Life — September 24, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Athletes" - Life Magazine Page This page satirizes track and field athletics, particularly the shot put and mile walk events. The sketches demonstrate proper technique: "Blevault" breaking the record with pole vault, the two-stage shot put method ("Put one" and "Put two"), and the mile walk form. The satire targets the physical demands and training regimen athletes endure. The accompanying text notes that athletes announced for exhibition runs experience a psychological boost—"a feeling among the spectators"—that requires "square meals" and "a year of arduous exercise" for proper performance. The bottom caption jokes about the mile walk's peculiar aesthetic: it's "a graceful sight, especially when an even couple are within ten yards of the string," mocking the awkward, unnatural posture required by the sport's walking rules.