the attention of our American college athletes, who would do well to imitate the care with which the Cambridge and Oxford men prepare and train for these athletic contests. At the Cambridge University Sports, on March 9, Mr. E. L. Lucas, Jesus, succeeded in running 100 yards in 10 secs., thus beating the previous English amateur best on record held by Junker by one-fifth of a second, and placing the English and American amateur records at the same figure. On the same occasion, Mr. R. H. Macauley, King's, cleared 5 ft. 9 in. in the Running High Jump, which is better, by three-quarters of an inch, than the record of Conover, of Columbia, made at the last American Intercollegiate Sports, held May 9, 1879. On March 4, Mr. M. Shearman, St. Johns, ran 120 yards in 11 3-5 seconds, and on March 8, in the Oxford Sports, Mr. B. R. Wise, Queen's, ran a mile in 4 min 27 2-5 sees., or about 10 seconds better than the best American amateur record. There is no reason whatsoever for the English records to surpass ours thus, except that the Englishmen think of competing in time to allow themselves due preparation, and it is sincerely to be hoped that our own Intercollegiate this year will prove that American colleges are not behind the English in the active interest taken in athletics.

THE rumor that Mr. L. E. Myers, the wonderful runner of the Manhattan Athletic Club in New York, is to turn professional, is, we are happy to state, entirely without foundation. Mr. Myers at present holds the American record at 220 yards, 1/4 mile, 8 1/2 miles running, and will doubtless lower them all still further in some of the approaching spring sports.

THE Marylebone Tennis Club, of England, has effected some radical changes in the rules of Lawn Tennis, which will soon be published as amended. The service line is to be moved a foot nearer the net, making the distance 21 feet instead of 22 feet, as formerly, which will make straight arm-cuts in serving much more difficult to execute than under the old rules. Also, the player is prohibited from leaning over the net to strike the ball, but is compelled to wait until it is on his side of the net before he hits it. We are sorry that lack of space will prevent a description of the other changes, which will be noticed in some future issue.