ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1575, 19 October 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

IBt "Mercury."]

PROPOSED VISIT OF TEAM FROM PACIFIC SLOPE. October 28—Labour Dny Sports, Basin Hcsorve. How to Finance the Tour? At ita meeting on Tuesday night, tho council of the N.Z.A.A.A. went thoroughly into tho principal financial aspcct of tho proposed visit to the Dominion of a team of iivo American athletes from tho Pacific Slopo: Tho sub-committee set up for tho purpose reported that tho cost of bringing the team out would lie, roughly, ,£350, made up as follows:— Five saloon return fares at .£6O ,£3OO Cost of assembling at 'Frisco, and expenses on boat, say, .£lO per man 50 It is to be suggested to the A.A. Union that thiß expense be divided : New Zealand ,£l2O, Victoria -CIOO, New South Wales JCIOO, Tasmania .£3O, thesa being the only States likely to co-operate in the scheme. Tho question of route was gone into, and the outcoino of the cogitation was the decision that it would be preferable from tho Dominion standpoint that the Americans make Australia their landing place, and oome on to New Zealand after "doing" tho Australian States. Their stay hero would last a good five weeks, and the probable expenditure was estimated at <£180, thus:— Five weeks, 5 men at £}, per week (board, out of pocket expenses, < etc.) JGIOO Travelling, .£lO each 50 Extras, say 30 .£l6O This added to New Zealand's share of the transport expenses, £120, would bring the total liability of the council to JC3OO. The Suggested Itinerary. A rough itinerary was suggested which would take in six local meetings, and possibly a New Zealand one. If they came over from Australia to the Blufi the visitors could land on Sunday, compete at Invercargill or Otautau on the following Wednesday, Dunedin on Saturday, Christchurch on the next Saturday, land in Wellington on Sunday, compete at Wangahui or in the Wuirarapa during Hue week, at Wellington on Saturday, Hamilton during tho week, and Auckland on Saturday, with a big New Zealand meeting as a final. This is, of course, only a rough suggestion. The whole thing is dependent on how the centres support the venture financially, and as a means of ascertaining their views oil this matter, tho council has issued circulars asking for guarantees. So far the only reply received is from the Wellington Centre, which has come down right handsomely with an offer of a',£Go guarantee, and half the profits of a meeting for tho council. If tho other centres follow this lead the financial aspect of tho tour will oease to be a consideration with the council, but this is too much to hope for.

Notes on the Club Meetings, Club annual meetings have fallen thick and fast of late. Our senior club entered upon a new season as from Friday last, with, a good heart and a sound balance at the bank. On Wednesday the Athletic Football Sports Club, a body of tender years but vigorous growth, assembled to disouss its fourth annual report and balance-sheet. This last-named proved eminently satisfactory, and the report submitted by Secretary J. W. Hernan showed good work done in tho past season, and excellent prospects for that at hand. An indication of the club's progress is given in tho fact that last year, tho membership increased from 17 members to S3. A good note is struck in 0110 paragraph of the report, this: "An Amateur AthIctilc Club has just been formed at Blenheim, ivherc teams from tho football club; have been well entertained in past years, and your committeo hope that if tho Blenheim Club holds a meeting this year our members will, if possible, help to establish the sport in that town by entering and competing." A Big Christchurch Event. Oil December 16, Canterbury's Anniversoiy Day, an event is to be held in Christchurch which is worthy of the attention of local long-distanco men. This, a fivem'ile road race, to be held in connection with a fete on Lancaster Park, which promises exceedingly well, and is, by tho way, being extensively billed as a "Modified Marathon"—a term which is as meaningless as it is clumsy. Particulars of tho race nro as under:— Tho route will bo from the foot of the Port Hills, along Colombo Road, to the City Hotel Corner, thence down High Street and Ferry'Koad to Lancaster Street into Lancaster Park, and once round the track. The prizes are substantial ones, the first being an open order for J2lO, and the second and third, open orders to tho value of JJ4 Is. and £2 2s. respectively. A trophy for the fastest time has not been overlooked, and tho speediest unplaced competitors will be rewarded with an order for' £2 2s. The entry fee is 55., and entries close on Thursday, December 5. Tho race will start at 1.30 p.m. A Hefty Throw. A cable messago states that Matt M'Grath established a world's record by throwing tho 161b. hammer 181 1-Srd feet. The previous best performance was a throw of 179 2-3 rd feet by J. J. Flanagan, in 1308. Eeiflht Hours Day in Sydney. Monday, October 7, was Eight Hour Day in Sydney, and, as usual, one of the holiday fixtures was the big sports meeting oil the Agricultural Ground. The attendance ran up to 40,000, so the gatheringone with a mixed programme of amateur and professional events—may fairly be written off as a succoss. The chief of tho amateur runs were two New South Wales championships— the State do not hold championship meetings, as is tho custom here, but allocate tho premiership events to different meetings during the year—the 120 yards hurdles and three miles flat. In none of these cases aid the title chango hands. In the former, J. W. Frazer, tho holder, who will be remembered as competing hero at tho big Australasian meeting at Christmas time, won handily in 10 4-ssec.—mediocre timo due to tho rough nature of the track and a strong head broezo. The long ovent fell to Temple Wood, who, as last year, won after a struggle with F. Flowers. The field bunched until tho last lap, when the placod men broke away, in conjunction with the wind and roughness of tho going, accounts for the poor timo—lCmin. 33 2-ssec.

Hurdling—An Interesting Point Revived. Frazer's win in the sprint hurdle championship comes in for some remark in the Sydney papers, from tho fact that he fenced in the ICraenzlcin stylo, a la ICedd«|l, an innovation which meets with diverse critioism at the hands of the athletic critics. Tho "Daily Telegraph" writer, for instance, does not like it. He says: — Great interest centred round the first appearance of Frazer in open oompetition since the South Sydneyite has adopted the American "strnightlegged" style. Tho timo recorded was in 110 way remarkable. It is questionable whether Frazer has improvod his pace by adopting the new style of hurdling. Personally I do not think lie has. He is, in tlio first place, too short in tho leg. He cannot step a hurdle. In America it is 110 (rood of anyone but a long-legged individual going into the hurdling game. The progressive coaches will not stand a short-legged man at any price. They tell the latter to try their hands, or rather their legs, at some other game. Hut here in Australia we lind longlegged men hurdling in the bent leg stylo, whilst the short men are Irving the, to them, impossible straightlegged system. It is tho old story of a square peg for a round hole over again and again. This is hardly fair either to Frazer or to the system. It follows naturally that a hurdler cannot change his habit entirely, and at once do full justico to himself or his new methods. Failing a case near home, for instance, Gerald tCcddcll wns several sensons in developing his prcsout elylo, and it is only

reasonable to givo Frazer, for whose change of method ICeddell is responsible, timo to test himself thoroughly before decrying his enterprise in attempting to improvo himself. As for tho other remarks regarding the build of hurdlers— well, naturally, length of leg is a good asset to a fencer, but, apart from this-, hurdlers are 110 moio built to order than are other athletes. Capital Performance in the "Quarter." One performance was registered at tho Sydney meeting that calls for inoro than passing notico. This was tho amateur open quarter—a handicap event contested in three heats with a limit mark of 30 yards, tho scratch man being J. F, Bradley, of tho South Sydney Harriers, and Victorian champion over this distance. The Sydney "Morning Herald" thus tells tho story of Bradley's very meritorious performance:— "A splendid race was witnessed in tho final of the 410 yds. handicap. This was quite the most brilliant performance of the day, for it is seldom that a scratch man is placed a winner in a handicap of this description. Tho race was decided in three heats, and the three placed men ?ualified for tho final. A hundred yards rom tho tape it appeared that the finish would bo fought out Ijetween It. P. Warner and M. J. M'Carthy, of East Sydney, but at this point the South Sydney champion raced through the field at a terrific rate, and going ahead won comfortably by 10yds. in 51Ssec., with M'Oarthy nearest, and Warner a very close third. Bradley is tho present holder of tho Victorian quarter-mile championship, and has held the 440 yds. and 880 yds. championships of this. State. Tho effort recorded by him must stand as ono of the most brilliant performances yet seen in this State, and When it is considered that tho track was far from perfect, and a severe wind was against the men, it will be admitted that Bradley stands in a class by himself, for he conceded fair men starts up to 30yds., and the'same race on the Sydney Cricket Ground under fair conditions would not have been far short of Nigel Barker's record of 48sec."