it is a tragedy for you that i don't have a scanner

'Why?', I hear you cry. Well, it's because if I had a scanner, I could reproduce the page of The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News from 1930 which I have sitting in front of me.

The top half sees a big photo of six great danes standing in front of a large grid. Below this, a slightly smaller photo pictures then arranged in various positions on the grid. 'But why?' I hear you cry. In my opinion you should stop crying and grow a little patience. The text beneath runs:

OBEDIENCE TESTS FOR THE DANES: SCENES AT THE START OF AND DURING THE 'RACE'
The first Great Dane 'race' meeting was held last Saturday at Send Manor, Ripley, where Mr Gordon Stewart has the most wonderful range of kennels in the world, stocked by some hundreds of Great Danes. The 'race' is primarily a test of obedience. The dog's handler stands about twenty paces away, and when the dog's number is thrown on a die he moves him forward, in the way the dog has been trained, to the square obtained by the throw of a second die. A dog moves which moves uncommanded from his square, or 'bumps and bores' another, is penalised by being sent back so many squares. Flat and hurdle races were all run in this manner and pari-mutuel betting was provided.

This is what I call a sport.

Now I want to read this book.