Oscar Mathisen
Speedskating - Oscar Diary

Hamar SK

A hundred years ago today, on Thursday November 2nd, the long wait was finally ended for Scott and the British Antarctic expedition. On Tuesday, the advance party of Ponting, Gerov and Meares first were off with the dogs and two hours later Atkinson and Keohane with a pony and sledge each. Next day the remaining eight started in pairs and singles, Oates, Crean, Scott, Edgar Evans, Bowers, Wilson, Cherry-Garrard, and Wright, also with a pony and fully loaded sledge to each man. Teddy Evans, Day, Lashly, and Hooper had started on the 24th with the motor sledges to rendezvous on 80°30'. The 10 surviving ponies until now were Snippets, Scott's own, Michael, Christopher, Victor, Snatcher, Bones, Chinaman, James Pigg, Jehu, and Nobby. Scott planned to use them to pull provision as long as they had a shred of strength left in them and then survive on pony meat for the rest of the expedition. The RSPCA were not consulted. A hundred years ago today the 13 men were gathered around the table at Hut Point, the station used by the Discovery-expedition 1902-04. The following night they were to march out in three groups with the slowest ponies first.

Hamar Skøiteklub held their general assembly, concluding that the financial situation currently was good 9 months after the European Championship. Re-elected members of the board are Filip N. Petersen and Wilhelm Larsen, with hotel owner Harald Larsen as a new member. Fredrik Monsen and Jørgen Bredstue were re-elected as chairman and vice chairman respectively. Deputies Chr. Jensen, Schwabe Hansen, Olaf Johannesen, K. Fuglseth and Berger Christiansen.

Norsk Idrætsblad prints a letter attacking professionalism. The writer suggests that the professionals, if they have any sense of business at all, will arrange their meets in a manner attractive to an ignorant audience. He also suggests that amateur sport will become less popular because the rehearsed tricks of the pros will turn the public interest away. Apparently these are observations made in America, because he concludes his letter with the statement that America is the homeland of humbug, no less.

The letter achieved many a nod of agreement among its 1911 readership no doubt. Current events, I guess, will prove him right, too.