On Your Mark! by Ralph Henry Barbour

On a cold October night at Erskine College, the annual Fall Handicap mile race becomes a test of nerve, class, and hidden talent. What looks like a routine finish for the favored upperclassmen turns electric when a quiet freshman from Hillton, Allan Ware, surges from the field to win in dramatic fashion, stunning the crowd and catching the eye of editor Clarke Mason and trainer Billy Kernahan. The victory marks Allan as a rising athletic figure, but it also opens the door to a fuller portrait of a modest, earnest boy learning his place in college life. As Allan settles into Erskine, he faces more than athletic expectations. News from home brings financial worry over the uncertain Gold Beetle mine, even as small comforts like his cat's kittens lighten the mood. With help from friends such as Pete Burley, Tommy, Hal, and Walter Stearns, Allan navigates pride, money troubles, and the demands of training. College life unfolds through clerical work, team politics, and a rough-and-tumble hockey game that turns Pete into a comic hero. Through rivalry, loyalty, and youthful ambition, the story captures the energy of campus sports and the bonds that help a freshman endure. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.