ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

(Bx aiEnconi.l IMPORTANT FESTIVAL CHANGES. Servants of a Glum Province. There is little progress to report in the case of the Otago Centre versus the Council of tho N.Z.A.A.A. Messrs. Marryatt and Pollock have received formal intimation of the revoking of their, appointments as the centre's representatives, and have replied that they consider their dismissal ultra vires and inoperative, but that they will leave tho decision of this question to the council. Should tho council decree that tho centre has not the power to cancel the appointments, and, by its rules it must so decide, then the two delegates will formally resign their seats. Even this step will not mean their immediate retirement, from the executive, as, by rule, they hold their places until their successors are appointed. Thus must the Otago Centro find two substitutes for these members, as its delegates, and, as the centre's ideal representatives would evidently be no more than spineless automata, substitutes with the necessary qualifications should be hard to find, and, when they are found, it is hard to imagine them being of any use in the government of the sport. Unenviable Position of Otago, The Otago Centre has placed itself in a very unenviable position—or rather it has allowed itself to be dragged into such a position by mob oratory and a fallacious newspaper article, and the position is rapidly becoming a rediculous one. Already two of tho clubs forming tho centre have expressed disapproval of its hasty action—the Tokomairiro Club and the Civil Service A.A.C. Both have instructed their delegates to move ior the rescinding of the motion unseating Messrs. Marryatt and Pollock. Tho committee of the latter club, at a recent meeting, passed the. following motion unanimously;— "That the committee of this club, knowing Mr. Marryatt's disinterestedness and whole-hearted sympathy with the best that is in amateur athletics, express their entire confidence in him in the honourable position which ho occupies and the attitude he has taken up." A further motion was also.carried: "That it be an instruction to the club's delegates to the Otago Centre that they give notice of motion rescinding the centre's decision revoking the appointment of Messrs. Marryatt and Pollock as delegates to the N.Z.A.A.A." So it would appear that, not only docs the Otago Centre lack the support of the other centres of the Dominion in its revolution, but also that it lacks the confidence of the clubs to which it owes its being. It seems hardly probable that the centre will rescind its motion, although such a step is obviously the right and graceful one to take, and one that would not only effectually close a most unpleasant episode, but would meet with the approval of the other centres. Still, such a complete volte face would be most unpalatable to the firebrands whose eloquence evidently carries some weight in the centre's deliberations, and such a happening sicins too much to expect. Therefore there 'is nothing to dd but to await with interest the appointment of the successors to Messrs. Marryatt and Pollock. Those Festival Announcements, Two weeks ago "Mercury" reprinted a letter appearing in the London "Sportsman" lrom ilr. Wm. Henry, stating that tennis had been deleted' lrom tho programme of events to be contested at the Festival of Empire Games. The writer then pointed out the injustice to the oversea Dominions of such an alteration at such a late hour, and urged that a spirited protest bo mado through, and in conjunction with, the Australian executive. At the last meeting of. the local Festival Committee .it was decided to take this step, and a protest has gone forward. In passing, it is worthy of note that no official intimation of such alteration has been received here, nor is there any mention in the papers of official word en the subject being received there. This is, to say the least of it, decidedly cavalier treatment, but apparently there is more of tho same nature, in view. During the week the following message was cabled out from London:—"Lord Desborough presided at a meeting of the Snorts Committee in connection with the Festival of Empire. The athletic events Worn arranged as follow:—June 21, 100 yards, quarter mile, mile, and hurdle races. June 29: Boxing and wrestling. July 1: Swimming, 100 yards, and mile events. Tho various governing associations will control the meeting." May We not Complain? There is decided cause for complaint here. It will be noticed in the above list that the half-mile run finds no place, although it appeared on the official programme received and sent here by the Australian Committee. In its place appears a quarter-mile flat. Now, if the present programme is correct, and another alteration has been made, it is only by the merest chance I hat Australasia has not beeu left in the position of not having a quarter-mile representative on the way to England. When the original team was picked preference was given to Guy Haskins by the ioeol committee, simply because a half and not a quarter-mile appeared on the programme. Had it so appeared instead of the half-mile, in all probability Harding would have been selected. In fact, when Haskins left his idea was to specialise on the mile, and lo leaire the half for Wheatley. Fortunately Opie's splendid miming at the recent championship meeting and its effect on the Canterbury subscription list enabled him to be included at the last moment, so that Australasia will have a verv fair representative to enter. Still, as stated above, this only happens so by chance, as Opie was sent to support Woodgcr in the 100 and 22C yarns events. Tho English authorities must have known when the alteration was made that the Australasian team fand in all pjvhability the South African team as well) was on the high seas, that it would have been chosen on the first official list sent out,- and that there was no time to alter it to suit the new conditions. This being fo, their aition in altering the programme at the eleventh hour is reprehensible to a degree and the oninion of the Australasian executive on this point should be conveyed to them at the earliest possible opportunity. A Flier for the Festival. Apropos of. the Festival of Empire Sports, and the English track championships following shortly after, "Strephon," the "Athletic News" writer, has the following notes of interest on some probable competitors (Patching, the South African flier,' lias been referred to by "Mercury" before):— "An old Stalybridge. boy now in Johannesburg, to whom I return my best thanks, informs me of the approaching visit to England of G. H. Patching, probably the fastest all-round sprinter that ?outh Africa has yet turned out. He is due to leave South Africa this month, and will be with us for the season. My correspondent says:—'About him beating evens there is not tho remotest doubt, and as regards what he can do a quarter in, using the words of his trainer, Tom Grady, who, I may inform you, is also a.Lancashire man, hailing from Liverpool, "he would break the watch." Of course, you must admit we have, or give us the credit for having, a few good men here who know what a runner is and what timing is. They havo both promised mo faithfully to compete at Manchester, so there is a great treat for you when Patching runs.' "I may say that I learnt much about Patching from Donaldson, who had a great respect for him, and expected him to improve as he has done. At the same time what arc we to expect when I read that at the railway sports at Volksrnst Patching ran 100 yards in OJsec, beating his own record of the South African championship by half a second, . and covering 75 yards in 7see.? (I do not oxnetly know whether to use the sign of interrogation or the mark Of exclamation.) Do"s my correspondent know what running 7f> yards in isec. means? It means that over 100 yards he should be able to beat three-quarters of a second— 71 yards inside evens! That, of course, would be preposterous. "Tho Braamfnntein man will do very well in this country if he shows us evens. That is the fastest time that has been recorded by an athlete in tho championship, wherein 'a yard inside' dees not count, and if he can show two inside at Stamford Bridge he will put down 'as the speediest amateur we have ever

had. At the same time, I quite believe that Patching has a great chance of ■winning two championships next July. Did ho win three ho would be a marvel. lie will not lack for preparation, for Gradv is a pastmaster in (he art of training a man."

"One of Patching's most likely opponents, the Now Zealand and Australasian 100 yards and furlong crack, W. A. Woodger, had not been having a good time when a letter to mc loft Wellington. He had been training hard for centre championships when an old strain reasserted itself, ami he had had to give up track work. It is likely that he will do no running until he reaches England; lie will be here in a few clays, having sailed last mouth. Woodger is another splendid runner, but is not so fast, 1 havo been told by ouo who has seen them both, as Patching. "The last colonial invader, J. M. Lynch, of East .Sydney A.A.C., is on his way Home. He came to this country with the Olympic team in 190S to vim in the distance track events, but did not cut n great figure. Only Englishmen did well in such events, though what they are going to do at Stockholm in 1912 is n different matter. Things have changed remarkably in twelve months, and may yet cluingo further in a like space of "With Lvncb, S. A. Marden (N.S.W.), A. W. Clemes, and E. G. Wadcly, the Rhodes Scholars at. Oxford, Woodger, J. F. and F. M. Daiiks, of East Melbourne Harriers, and Patching in this country, colonial athletics will be well represented next: summer. "If Craig, the American furlong runner, carries out his wishes, and gets leave from the U.S.A. Navy to compete a! Stamford Bridge, the 220 yards race is going to he a fine one. But the Old Country will have a little say in it. World's Sprint Championship. The "Referee" has the following account of the great sprint event between tho Victorian. Jack Donaldson, and our late visitor, the American, C. E. Holway :— "Jack Donaldson regained the sprint' championship of the world in a match at' the Upper Reserve, Bcndigo, on Wednesday, April 12. He met C. E. Holway, the holder of the title, in a match over IO'J vards for .€IOO aside. Holway received .£IOO win,or lose, while Donaldson took a share in the gate receipts. There were about 3000 people present at prices of admission 2s.' and 35.; so both Donaldson and tho promoter, '.Mick' Terry did good work. The men left their holes almost simultaneously, the' American perhaps a trifle the quicker. Donaldson caught and passed him at 2(1 yards and from that out the race was a 'procession, Donaldson winning comfortably in the end by three yards. , The time was lOsec. dead. Tho track (grass) had a fall pi about six inches, and there was a fairly strong breeze behind the runners, .three watches agreed on the time as being correct." , Interviewed after the race, each man had his little say, thus:--Donaldson. "How 1 won.": "My teeth were set when articles were signed. .I'had to concede many points to Holway m tho conditions. He always reminded me that he was champion, and entitled to dictate conditions. 1 would have preferred the legitimate Sheffield distance of 130 yards, but Holway said, 'No, 100 yards.' Wo had to give him .£IOO, win or lose. I had to agree, if 1 won, to give him another chance on' April 12, and, moreover, had to post dCIOO as his sharo in that particular race. Of course, had Holway won, the same agreement would have stood good for me, excepting that I would have had to take mv clianco with the gate receipts, the same 'as I now have. All this made mc keener than ever on winning. Holway, 1 believe, gave it out that, he would lead from start to finish. Well, if so, I think it was exactly the reverse. I reckon I was in front after the first ten yards. But, my-didn't Holway gallop then. On, on, we went, straining every nerve. I could see his long arms working like flails. But I drew nway, and won by three good yards. I had chased mm all the way from England to regain the Sprint Championship, and I determined I wasn't going to be beaten on tactics. I am surprised' better time wasn't made: My'dad made it, I. believe, 0 4-ssec, and several, privatei watches showed as much as four yards inside." Holway. Not satisfied: "I have no excuses to' make. When tho match was made, and Donaldson agreed to race me 100 yards, I felt certain I would beat him, and' I still think that I am the. better man over 100 yards. I. put in a wonderfully good preparation. Again and again J beat lOsec. for the 100 yards on an ordinary, unprepared grass track. Pnstle gave me some very stiff runs, but I could always head him' at about 80 yards. I made a grand start in tn-day's race, and right up to liO yards reckoned I had the race won. I figured on leading from end to end, and ran strongly for half tho distance, but when I tried to clap on the pace there was something within me that failed to respond. I may be a bit Stale, but I feel fit to run for my life. lam not at all satisfied with my form in today's race. I am, in fact, greatly disappointed. When I found I could not. hold Donaldson bpyond GO yards I eased up. Had I made a race of it his winning margin would have been very much less, so not n great deal of notice can be taken of his three yards' win." The men meet again on May 10,