ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1669, 8 February 1913, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

IBt "Mebcubi.'l OUR CHAMPIONSHIPS— 1913. Great Changes -.In ■ Six Yean. • Looking back through the mists of six yearfr-a long time in athletic history—one is struck by. tho change in the character of the Wellington provincial championship ■ gatherings. Then—being a series of purely individual contesta—there was a tameness about tho meetings that even tho large numbcro in which the publio attended oould not dispel. Fields were email, competitiouasaitenaanotanythlug but keen, and the only interest that attached'to, the meetings was an interest that appealed but to those actively' connected with the sport—the interest that attaches to a; gathering preliminary to the great meeting of the year—the New Zealand championships. Club rivalry, club feeling did not exist, because it had no reason for existence. Now ail this, thanks to the far-sighted-ness of tho centre's president; is past. The meeting is a deflnito end in itself. It is tho culminating point of the season in local athletics. In the weeks prior to it ono does not hear the championship, chances of this man or that man discuss-' edj instoad the talk is of,the advance or the falling back of clubs. Tho M'Vllly Shield , Battle. On this,occasion, even more than lost year—the first occasion on whioh the shield was contested—the inter-club interest predominated. Moreover, the interest was evinced'as much by the publio as by the various'clubs and the Mowings.'' ■ • ' ■ lia.roly has one eeen so muoh of what! one ; might'not inaptly term "football enthusiasm" at a sports meeting. Indeed, so keen was this enthusiasm of the publio; that the posting of points on tho scor-ing-board was little moro than , a formality.' Everyone kept his or her own tally.- >- . r . • , And what a.pontest it was I The brilliant lead oft of- tho holders who, in the first half dozen events, secured a lead that seemed impossible to overtake, was completely forgotten in the excitement which, padually' rising with the bold bid of the Wairarapa men, broke out over the last evont of -the day, when tho quarter came up for decision; with tho points reading: Wairarapa 42, Wellington 41. Then, as last year, it was a case of the club which furnished the winner securing the shield. The country club, with' four of the fivo competitors, looked to have at least an- cq.ual chance, but it was not to be, for Wilton, running tlio race of his life,, landed home first, all out, but an easy winner. The Only' Pity of It. \ It was a great effort, and the Wellington Club deserved its win. but one cannot'help wishing that tno shield had gone away from the city. Tho club at Masterton, as pointed out before in these columns, has dono splendid work for tho sport. It has struggled in tho one-time happy hunting-ground of professionalism, thriven also, and inust ultimately conquer altogether. That tho conquest has been delayed for another year is a matter for • sincere' regret. _ The winning of thti shield is tho one thing wanting to rouse such a wavo of enthusiasm for amateur sport in the Wairarapa as will overwhelm, tho lingering professional clement. Sprinters at the Meeting. Coming to the 6port itself, there was nothing in the way of record performances to enthuse about, but the keenness, of the competition throughout gave moro general pleasure and satisfaction than a hatful of new records, and though falling short of records, the individual efforts wero above the' average. . . Among tho sprinters,' Duncan,-of course,' stood'well out by himself. Tho Univereity crack 19 in splendid :form just now, and his two wins indicate that it will require someone of the first-class to bring • about his defeat in the two sprints at tho Now Zealand championships next Saturday. . After Duncan comes Hubbard, who, for the first time for two seasons, showed a glimpse of his old form. Clearly inferior to Duncan, he, nevertheless, must be somewhere near the top of New Zealand sprinting form at tho present time. • Messenger docs not show tho promiso of last, season; House cannot last well enough to iend liopo to any suggestion that he will ever make a champibn; and Fisher has seen his best days. Splendid Little "Jimmy" Wilton. After his two wiiis at the W.A.A.C. meeting many were disappointed at "Jimmy'? Wilton's comparatively poor showing in tho furlong, forgetting, or not knowing—as they should by now know—' J that as the little fellow always shows his best sprinting paco when he is not wound up for tho- distance—the quarter—that, in local athletics, at any rate, is peculiarly his own. And what a record ho has in this event—fivo consecutivo wins and a third in six starts in (lie provincial championship quarter. In the New pica- i land championship his performances read: Once unplaced-(1007) .(on that occasion, at'the »jo of Mvonteen, he won hie heat, I

but was too done up to do himself justice in tho final)! one win (1000); one sccond (1012); and two thirds (1911) and 1911), .truly (i splendid array of performances at 0110 distance. Among which for sheer merit his latest win stands out by itself. , ,

He went to tho post'tho 6010 representative of his club, with its shield cnances depending on him alone. Against him were four representatives of the -other club, which then had the lead. This weight of responsibility in itself would be 1 a sufficient oxcuso for failure on his part, i Tho paco set by Mackenzio for Fisher in , the hrst three hundred yards was hotter ' than .anything Wilton had cxpefienced before. l'ot he kept v.p 1 with the flying leader, and' left 1 him standing a hundred yards from ; home, finishing in 51 l-ssec., tho fastest ; timo hoisted in a quarter on' tho Basin Resorvo for many years. 1 The middlo distanco performers were, with the exception of Bradbury, Binnie, 1 and Byrne, a" poor lot. Bradbury's two 1 wins wero not gafned without a struggle, but the old champion gained a decisive victory in each case. Binnie ran as well as ho has over done, and his time will come in a year or two. Byrno might have troubled BradbuTy more in tho mile had he not attempted to sprint the whole of the last quarter. How fast tho pace was in this lap may be judged from the foot that it was carved out in 59 8-ssoc. Right Royal Event—the Three Miles, Undoubtedly the tit-bit of tho day aa A race in itself—apart from any outside influences such as those whioh made the quarter such an exciting event—was the three miles run. From the start until well through the last mile the field kept together, with Cook forcing the pace. Byrne, content in the early stages with the Tole of whipper-in, gradually worked his way to the front, and made play in the lead during the last half-mile. Cook stuck to him gamely, and, putting in a brilliant run two hundred -yards from home, looked likely to last long enough to win, but Byrne, running resolutely, rushed past'in the straight, and, came home first by a bare three yards. It was a great Tace, with honours evenly divided, Cook's gallant effort moving the spectators to prolonged applause. ' Cashman In the Walk. The walk needs bnt little comment, champion "Dave" Cashman showing some measure of his form of last season, and Sievwright, of Victoria College, showing surprising pace in his finish. His stylo was as, good as anything seen on the Basin for somo time. The Hurdlers. 1 . Both hurdles produced interesting races, but did not indicato that there is much danger at present of Wellington producing a Keddell. Halligan won, the .shorter Tace comfortably enough, but Stagpoole, of Palmerston North, made the best impression, ' his pace over the first five hurdle 3 being such as to lend encouragement to tho hope that he may one day get into the first-class. Ho should profit greatly. by' seeing Keddell in-action next Saturday. "Bob"-.Mackenzie gained a popular win in the quarter, , but both Keddell and Cook will probably lead him homo.in the New Zealand quarter. Honours in the Jumps. Honours in the jumps wero evenly distributed, M'Kay winning the polo, Hubbard the long, and Doyle !the high jump. In view of tho up-hill run to tho take-off Hubbard's 20ft. 9in. was a really good performance, and DoyleVsftl flin. eeeiAs to be a good next in high jumping in New Zealand to-day. ; As to M'lCay, it is'doubtful if ho were: oven-seen to better advantage. Favoured no : doubt by the delightfully., warm day h-3 vaulted with an ease and grace rarely seen' here, and exceptional even for him. In his winning jump of 10ft. Gin. ho; cleared tho bar with inches to spare. Ho did not try for a record, being anxious not to chanco-nn injury to his weak anklo which, however, sufferod later in' the hop, step, apd jump. Not onco in all his tries in the pole vault did ho' displace the bar., . ' ''. - "Bob" .M'Kenzie showed that- his last year's win in the hop, step, and jump ; was no fluke by winning tho event again. His figuros (42ft. lin.) do not read tco well, but; next Saturday he should add at least a foot to them. . M'lCa/s winning putt of 3Gft:-Gin. was a very fajr performance as was Bissett's 122 ft.with the hammer, but neither was up to New Zealand'championship standard. A Letter From Manawatu. "Mercury" has.received the ''following, letter from ■ the secretary, of the MnnnIwatu A.A.C., and local amateurs could riot do,' better than respond to his invitation, -Following So closo.upon the Now Zealand championships there inay be a probability of somo of the southern cracks making tlie journey to Palmerston. The presence of Keddell alone would probably account for a "gate" that set the club upon a proper, financial footing. "Dear 'Metfcury,'—l am sending you a oouple of our programmes for our - meeting on the 19th February:.. As, you aro aware wo are controlling tho country clubs' championship which decided tho guardianship of the Jt'Villy Shield presented' by Mr. M'Villy, president of the centre. This is tho first year of competition and wo ex- . pect a very'big meeting. You will notico that our- programme contnins .nine championship and thirteen hnn-' ' dicap events, including a teams' relay race in which each man (of teams of , four) run 3 44flyds. Wo think that this distance, run by a team of four, is more,likely to causo a good;contest than,, say, two 220's, . 440, and 880 yds. We aro also including a 220 yds. bracelet, "I understand that A'. Dormer, and ■ Auckland's other representative. (Mark, . isn't it?) will break thejr return journey and will also compote. '. "Our ! meeting, should give a number of--thoso. competing in'tho Ne\v Zealand championships an opportunity of again fighting their battles 011 a track 6econd to none in New Zealand. ' "If you could sen your way to blvo us mention in your columns, it will , do a good deal towards making tho meeting a success, and us your debtors—l am, etc., . ' "D. PARK.", Blenheim, and How to Mako tho Trip, . "Mercury" has also received the programme of sports to lie held in connection with a garden fete at the nijh School rrrotinds, Blenheim, 011 Wednesday next. The open events comprise: 100 yds., 220 yds., and half-mile relav. Entries close to-night with Mr.' M. Scollard, Blenheim, but Wellington entries will bo accepted 011 Monday. : ' To those local "pods." who may desire to compete "Mercury" offers a suggestion. On Tuesday tho Union Company are running a special -steamer to Ship Cove in [.connection with the unveiling of tho Captain Cook monument. By going over in this steanler, besides gaining the advantago of the cheap fare,- runners could view the ceremony and then proceed on tn Blenheim, returning to Wellington on Wednesday night. Tho Blenheim Club intends holding a ' Saturday meeting in March, and Wellington athletes who can. spare the time, should certainly endeavour to make the trip. Besides the material prosnect of winning a race or two there hj this other incentive: that a stron" lea 111 from the city would greatly bnnefit tlie w sport, over there which; being in its' infant stages, can bear , all the outside support it can get. For years, the amnieiirs foiled to trot any foothold in Blenheim. Now tlint it has done so fthanks to the untiring energy of a small bind of enthusiasts! itwould bo a eraceful act on the part' of ' athletes at headquarters to attend in force. , To this end "Mercury" suggests that the Blenheim Club hold its meeting 011 March 15. Tho following' Monday being a Gov- ■ eminent and bank holiday in Wellington would make if all the easier for our men to get over. . Tlie next week—Easier —will bo unsuitable.oll' account of (he carnival here, nt which the present of a Blenheim contingent would be ijladly welcomed. Further, what would seem to make ih-e 1"ilh a doubly suitable dat" in i "M'T JV* meeting on St. Patrick s JJ.v. is that it would five tho - public tho opportunity of seeing both meetings and forming their own judgment" as to the merits of both branches of the sport. "What is your idea of a heroine, John?" I asked the wife of his bosom, as she looked r up from; the novel she was'reading. 1 heroine, my dear," nnswored JoinC "is a i woman who oould talk back, but doesn't" 1