ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

NOTES AND ANTICIPATIONS.

(By. MEncunT.)

FIXTURES. A compieto list of fixtures for clubs under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Centre for tho remainder of tho season is appended, from which it will bo seen that there is "plenty doing" for the amateur athletic fraternity, and particularly the city section thercot. The ttxtures and dates are: ' February 15 —Civil Service Evening MoetI'obrunry 25-Port Nicholson A.A.C. Meeting. March I—A'arori A.A.C. Evening Meeting. March .4-Pctone Junto Club Meeting. March B—Karori A.A.C. Evening Meeting March A.A. Meeting. March 11-W.A.A.C. Carnival. March 15-Mnrton A.C. Meeting. March Woodvillo A.A.C. Meeting. March Horowhenua A.A.C. Meeting. March 18-N.Z. ■ Championships (Christ, church). April I—Victoria College Sports and Open Events. Easter—Upper Hutt Axemen's -Carnival (amateur athlotic events). It is interesting to noto from tho above, as showing tho advanco of amateurism in the Wellington province, that two bodies that have hitherto catered for professional performers, the Martou Athletic Club and tho Axemen's Association, havo "decided that all running events nt their meetings ore to bo confined to amateurs. D. Cashman is back in town again after his trip to San Francisco on tho staff of the s.s. Aorangi and has been training since his return at the Kclburne Park. ■

On Wednesday, Mr. W. L. Dunn, honorary secretary of the Wellington Centre, received Word from tho Canterbury body that an alteration in the dalo of tho New Zealand' Championship meeting in Christchurch had been decided upon. The original day selected was Saturday, March 4. Now, however, to avoid a clash with the big trotting meetings on this date and tho following Saturday, the athletic ttxttiro will bo held a fortnight later, on March 18. Coming at this lato hour, the alteration is rather rough on some of tKe clubs that, have arranged their meetings with a viow to securing the prescneo' thereat of some of tho championship competitors, en routo to, or returniii',' from, Christchurcli. Thus the Tort Niohplton Chib'had arranged for Harry. Kerr and 0. N. Hill, of Auckland, tho Dominion's champion milcr, to participate; in its meeting, on. February 25, ami the Manawatu Club had .decided upon its date, March 8, in order to catch the tourists on their .way back. It is now too Into th niter these arrangements, as all availnblo dates are filled.

F. Strickland, the Petono sprinter, is noted in the "Referee" as running second in, his heat of a 75 yards handicap, run off hv tho South Sydney Harriers, in B(sec. oft" 6 yards. Ho was unplaced in ttio final.. "Strick" is evidently not in ■form, as he can do better than this. Also in n hop-step-and-iump ho got into second place, with -13ft. 2in., with an allowance of 3ft.

Guy Harding, Wellington's representative quarter and half-milor, and tho present champion over those distnnces, has intimated that ho will bo available for selection this year. Harding has notified .his intention of endeavouring to break the Now Zealand'record for the quarter-milo at tho 'forthcoming Caledonian . meeting at Napier on th?'22nd instant. Tho present figures, 50 2-ssec, stand to the credit of W. T. -Mncphorfon (February, 1801), and L. ,D. Webster (March, 1003).

Berry's Sensational Hundred. • From Mr. J. Bradbury, secretary of tho' Wairarapa A.A.C.j comes an account of the alleged "breaking evens" rim of J. H. Berry, the Wairarapa sprinter,•■who ran second to Opic in tho recent Provincial championship hundred ynrds, Tho run was held on Thursday of last week, and of the final Mr.' Bradbury sayss "Berry did 9 Msec., according to my timing— the only, other watch riuulo him do 1-lOsec. bettor. Of course, ho had two circumstances in his favour, hut, apart from this, ho ran beautifully. Tho favourable, circumstances were, firstly, a slight breczo behind him, and, secondly, ho anticipated the gun by a yard, or, perhaps, two. Doujjlas and Hodge, both off ten yards, won their respective heats, both in lO.scc. dead, and ran second and third in tho final, three or four yards liehind Berry. Under, normal conditions, the winner's run was equal,,tq eTens, or 10 1-lUsDC.nt the worst.",.: At the Basin Reserve last month, Berry. ran: to within 18 inches of' Opio in 10 l-ssoc, and then also ho was assisted by a slight following breeze. That is to say, even if this last performance was an oven timer run, lie must have improved three'yards. Against this, it is admitted that lie beat tho . pistol—llr. Bradbury says by two yards. Now was timing tho race at tho business end, and therefore' was not in a position to judge tho oxtent of tho "break," and, of course, the merit of the performauco rests upon, this point. From . nnothcr source tho writer heard that Berry got quito four to five yards tho better, of the starter. This looks far more liko tho real thing and allowing for a bit of flattery in the clocking makes Berry just about repeat his performance down here. Still in any case to give Hodgo ten ynrds and a beating ho must bo running well and his claims to inclusion as a substitute for Woodger must bo seriously considered. Mr. Bradbury also reports a very sound performance by R. M'Konzie, who won the provincial 120 yds. hurdlo championship, in a trial run (paced) over the 410 .'yards hurdlo ■ distance. M'Konzio was •timed by threo watches and Mr. Bradbury mndo him do'Gl3-ssec, tho other two making it slightly better. Thus M'Keuzio must also bo considered in tho selection as this timo would keep Evensen very busy indeed, although on the Wnirarapa man's showing down here ho could not foot it with Evensen over tho .shorter hurdlo' course.

Canterbury Team for the Banner. Tho following havo been selected to represent the Cnntcrbury Centro nt the New Zealand championship meeting:— 100 yds. and 220yds.—R. O. Opie, W. L. Pnterson, P. Cook, Taylor. 410 yds— E. P. Wright, ,i\V. L. Paterson, K. 0. Opie. Half mile.-*!. F. Wright, J. H.Aitkcn, W. J. L. Smith. Ono mile.—E. J. Steele. W. J. L. Smith, M. Dickson; J. H. Aitken, C. Pngh. Three miles.—M. Dickson, W. J. L. Smith, 1!. J. Steele, C. Pugh. Hurdles.—F. Cook, W. L. Paterson, W. Page. High jump.-C L. Orbell, V. Robinson. Polo jumn.-Uatstone. Shot and hammcr.-W. Do Their. Long jump. -C. L. Orbell. Walks-P. 11. and A. P. Stubbcrfield, Ri Twyneham., ■ _ Commenting on this choice "Vnultor" says in tho "Weekly Tress" :-Cpntrary to what I wrote previously as to the reappenranco of Haskins, I was given to understand that tho ex-Pennsylvania champion is in trainiug, and moreover is nt present in raro fettle. Tho.supporters of the sport will bo gratified to hear that thoro is every prospect of seeing tho exAihericon 'varsity crack competing against Hording. Tho information was given mo last Saturday, by a popular member of tbo C.A.A.C, and I feel sure that, such being tHc case, the local selectors havo not mndo themselves fully acquainted with the position. The fact that Dougall's name was missing from tho list amongst the distanco nominations Inst week, templed me toinnuiro if the Canterbury College m'ilerhad given tho game best,' and it. came as a great surprise to hear that, (ho Collego representative was in hard training and runniim in great force, and would be a contestant at tho forthcoming championships; Tho' omission of Dongall, together with M'Ma«lcr, M'nolme. and Hnskins; makes one inclined'to think those _ responsible for the K° VCTnm(!nt nrc « ( ' cl,l ™ l y haphazard in their methods. The same writer also states that a member of tho Chri'stchnrch police force, named M'Holme, has been doing feats in tho hammer-throwing department that entitle him to inclusion, and which, if properly authenticated, give him a big chance of winning this event.. Apropos of the "hammer," "Mercury" had a chat lately with the local exponent. Alex. Dissot, v;ho state* that ho is coming cilons well in practice, nnd ht,s hurled his missile 113 ft. Mawera A.A.C, On February 1 tho Hawern A.A.C. held a meeting, nt which two eood performances wcro mistered by A. V. Stohr, .who won the 100 and 220 yards handicaps

very comfortably. An cx-member of tho Wellington Centre, who' was present, writes:—"The hundred was run against a stiff breeze, and Stohr, oft' 3 yards, was soon up with his field, and ran with them, coming nway at the finish, and winning in 10 2-ssec. Tho raco was run without tapes. In the 220 yards Stohr won anyhow, looking round. At tho bend ie appeared right out of it, but at tho turn ho started coming through, and 15 yards from homo v;as in front, and finished pulling up in 23 l-ssec. no started off 5 yards. "My correspondent goes un to say that ho thinks Stohr should bo given a chance in big' company, and also that ho iliay mako the trip to Christchurch to compete at the championship meeting. He also states that the bread jumping was good. It was a scratch event, and was won bv Saywcll with 20ft. 4Jin. Stohr also trieil this for tho first time, and covered 20ft. Sin., but, to quote my correspondent again, "in order to save himself from rolling on to a stray child, ho put his hands behind him, and fell back a bit, thus spoiling his jump, but it certainly was a good one." It certainly was for a first attempt. Among tho competitors nt this meeting was Bex Bridge, late of tho W.A.A.C., who ran second in the 440 yards handicap, and covered ISft. Win. in the broad jump.