ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1425, 27 April 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[Bi "MincuET."] STIR OF THINGS OLYMPIC. Our Harriers—Why No Boom? Now is tho season when tho festive Harrier dons his shoes and trots across country accompanied by tho gibes of every small boy. Judging from the few runs that have so fijr taken plnce, the season promises to bo at least as successful as any previous one. The members of our Harrier Cluhs are perhaps tho most enthusiastic if all tho local sporting fraternity, and it is strange that their enthusiasm has not won them more adherents. Year after year the same faces are seen regularly at club runs, while the new men in ovidcnce every year do little more than balance thoso retiring. True, since tho Brooklyn Harriers came into existenco the number of Harriers has increased soraowhat, and the new Central Club jproniises well, but there is no denying tho fact that the game docs not prosper as well hereabouts as in Dunedin, or, to go somewhat further afield, as in Melbourne.

It is a pity, too, for the Wellington Clubs provide good sport—more, perhaps, than any athletic club of any other description. They foster the social side, too, making themselves "clubs" in reality as well as in name. What is it, then, that keeps the general sport from taking an occasional jaunt across country? The number of other well-established sports —football of both codes, hockey, and lacrosse, and tho gentle sport of gathering 011 the banks at the Athletic Park every Saturday—probably has something to do with it, but the tact that cross-country running in Wellington really resolves itself into a somowliat modihed form of Alpine climbing has probably most to do with tho comparative paucity of Harriers in ,this city of sports. In Dunedin the game has a strong foothold, and the runners in cross-country championships in Melbourne aro numbered by tho hundred sometimes. At a local picture-show a week or two back, "Mcrcury" saw a film depicting various stages of tho Southern Counties cross-country championship. The sight of tho winner, F. C. Neavcs, struggling homo in front of moro than three hundred others was an eye-opening illustration of tho hold which Harriot' running has in tho Old Comitrv. Possibly a contest on tho lines of tho M'Villy Shield might do for the Harrier Clubs what the shield has done for track athletics. It is worth trying at any rate. Meantime tlio present clubs go on doing good work ill developing our local middle distance champions. W. 11. Pollock was at his best alter a season with the Harriers, and J. F. Wilson and C. Byrne—to name but two other runners of class—are jroducts of Harrier Clubs. Tho Growing Noise of Olympia. Matters Olympic go on apace, gathering interest as the convincing days drawnearer. From all quarters conies news of activity and intorest. It is curious but true that all ever Australusia the mam part of the games—tho athletic contestshas attracted far less, attention than what (for want of a better term) one might call the minor parts—minor, that is, because the contests in thoso branches

aro fewer. In the rowing and swimming branches, Australia has shown great interest, their team of ten rowers and some five or six swimmers being amplo testimony to this. But, in tho mam branch, little interest has been shown. Probably tho fact that we have so few men capable of competing successfully with tho best of other countries has something to do with it. But, in other parts of the Empire, and in America, keen interest is being "taken in tho Games by all section of the community. South Africa is arranging to send a strong team. Captain Weatherall, late superintendent of army gymnasia, has been nppointed manager, and Mr. 11. B. Kenrtland, who earned some measure of fniuo as trainer to B. E. Walker, will act as trainer. Before reaching Stockholm, tho team will spend six weeks training at Brighton, in England, and members of it will compete at the English championships. I The Canuks for Olympia. Mr. J. G. Merrick, in a letter to Mr. Coombes, tells of Canadian arrangements which aro even now almost complete. Trials will bo held, but it is considered that the following arc fairly certain to be included in the teamlt. Kerr (present Olvmpia 200 metres champion) for the 100' and 200 metres; F. J. Ilalhaus (who won tho 100 and 200 yards Festival of Empire championships, and the 140 yards English championship last year), for the JOO metres; Howard, for the 200; Knox for the S00; Tait (Festival of Empire mile champion), for the 1500; Happening for tho polo vault ; t Gillis for the weights; Lukeinan and Gillis for the pentathlon. At least 6ix men will compete in the Marathon madness. But tho king pin of tho team will undoubtedly be G. Goulding, famous as the conciueror of G. E. Larner, who will probably account for the classic 10,000 metres walk. The Stars and Stripes in Olympia. Accounts from America mako it clear that the Stars and Stripes will bo hoisted on more occasions than ono at the Games. First of all, their team of sprinters will probably include I?. O. tho best 200 yards runner since "Bernie" We.fcrs. Hector, who was expcclcd to do great things at tho last Games, will endeavour to get back some of his old form, but, even in his absence, there are such men as G. W. Minds and Gwynne Henry available. Then, for tho quarter, they havo l'oung, of Amherst College, and | Devonport, of Chicago University* both of whom are good for 49sec. or better.

That seemingly everlasting wonder, Molvin Sheppard, will again make his appearance in the 800 and 1500 metres, and one of his team mates will bo the sensational John Paul Jones, of Cornell University, tho fastest amateur milor of all time." If G. N. Hill can defeat these two he will earn undying fame. In the hurdle events, America still has Forrest Smilhson, the Kranzlein of these latter days, Chisliolni of Yale University, Lienson of California University, Colson of Hamilton College, Eller of New York, and A. B. Shaw, each 0110 of whom is good for 15 2-ssec or better. Such a team of champions over the sticks is only seen once in a generation. There must bo something springy in the air of tho United States, for there are more than 2(J men in that part of tho world capable of clearing six feet or more in tho high jump. Of these, one, G. Horine, of Stanford University, stands out by himself for did he not, a fewweeks back, set the athletic world talking bv creating a new- world's record. \Yith Gutterson, Piatt Adams, AVasson, and Allen all capable of 23ft. or more in the broad jump, and Cook, Bellah, Coyle, IJukes, Waggoner, Gardner, and Babcoek, who can top 12ft. Gin. with the polo, tho Stars and Stripes gentry will have pretty well their own way in these two events. "31att" M'Grath Ryan and Ralph Itoso should settle all opposition in the hammer and shot events, and Martin Sheridan, undoubtedly the best all-round athlete in the world, must havo a great chance of winning the discus throwing. All things considered, there can be but little doubt that America will place in the field next July the strongest team that has ever left her shores, and that being so, it is tolerably certain she will win tho premier honours among the nations. In the swimming department, however, sho will need all her champions to come out victorious over Australasia, with her Longworth and others.