ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1539, 7 September 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[By "Mbhouet."] SPREADING OF THE LIGHT, Well Done, Maryborough! Last Saturday saw the dawn of a now athletic era in ilarlborough, inasmuch, for tho first time in its history, an amateur athletic club came in to boing on its soil on that date. Tho anticipated formation of tho club was forcshaatnved in this .column soil"; little time back, and now "Mtrcury" is glad to bo able to report tho successful outcome of tho council's efforts in this direction. On Saturday a public meeting, presided over by the Mayor, to discuss tho question of forming an. amateur athletic club, was held in Blenheim, there being present— as representatives of Hie Now , Zealand A.A.A.—those sturdy workers in the good cause, Messrs. J. 11. Pollock and W. L. Dunn. Addressin'' the meeting, they strongly advocated the introduction of amateurism into the province, and generally indicated the lines of organisation to bo followed if it was decided to tako action. It was so decided, and a Ways and Means Committee was set up to arrange details. It is said that the names of nearly ono hundred futuro members have been obtained. Thus has a new evangel been carried into Marlborough, and it now needs but a fair degree of onthmn'asm and diligence to eneure for iho new club a useful and successful career. « And Now-What of Nelion and Westland? It is the earnest desiro of the Council of the New Zealand A.A.A. to carry the good wdrk further afield. Endeavours will be made to resuscitate amateurism in Nelson, and to introduce it properly in Westland, 60 that in time tho northern provinces of tho South Island will bo strong enough to establish a centre of their oivn and so control their own destinies. Meanwhile tho enterprise in Blenheim will be watched with interest, and the venture can be assured of the hearty goodwill of amateurs on this eide of the Straits.

An Ambitious Project. Oα Tuesday morning there wae published in The Dominion by Mr. R. Coombes, president of the A.A.I/., from a. prominent amateur athletic official in California, formulating a scheme for the tour through Australia and Now Zeland of a team of American athletes. The names of those wishing to mako tho trip, if the proposition proved acceptable to the Australasian authorities and their special departments, are— Running high jump: George Horine, of Stanford University and Olympic Club. Running: broad jump: Fred. Allen, of the University of California; Sam Bellah, of Portland. Shot and hammer: Ralph Rose, of the Olympic Club. Hammer throw. K. Shattuck, of the University of California. Dieoujj and javelin: S. Bellah, Ralph Rose, and'K. Shattuck. 120 yards hurdles: Fred. Kelly, of the University of Southern. California. 440 and 880 yards: Clarence Edmund6on, of the Seattle Athletic Club. 880 yards, 1 mile, and 2 miles: Walter M'Clure, of the Multnomah Club, Portland. Sprints: I. Courtney, of the Seattle A. C. andFui TVoods, of the Universiity of California. Very few of these men need any introduction, and in some cases, for instance, George Horine, the holder of the world's high jump record of Cft. Tin.., and Ralph Rose, tho gigantic shot putter and hammer man, many times Olympic winner and record-holder, their names are- household words wherever amateur .athletics are 1 known.

Is It Practicable? ;; : Of the project'itself there is much to say, did spaco permit, On tho stimulus such a visit would give- the sport, and on the advantages to our own men that would accrue from seeing these redoubtablos in action, there is no need to dwell. Tho question is can it be done? Tho financial hurdle is, of course, tho biggest obstacle, and, even with tho full co-operation of the Australian States—for it may be taken for granted that the Dominion will do its share towards bringing the scheme to fruition—it 6eems at first glance as though this, for a team of ten men, will be unsurniountable. But if the whole ten mentioned cannot be financed, even half that number would bo acceptable and-- welcome, and surely that could be. managed. For example, a sprinter to try conclusions with Opie, Woodger (who may be back to tho track next season), Eeglestone and Co., a hurdler for Gerald Keddell, a middle-distance man for Neville Hill, and two field-event men for. exhibition and instructional purposes, and an. arrangement by which our men mentioned could be enabled to tour the Dominion together with, and to compete against the visitors in, the various towns, and' there is a. scheme which, es far as New Zealand Is concerned, would giyo amateur athletics the "boost" of a life-time and at ■ the eamo time be an eminently profitable enterprise. This matter is commended to our athletic legislators for their most earnest consideration. Otago Mourns a Champion. R. Mitchell, the New Zealand high jump champion, known throughout tho Dominion wherever athletes do congregate by his soubriquet of "Bobrikoff," has been transferred from the Dnnedin to tho Christcliurch branch of the telegraph service. Naturally he will be missed by tho Otago centre, both on account of his field and administrative work, but if his cheery and enthusiastic personality can infuse some life and vigour iuto tlio the comatoso athletic spirit of Canterbury, our Dunedin friends will have, the comfort of knowing that out of evil cometh good, and that their lose is Canterbury's (and the sport'e) gain.

IN OLYMPIA,

COMMENT OF A GREAT CRITIC. [EDITED BY MERPUBYJ In accordance with his promise of Inst week, "Mercury" now delves into the review by "Strephon," of the "Athletic News," of the recent Games at Stockholm, and appends extracts from tho English expert's conclusions, in tho hope that the hints embodied therein will provo not only interesting to his renders, but also instructive to our local athletes. Thus in a general comment on the Ariierican competitors, and their training methods. "Strephon" writes as undor, and surely his contentions con be taken as a rebuttal of the alleged evils of American specialisation. Gentlemen—Those Americans, AVe have been told of late, ad nausoum, that tho American runner is nothing but a highly-strung machine, trained to run and good for nothing else but running:, etc., etc., whereas, according to "Strepon," his preparation consists of a scientific conrse of. physical culture, which must make for his all-round benefit, and the result:, nf which wero very apparent to tho English critic. "Tho Americans Believe " He says: When wo look at their other men, however, what great types they are to be sure. Legs reveal fitness, but the veal welfare of tho men is revealed by the beautifully-developed arms and bodies. Nona of the Englishmen shows the snmo power of shoulder, clwst depth, and power of nrms. Tho Americans believe- that tho body development is as essential as the training of tho I<mss. Unless the ljndv bo strong and well, how can the logs do their work equitably? They simply citiiuot. If tho body bo weak the less can scarce bo drawn behind one. If the body is well and the legs are well, tho machinery is perfectly geared, tho framo runs'well, and tho results aro hnppy. "The body development of'your men," said on American expert to me, "is not at all what it should be. The carriage of the arms is bad, chest aud shoulders nro comparatively insignificant, Look at our fellows, Sec tho dif-

forenco?" And then I thought of the tiino and tho money and the pains which hnd been expended over these American athletes to produce- all this physical welfare. • Kach man had boen carefully etudied, carefully fed, and carefully trained for long months. "I Watched a Scandinavian." Again: I watched a Scandinavian athlete slapping the other day; ho was at it lor an hour, and never turned a linir. let ho was a grand specimen, und later went about the track work in zest. There is far too much of the stereotyped i\nd the old-fashioned about English methods, all this will require to be altered, ami a proper system adopted. Ucally, my readers cannot realise tho difference' between these young. Americans and our young fellows. It may be that an extraordinary amount of time and money is spent on the training of the Yankees, but it is well spent if wo can judge from tho results. "But They Do Not Shape Llko the Americans.". And etill again, and more value is given to these comments of "Strephoue" when it is pointed out that they were written on, tho eve of tho games, before the 6uccess of tho Americans had justified the encottiurns bestowed upon thorn. Everybody eeeme to be thriving in. the glorioue atmosphere, after leading a quiet, easy life. But they do not shape like tho Amoricane, and it is to be hoped that after this Olympiad steps will be taken, to teach the athletes in plain torme how to live, how to train, how to develop strength as well ae pace, and how to rua the raco, 60 I should like to see more men 6haped like the Americans, and this can only be done by Byslem-ado training of the body. It is eo easy. Breathing exercises, Swedish, gymnastics, the proper use of the dumb-bells, will all work for increased strength—if persevered in. Athletlci and Hlitory.—"Everybody Yelled for the Flnn«." In ono portion of his review the EnglUh writer touches a deeper, note, and, to us, a strango one. That anything but athletics should count at all at a gathering of this nature seems inexplicable to us, but then our history is nearly all in front of us. With Finland it U different, as witness:— I fear that this will be the last occasion on which Finland will be able to compete as an independent force. EnsMa does not like the distinction bestowed upon the country, and soon pnt a etop to the appearance of the old Finnish, nag at Stockholm. The authorities, too, did not relish Finland playing as a separate force at football, and the repeated popular demonstrations favourable to the Finns would not bo regarded with favour. I talked with many men of Finland. Russian ru!« i is harder and Finnish, favours fewer than ever. It is none of other people's business, but human nature is human nature, and everybody yelled for the Finn?, the most popular competitors at the meeting.