The above event was decided Saturday at Minworth, near Birmingham. There was not so large company present as was anticipated, the venue being so far the country. There were many past champions to be seen the enclosure, notably. E, W. Party (Salford), Sid Thomas (London), G. H. Morris (Salford), T. Baylls, T. Thornton, J. rl. Hardwick (Manchester), George Scales (Manchester), H. J. Rothery, W. H. Hallsworth, R. W. Gill, D. Prosser (London), &co. It was fully half-an-hour after the advertised time when the runners left the dressing-rooms W. W. Alexander's hostelry, the Plough Inn, Minworth.
The going was very heavy, owing to the rain which had fallen during the morning. Crossland, the Northern Champion and holder of the Nations!, was good favourite, George Martin (of Essex) and A. Turner (of Worcester) being the next in demand. The start from the back of The Plough Hotel, making circuit of the field four times; total 1½ miles. An outside course of some splendid hunting country was then covered three times, making the full distance 10 miles- Salford, Birchfield and Finchley were the clubs mostly discussed the probable winners. The London people were particularly sanguine of the success of the latter. The Thames Valley Harriers were the first to enter the enclosure, followed by Finchley, Essex Beagles, Bath and Somerset Harriers, Birchfield, and Worcester. The President of the Association, J. Porteons, of Northampton, lost no time when the representatives of the 10 clubs, numbering 104 competitors, were placed under his orders.
Davies, Morton, Crook, and Birch broke the line once round the field, and that wiry little athlete, H. Harrison, bounced along the lead, followed by his club mate, George Crossland. The two, white with gold trimming, could be plainly seen working away over the country. At two miles the order of running was as follows: H. Harrison, George Crossland. Martin, Davie, Morton, Davies, J. J. Crook, with Cotterill, Birch, Hayes, and Brown well advance of the others. A. Turner, of Worcester, who got badly away at the start, was here making tremendous lot of ground.
After being out the country for the first time, O. W. Davies, Harrison, and Crossland passed the judges in a line, with Morton, Martin, Bullin, and Tiller, Turner heading the next batch, tail end being 500 yards behind. Coming view for the second time Crossland was out with a long lead from Harrison, Morton third, then came Turner, Davies, Martin, Bullin, F. W. Randall. Webb, Tiller, going into the country for the final circuit it was seen that it must be a great race between and Birchfield, as the former had six men the first 30, Counting the first four men of the two this point it would have been dead heat of points each. On coming in sight for the final the two men in white were out by themselves. It was certainly a great race between Crossland and Harrison, the champion having the verdict barely two yards, with Bullin third.
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