SPORTING AND ATHLETIC NOTES.

Of the recent foot-ball convention the Clipper says that it "was decidedly hurried in its proceedings and the rules were but little improved."

Frye is to race Prince from the scratch on the bicycle at the Institute Fair building next Monday. It is expected that the record will be broken. The distance is ten miles.

It is suggested that in future races of the Athletic Association the new style of stop-watches, marking tenths of a second, be used. It is thought that the records thus taken would be more exact and satisfactory.

The Beacon Base-ball Club will present a strong amateur nine next season, including Folsom as pitcher; Richardson, catcher; Sawyer, Badger and Welch on the bases; Merrill, shortstop; and Moore, Hall and Mansfield in the outfield.

We present below a complete summary of the important changes in the playing rules of the game of foot-ball, as adopted at the recent league convention. Several changes of importance it will be seen were made that will affect the character of the game to some extent. Whether the college league should adopt them all we have some doubts.

The term "block" ball is restricted so that no block can occur except from a batted or thrown ball, no pitched or passed ball being open to a "block." In other words, a ball delivered by the pitcher to the bat cannot become a blocked ball if stopped by an outsider.

The foul bound catch is done away with. Hereafter no catch whatever is good unless it is made on the fly.

The catcher will be prevented in future from making a double or triple play after a third strike, as all the batsmen has to do after three strikes have been called on him is to stand still and not run to first base, by doing which the umpire is required to decide him out, and thereby the base-runners cease to be obliged to leave the bases from being forced out by the striker's becoming a base-runner after the third strike has been called. It is left optional with a base-runner, obliged to return to a base on a foul ball, to run or walk back to the base he left when the ball was hit, with the proviso that if he fails to run back he shall be liable to be put out by being touched by the ball while off his bases; but if he runs back he shall be exempt from being so put out.

The new rule concerning delivery is: "A fair ball is a ball delivered by the pitcher, while wholly within the lines of his position, and while facing the batsman, and his hand, in delivering the ball, must not pass above the line of his shoulder."

In the scoring rules "assistance on strikes" is to be especially recorded alone and not as part of the fielding assistance; while the pitcher is to be charged with an error for every base given on called balls. No players are allowed to dispute any decision of the umpire under heavy penalties, and the captain alone is to be allowed to appeal in case of any decision involving a palpable misinterpretation of the rules. These are the only important changes in the rules.

A grand amateur bicycle tournament for American one-mile and ten-mile championships, and two-mile and five-mile events is being arranged to be held on Washington's birthday in the Mechanics' Institute building. Contestants from Yale and Harvard are invited to enter as well as from other parts of the country.