ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 609, 11 September 1909, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

7 '••• (Br Mercuiut.) ) October- 9.—Teams' Road Race (To. Aro 1 • 'Bat-lis .to Patent Slip and back). November. 9.—W'.A.A.C; Spring Carnival ). and .Marathon Road Race, Basin Ro- ■ serve. .i ' Local athletes are reminded, of " the annual [. teams' 1 , road race, for'which cntricsclose on ; September 18. The. event,, always popular : b6th'-with . performers and-public, 3]a3 been set down for October 9, and ivill bo run over the . usual oourso_from ..tho To' Aro Baths to I a point near the Patent Slip and back—a jv distance of five miles., -Tho Wellington Club ! has selected, a hot combination to do battle . for. it, consisting of'P. .Fitzgerald, H. D. ■ Thomson, G. .Turner, A. Murray, F. Wilton, ■ another to b-e cheson-from the' likely lot !. offering.; If.this..team starts/Jand if it were ' joMJJega} f? say. so; this'.ecribo : would con-i : fidently. tip it as'a. ''good. thing;" but kbi 9 u " n f under, tho:'restrictions"of;tho Gaming Act. lie will TOntent jiimsclf 'with predicting , that the team that beats it should Win. ' * Tho'Wellington' A.A.O: is first' in tho field witb notice of the poniing'seasou's operations. Iho annual general' meeting of /the club is scheduled-for Friday, . September 17. whereat members ivill. bo askefl t<y'ratify' tho present committee's'decision that .the spring meeting tho Basin -Reserve on November .-This early allow suffi-' cient Jioticp being given to -inthncling. &>mpetitors of the' Marathon race "to ■bo • held in con-' junction with .the-meeting:;;' This' will be the l brst truo Marathon held in Wellington, and will be tho el.assio- distance :of ;2G -miles' 385 yards oyer a'course not yet definitely decided; •upon, but which will hegin-sbmotthoro in .the' ''o g '° n * -' le U PP° r Hutt i and finish ill tho Basin Reserve.: V ellingtoh A,A.C;' is to;be congratulatetl on the so\mdness r of its' position, as dis.closed by. tlio report ;to .beS'submitted to-'its annual general, meeting.: p„ -September 17: ii donation of'£s and- a loan of iIU to tho:. Ideal centre: towards ? the centre's sharo of.the cost of the-recfent NlZ.'A'.A.A.'s Australian tour,, tho club "accounts show' a cash, balance of over"f2(i.,' f Thus,tho'.' Sydney."'Dailv 'Tolcgrhph"r in a complimentary-. mood of New s success .at the Australasian:chumP'onship. meeting in Brisbane was probably received :with more surprise- by 'New Zealanders than' it created in Australi'a, ! for we," this side of -the Tasman,' have gromr to' respect. the Maorilaridcr as an 'athlete' to lie', reckoned .with .whenbver - ho.' pats his' heart thoroughly mto tho business. Right-along 'tho; lno-from ;the mild, inbffe'nsivopastime » a P<- 1>ow ! 8 ' to'tlic nigged sports of' football, bofcing, and wrestling—the Dominion has developed many, of tho best men tho .southern continent has cycr-.knowri. ,,: : .' . - y'Rcferec" . to; band this • -week, .;: rroaigal . :. begins .-bis; usual 'very, readable' review of tho/recent Australasian champion-' stop.games.,:;;.ln;.commoii- with;.other Australian. papers, however,- the .''Referee'' goes to a .deal. of.,.trouble ' to .;explain 'away-..the causes of.'Nigel Barker's- 'tho : two'short sprint rfeds, wherein,; by 'tho way the papers aforesaid.aro rather hard on BarKer himself. • Tho ex-champion -is ,'the'; last i '.vorlcl to bring down anv oxeuse. at all;'undor any conditions, ahd it'must gall :mni!nidnSideijablyjtoi.Boo himself-'dehtified, as hrmust'bo by thpse who'dohotknow him, ? "W® the° r ics"- bad, ■ inclifierent, advanced 'by v his would-bo ;.apologists;..; ; However,'.'Vthis': by. ', tiie ) way: ; Withoiit in any. .way wishing toiqucstibrt- tho statements that. -have; been - advanced- - rc;ofdirig Barkor.'s-.cp'nd(tion : iuid its ; effcct ( oh • ''V pace, ' Mercury'!oohsidorß.'/it would: bo' only. fnir .to'. Woodger if , the samoj .stress wero laid upon iho. eircumstanws iittendant -upon.lns appearance. It is-.'said (not' for ono .moment by. Barker himself). that: 'tho olimatio .conditions at Orjrngo, vrhire ;he.,is stationed, were all against -his .striking spiriting, form, Granted, but what about 'tlic,-climatic'condi-tions of Petone, where. -Woodger did his pro-pai-atipn during : the -'recent :'winter ..months i ■ Again,.-Barker is ■reportc{l ~to:.haV'e. been, un-;' 'sound; owing 'to -an .'old -strain;, manifesting .itself;' i Against this .W6odger';sad<lled up'>>in .Saturday -for;tho. 100. yards after havfCig. been'. in bed■; from :tho; .proviblis; .Wednesday night until the ..Friday" afternoon, with : anoxtrcmely paiiiful muscular, strain iii 'the ' back,., and: - went;'.on-.toj his '; mark -weighed doivn by his nicdical mail's assurance, that 'he'might get.'through tho beat all right, but that it' was : dojibtful -whether ho would bo able ,to face the second run. v '.: .. . . Everything .considered,' it-would..bo jbettei 1 to drop the discussion ,axid : let .tho'results tell: their storyTheso "post niorteuis" and 'hvbat migli). have been" arguments ere . not only 'unprofitable,but'- also, very.' apt : to run into tJi.iy "flat ahd 3tale" -fcategbry. - Moreover,-it'is fairly.":certain' .that- even Wpodge-r's - most ardent : admirers -,do.: ,rot think..that;the;- Petbnt!'champion- is!'as good a xuhnor a-s Barker \yiis: in, lus halcyonidays, .and oven Barker's,'most u'dent admirers'cannot; think; that. '-'tho " Barker, under tlio most favourablo conditions, is as. good a . performer, as : the' Ba-rker who once ran 21;4-ssec. : apd 48isec. -:AVell, thon; tho ■ pomt- at issue .is';. Is,-the presentday; Woodger '•MjgppdjM tho.prescnWay'jßarkeri all things 1 • being' equal ?.■■■■; And.- itV-must j:'reasonably ,bo .conceded .that .tho woighB f 'of-' vv , .hat;evidenc6 there,, is,brings-'down' the'scales'.on Woodger's ' side. , ■- : - ,' '.. .': Thq'rEnglislr'mail :.tb' hand;,contains news' of. interest to.,athletic/followers,; in.. eluded in; which are the following facts about ,-tho. little band of-foreign sprinters- at -present' "doilig'J - Great .'Britain : -y \ :■ "Reg. E. . Walker was 1 'a 'competitor' at i tho-Ayr;P.O. sports on July 19. • Ho.won i.ho: 100. yards' handicap -from''. scratoh' in lOscc:,- .beating N::J;:. Cartmell, '(U.S.A.). lyd., by inchos. ...; •;'-" -'■ ;.,' - ;' . !'T.he,international;,match botween Ireland tind Scotland''was!"held at Dublin-on Juiv , , aiid. resulted in; an :exceptionally ..ea'sy victory for, the, Emerald Ipje.'bjr eight eVQHts to three. R. Kerr, the Canadian, who is an,' Irisliman i by;.:- birth,v.-- represinted •- bat 1 country, and annexed .both ..the 100 and 120 yards sprint. overits.J^ln. the former - lie won. by,; a yard. aii'd-Vhalf.' in -th6Jfriir'. time of- ' 10- l-sseo;,' >vhile in' the 220" yards ' the Irish record, .winning easily - by : eight ■' yards in .22 l-Ssec.. '. ..

"On July 12, 'Bobby' Kerr, tho Canadian champion, competed. " at Stourbridge (8ng.),. : 'Nat'. .Cartmell (U.S;A.),.'being also engaged. " iTho principal .item "on the programme resulted 1 thusloo Yards Haoe, (invitation).—Two heats were run, H. J, Pankhurat, Salford H.'./and N. J; .Cartmell, Birchiiold Hv and 'IJ.S.'A., qualifying in the -first; and; It. Kerr, Tigers A.C., Canada, and C; 51.' Dorrell, Birchfield H., •in..',., the: second. The time of the first i beat was '• 10- 2-oscc. .while.' the .second- was l-ssec.' v fasfer'.' : . Tho final was a splendid rnee. The men'got away 'well together, and Cartmell; led tUI .'about' 30 yardi from the tape, when tlio Canadian made' a''splendid burst and got to the post inches before Cartmcllr • About the. samo, (sistance .'separated Cartmell from. Pankhurst, Time, 9-4-Sscc, (a slight wind ; behind the runners)." . * ' . ■Comment on 'the cabled news that' Reg. AYalkor.has abandoned his proposed' Australasian, tour is hold over pending confirmation of the'report. On the Hefferon question, the "Referee lias the following, which proves only too.conclusively that tho'South African, unlike hisfellow-countryman. tho champion sprinter, has been unable to resist the tviles of 'tho'"charmer:—(From' tho ."Rand -Daily Mail," Johannesburg, of July;g2.) "Charlie flefferon has .turned' professional and had. Signed articles for a ( match against' Norman Conway, rtho famous ' Australian, for tho 'world's 'professionalmi!« ehampioriship and a bit cash stake. The match will bo run at tho Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday, September'!. 'Mr. Eufo Nnylor, tho tuonnqcr of tlio Stadium, baa played hia cords well, and al-

though ho and the famous amateur have beon iu communication for a couplo of months, nothing leaked out till a few days ago, when 'nil agreement was brought to tho "Rand Daily Mail", office to have certain signatures witnessed; arid at the same time Mr. Naylor deposited tho sum of £200 as a cash guar"antco to C. Hefferon of his share of a £400 purse for the milo race with Conwa'y. Even then thtf arrangements : were not complete, as the agreement had : to.be sent, together with a further cash'consideration to Hefferon, at Maritzburg, for his signature and return. This has now been done, and everything is plain sailing for the decision hero of one of the greatest foot-races it would, bo possible to imagine. Hebron's action will be a severe blow to amateurism here, as with Reggie Walker globe-trotting, ( tho local ranks .frill . be. utterly devoid of class competitors. Perhaps Hefferon has shown good senso in his decision, because with a match against' Conway and tho possibility of a meeting with Dorando pr- other foreign ich'arapions in the neat future'.ho.shpuld amass a competency in a couple 'of;; years;' - In Conway he will bo meeting the Atkriowledged champion professional _mile''runner of the world, and. a .man who,' in. addition .' to ■ possessing 'a terrific sprint, ' been beaten over this ;particular.'distance on level torms," Commenting on the abovo, "Prodigal" says at Maritzburg,' I notice that; Hefferon stated that he had gono over because ho wanted to, in ; the immediate future, race Doratodo," Pietri, and J. J. Hayes. He also contemplated visiting England, Canada, and- Australia, and meeting, all-comera from 1 tb.-25.miles.. 'If .he wore to stick.'to. long-distance running he would probably' do well, but -to, _ attempt to mix' biles, with "Marathons" will quickly bring about defeat —for instance, lie is setting himself a pretty severo" task'for his initial go as a "pro," when h.o; tackles (Norman .Conway. An invi-; tation to Hefferon, to tour Australia under, tho auspices of our A.A.U. was almost on the .way, butT just managed to stop it in time." The tale of how : M'Kay lost the. halfpoint, for New Zealand in .tho Australasian Polo Vault Championship through his polo breaking has often' been told of late;- but little/has <. been said of Victoria's bad luck in Inot 'annexing, this event altogether. It will be remembered that M'Kay . and Walker, tho Victorian, tied at, 10ft. 3in., and both failed when 10ft. 6iu. was put on for discussion.' It was in Walker's first jump at this height that.Victoria's tragedy'occurred. Ho took-off well, got his feet and body well ovelv got. rid of his pole and dropped; He had turned in the air too soon, however, and, in the\fa]!, his* rioso just ; tipped ; tlip bar. It; (tho bar).".trembled; on tho-pins"for a second*-, and ; s|owly fell,' and thus ; Victoria lost tho pole vault championship literally "by a nose." ■' ."'■

■ ''Mercury": has frequently been asked since the; big . Brisbane meeting Whom ho considers to bave been the star athlete engaged, .'i'hb: question -is. not - ,an' easy one,, as, iij. this as in so many other cases, the biggest - winner was not' necessarily ' : called upon to do 1 tho most - meritorious..performance. / Thus Keddell's: two; firsts and'.-one second cannot be compared with Kerr's two .firsts, only in point 'or merit;. However! the writer,; is mclincd' x to-think';the'honour lies between H. 15. Kerr (New: Zealand) and G. Wheatley; (Victoria).' -Kerr ,won both walks, in. each case. clipped a largo " slice . off" tlio ,luct|l. record,' and could - have done even, better' had ho bwn pushed.',''Yi'heatiey won .the 880 yds. iii 2min 1 3tsscq, looking round, tho niile :in 'llTiili, 29 4-ssec,,- and, on..;tho same afternoon,,ran a good.second in, tbo quarter, won in 50 2-6scc. If forced to ruako an out-and-out selection,- "Mercury" would, on tho faco .of tho abovo; givo his voto'to' Wheatley. lishingzßG o etaeu ne etaeu .n'o etaenenenen '.Referring .again', to.the 'question as to'who was'the star performer engaged ii\ the' Australasian ; championships, perhaps tho. best all-round athlete was tho New, South 'Wales now discovery "Jock" Smith,"tlio;winner of the .high , and. broad jumps, although his performances at ; tho meeting were ;of 'the sound rather than?jthe-'brilliant' - order; . ; A month before - the mooting ho',, was, an ,unknown quantity altogether, . .but at., the. selection ."tests'!-in-Sydney ho camo along and had a try .-at''nearly-.everything,.. Jumping'.off tho board for tho first', timo. in his,,'lifo'i'Jiq. got, 21' feet odd in. the broad jutnp, Eft,. Oiril jiv the high jump, 4Sft. odd ;in.the. ijnjng,j attempted the polo vault'.for tho first timo and cleared 1 9ft, 71b.' (aiid then stopped as., .there was . no , mattress available);' put the shot;'over 30ft.-; and threw tlio hammer, standing, - 97ft. In he has more than a local'.reputation as/.a''Rugby senior full-back. A match between the Ijfew South 'JYolshnmn- and'our M'Kay for an 'all-round championship would - bo, very well worth while,. ' ■ . ; - I

.';•-, According to English flics,; the: great Irish amatim organisation, the Gaelic, Athletic Association,Ticld its annual' championships, on ,Tuly IS." "Mercury'! .appends below a .cdnip&risoiv of the, performances recorded with thostj' set"up at.tno'recent Australasian meeting in.thoso events coincident to both gatherings, which .makes interesting reading

Event'.! ; Australasian.••'•■ '.Gaelic. 100 yards. lOJscc.. 10 2-ssec. 220 yards', l : 23 l-ssec. 23sec. ■440 yards. 50 2-Sseo. ■ ■ 'SO 4-ssec. BSo : vards : . ' 2min,, 1' 3-6scc. ;V '2min. 1 mile..' ; 4mir\, 29 f 4-ssec. 4min: 32'1-osec. 120 hurdles. , 16 2-ss'eci ... 16 4-sscc. Broad jump, 2lft. 10ih. ;; - 23ft. 4in.' High jump. '. '. Sft.'.'lOin.; -6ft. liu. Shot-putting ' 41ft. 7iA. : Tho nows. of the; success ..of the evirgreen. W. 1\ Simpson in the cross-country championship at Timaru on Thursday bame to hand too Into 'for- anything ,moro. than a : passing preference. ~ This is; f hp, third time ..this 1 seasou ' upon 'iwhich the veteran' has 4 saddled up andfsi)rprisecl the natives, in .Duncdiu in the three-mile .New Zealand championship, in the -Ashburtiou.Marathon, and now ;ag&in in tho event Under review.. '.'llorcury- ' does/'not, know exactly how'old "Simmy" is, though ho must be perilously, near tojorty; but ho has emphatically shown that ho. can. still hold -his. own (and ■ some of - somebody "else's) against : any .of the ySuhger. generation. It will bo ten-years ago in December that Simpsoul established', his. Australasian' record V for .-three miles of. 14mini 49scc., which still stands intact.. . :| '