ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

(By Meecuhy.) DEATH OF A GREAT RUNNER. ■The American Tour—Chances Brighter. At last-there is something to.report regarding the Australian, intentions as- to the projected tour of Australasia by Mr. Unmacfc'« team of American athletic champions. Fortunately, too, the news to hand is good as far as it goes. Tho N.Z.A.A.A. has been advised by cablegram that the New South Wales A.A.A. lias accepted the terms asked for by the Dominion Executive, and that it will guarantee the desired .£l5O towards tho expenses of the tour. ' ' This very pleasing intelligence is confirmed by tlio ".Referee" to hand during the week,' which, in doaling with tho matter, sums up the whole position as follows:— Tho New South Wales Amateur, ' Athletic Association will guarantee its share of J2150. The New Zealand A.A.A. farw'arded full details of the estimated expenditure. • Cost of' assembly at San Francisco, preliminary cablegrams, allowances, and com tingoncies, all transport, including . fares from America, to New Zealand, . on to Sydney, then, to Melbourne, back to Sydney, and return to the United States, will amount to <£600.' Of -this ■ sum, the Dominion Association offers to contribute «E3OO, Queensland, Tafe-.'S mania, and South. Australia caiuiot::'" •> support, the-project, andthus jNew v' : South Wales and Victoria, are'- asked to guarantee .£l5O each. The associa- ' tion in this State has agreed, and it now oaiily remains, for the, .Victorian A.A.A. to act in ,a similar manner for tho visit to be assured.

Present arrangements axe that the team shall arrive in New Zealand on December 3, and after' a tour of tho Dominion will leave Auckland for Sydney on January 19, and journey -to Melbourne imanediately for tho- Australasian track and field championships, already arranged for January 31 and February 2, returning to Syd- , ney, where thoy will compete prior to their departure for America,' Tho N.Z.A.A.A. lias cabled to Victoria asking for <v speedy notification the State Association's intentions,. and it is expeoted that tho coming week will see. a definite decision arrived at as to whethlar or not tho American authorities are to be advised to go ahead with the final arrangements. Our Unpleasantness with Victoria. There aro indications of a, slight "breeze" between the Victorian and New Zoalaud Associations with regard to the dates of tho coming season's Australasian Championships ait Melbourne. As has been already recorded in this column., tho Viotorian A.A.A. decided upon January 31 and February 2 for tho big meeting, and the New Zealand Executive - immediately wrote protesting that these dates aro too early in tho athletic season to bo suitable, - and asking that they bo put back a fortnight or, preferably, a month. To this objection there was no reply until last week. It was hoped from the fact that' the Dominion Association held tho championship shield that tlio reasons set forth (which havo been detailed by "Mercury") would have tho desired effect, but the latest intelligence goes to show that there is to be no giving way on tho part of tho Victorians to fall in with New Zealand's convenience. Rather the contrary, in fact. A cable message was received last week announcing! that instead of the dates being set back as asked, they had brought forward to January 20 and 28, the only explanation given being that tho dates previously advised had beeji selected in error. _ ■ > \ On Monday night the council of the' N.Z.A.A.A. resolved to make .a decided stand in the matter, and the outcome is that tho Vict irian governing body has been again advised, and this time in plain terms, that the dates proposed aro in no way suitaWei and that tho Dominion executive wislies its desires in regard to the matter to be given full consideration.. Passino of a Great Athlete. At Monday's meeting of the N.Z.A.A.A., ths president, Mr. Arthur Marryatt, made feeling; reference to the loss sustained by amateur athletics in the Dominion through tlio recent death of W. F. Simpson, of Christchurcli, one and three-mile New Zealand and Australasian ex-cliam-pion, and holder of tho nresent tliTeo-milo Australasian record. Similar references and tributes havo been much in evidence in tho athletic columns of tho various papers, especially in Canterbury, - where deceased was so well and favourably known.

Some of tho reminiscences of this great runner and sood sportsman aro wrfl worlhv of repetition. In the "Weekly Press" there apnears an appreciation from nn old athlete. Mr. P. Malthu.o. for which "Mercury" wishes that lie could find space for reproduction in full. However, some extracts must sufiico, if only to serveto show 111 what estimation the champion was lield by those who knew liirn best. Mr. Maltlnis writes:— "If over an athlcto ran races for tho pnro joy of winning, it was the late Billy' Simpson, fondly known among his pals as 'Simmy.' To him tho honour was everything, the prize nothing. So fur from turning liis wonderful running powers to financial advantage, ho deliberately sacH6ced his monetnry interests to his ni.rsnit of athletics. In the earlier days of his track career, he would leavo his job in tho harvest fiold, where ho was earning good wages, to go and do a hurried preparation for a sports mooting. And when he won his vace it mattered not to liini if tho prize was only, a tin mug: he would hove bcon quite content with a wreath of parsley. Duce (says the same writer), when a Canadian* runner returned home after winning the creat race from Marathon to Athens, and tho proud Canadians presented him with a largo sum of moneytwo thousand pounds I think—"Simmy" confided to mo that ho would havo loved

to liave been in that man's place, chiefly for tho pure joy it ,would have given him to refuso the money. And he meant it: that's tho sort of man he was. What a Sportsman H0 Was! "What a sportsfnan 110 was! On. tlio few occasions when ho was beaten on equal terms, although from tho very nature of the man tho sting of, defeat was more bitter to him than to most, yet 110 always tried to hide it, and tried to be tho first to congratulate his vanquisher. And much as ho loved winning, 110 would rather lose than bo helped to win by any accidental advantage. Once, in u stecplcchaso at Tiinaru, a dangerous opponent, who was leading at tho commencement of the last lap, misunderstood tho conditions and took a wrong turning, thus practically giviug Simpson tho race. A well-known enthusiast, in tho excitement of the moment, called out to tlioso around him: "I'll bot fivo to one "Simmy" waits for him!' And the next moment 'Simmy,' who was of courso out of earshot, did turn and actunlly wait until his opponent was on level terms with him. _ 1 "He had one little lovable human weakness—his soul hungered for applause. In a long-distnnc<s race ho might no .winning by a street when tho bell rang for tho last lap, but a thunder of applauso from tho grandstand would mako him clench his hands, throw back hisihead, and run himself out to the last ounce. That was how ho put up his threo miles Australasian record at . Auckland in 1901, a record which for a dozen years has withstood the attacks of all-comers, including tho mighty Slirubb. 1 That was 'Simmy's' proudest possession, and tlioso who know him best will rejoice that the old warhorso was not robbed of this source of pride in his lifetinlo. Now he has gone where earthly applause cannot reach him, and wo. can only come with uncovered heads and lay a laurel wreath upon his grave." i N.Z. Cross-Country Championship. To-day at Dunedin tho annual contest for tho cro3S-oountry championship of tho Dominion will take place, Thrw centres will bo represented—Otago (tho present holders of the Championship), Southland, and Wellington. Tho local centre is being represented by tho strongest team available, but unfortunately, although tho men can bo relied upon to do their utmost to achieve sucoess, they do not appeair to have .much chanoe against Beatson and his merry uion from Ota*o. The Otago men have lontr been at tho head' of harrier and cross-couintry work in tho Dominion, and on this occasion, on their native heath, and with tho pick of the province in tho field, things look especially good for them. Of the Wellington'team, chief interest is centred in Byrne, who, with his excellent performances this winter and his track experience, it is hoped will bo able to annex one of the individual prizes.