ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1990, 21 February 1914, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[By Mercury.]

DO HANDICAPS HURT 7 February 28.—Heturn American meetr ing at Basin Reserve. ; March 3;— Country Clubs Championships'(at Masterton). March 7.—Provincial . Championships (at the-Citizens' Carnival). ': Americans Detest Them. Cables from Australia have advised Us that the visitors have expressed themselves as being strongly averse to the B.ystem of running handicap events, so much in vogue in. Australasia. Files to hand now give full particulars of their statements, which, as coming from experts, and striking so hard at what is practically the root of our system, ,for the development of our athletes, are worthy of more than a passing thought. This ia what was said on tho subject to an Australian interviewer: — "It will be difficult to convincethem at home that we are not a badly beaten team," said Mr. E. 11; Caughey, tho weight-thrower. "They do not understand handicaps over there, so wo are taking the programmes with us as documentary evidence that the race is'not always to tho swift nor the battle to the strong. "I do not think- that amateur athletics will reach a high plane in Australasia," he went ,011 to say, "till handicapping is done away with, Tho .trouble is that it dis- ' courages the good man. So far as we are concerned, we found here, and particularly in New Zealand, that we wero treated harshly by the handicappers. The result of races showed that we would have established world's records had wo won. There is more chance of improvement in a limit man than a scratcli man, and what handicapper can estimate the rate of improve'"nient? "I have heard it said that scratch racing is less interesting that handi-. capped events, but that has not been our experience in Amorica. Second and third count for points at a competitive meeting, and even if tho winning of the race ib a foregone conclusion, there is interest left in the contest for the places."

Handicaps Hlndor. / Mr. G. L. tarker, the sprint champion, was equally decided'in. his opinion against handicaps. "I run faster with a man alongside me," he said, "than when chasing somebody far ahead. Handicap running hinders a man from reaching hie full development. There are athletes in Australasia, who call themselves second-rate, and never try to get out of that class at all. If they got back with good men and kept trying—if they kept after it, and kept after it all the time—they would pull themselves out. That has been our experience in America, where handicap running is practically non-existent. "I ,have seen "men beaten out time after time, yet gradually improving till they beat all cotnpetitors. There were several lade at college faster than I: and it was a long time before I got faster than they. If we had been running handicaps I do not think I would have persevered as. I did. I kept after it, for there was great stimulus in the .hope of some day. beating everybody on the line." This is a subject that is wall worthy of argument, and "Mercury" will bo ulad to Hear from any of his readers that would care to debate the matter. Good Wine Needs no Bush. It should bo unnecessary to say much about the American meeting at the Basin Reserve on Saturday nevt. Our very good friends from the States are returning to us with their Australian honours thick upon them. ."Thick" is exactly the expression that suits the

case. The American team is small in number, and the championships that have accrued to tho members thereof, since leaving our shores, are many. In actual figures the men average over four championships apiece, and these include five Australasian premierships and a half-share in another. Tho balance aro the Stato championships of New South Wales. Last Saturday—tho first day of tho big State meeting—the visitors cleared the board in cvory event in which they started. Tho remainder of tho programme is to bo disposed of to-day in Sydney, to Monday's cablegrams will advise us of the team's form right up to date. Immediately after tho meeting this afternoon tho tourists rsail for Wellington by tho Aorangi and arrive here on Wednesday. So they will have time to get their land logs,again befpre appearing on Saturday. ■, How Match the Pelxotto Brigade? There is just ono drawback attached to the return appearance of Mr. Peixotto's small contingent. It is impossible to give them match contests in all their events. The executive, however, is endeavouring to remedy this as much as possible, and to this end is endeavouring to bring the new Dominion champion sprinter, Martis, of ' Wanganui, down for the meeting, so that ho and Ashley Duncan can "try out" George Parker in the two short sprint events. For the quarter tho . presence of "Jimmy" Wilton, onco again New Zealand champion for the distance, must ensure a good "go" for tho Stockton flyer. At least it'works out that way on paper. Parker was beaten off scratch early in the- tour over a quarter bv C. S. Thomas, of Christchurch, and Thomas in turn was beaten by Wilton at Duncdin at the championsnips on February 9. Apart from this the local champion'is proverbially a hard man to beat on the Basin Reserve, and, just now, he is running extremely well. A Good Suggestion. - ■ For Power, it is impossible (through the indisposition of Dormer and the fact that C. S. Thomas is leaving for England on the day preceding the meeting) to find scratch men worthy of his metal over the half and mile. In this .connection an excellent, suggestion ha 3 been made that would tho effect of providing a scratch race for tho Boston crack. This is that he and A. Hudsoil, our new three-mile champion, be matched over two miles. Hudson's, performance' at Masterton on New Year's Day,, when he covered this distance in 14min. C2sec, and won absolutely unpaced, was more than a creditable one and it is quite likely that ho could give the sturdy little American a very lively run. "Mercury" understands that those. in charge are considering this very good idea and he hopes that it will be found workable. I

Difficult Foemen. For Templeton there is P. Doyle, and possibly Stagpoole, of Palmors'ton, as worthy opponents in the hurdles, but unfortunately, ye have not a high jumper capable of- extending him, as his Australian performances make him a ■very "safe bet" at sft. llin., and bring 6ft. and over well withfti his reach. In the weight' 1 events, the American pocket Hercules, Reg. Caiißhey,. is unassailable, but he is always well worth watching not only for the excellence of his stylo, but also because he is likely at any time, to break the Australasian record with the shot that he equalled at the Athletic Park at Christmas time.

Thomas for England. Reference has" been mado to the fact .that C. S. Thomas, the Christchurch .'rimnei; and present half-mile champion or the Dominion, is leaving shortly for England. He is booked to sail at the end of next week, so unless his boat is delayed, will just miss Saturday's meeting. Thomas does not intend that his change of locale shall put an end to his track career, and ho says that.he will dp ns much running in tlie Old Country as possible, Our hnif-milo champion is a keen amateur, as is shown by the fact that he has retained . his keenness throughout the dispiriting state of affairs athletic in Canterbury which has deprived- him of that frequent competition so necessary to the full development of a champion runner. In England he should got running in plenty, and as lie has already proved himself to bo .capable of good things over the quarter and half, it is not unreasonable to expect that, as soon as he is acclimatised, we shall hear of him as doing the Dominion full credit on the English tracks. . ' important Innovation. At tho time of the Australasian championships at Melbourne last month, the usual biennial meeting of tho Board of Control of the A.A.TJ. was held, and an important part of tho business was the consideration of the. Racing Laws now operative in the Australian States and tho Dominion.

The American tour has brought to light the fact thai several of our rules —particularly in regard to fieltT events — differ materially from those governing tho Olympic Games and those obtaining in America and the Old World. The result has been that a number of alterations have been submitted to the affiliated association for mail vote as to their adoption, so that the A.A.U. textbonk may be brought- up-to-date. These propositions were dealt witJi at tho monthly meeting of tho Council of tho N.Z.A.A.A. last week, and two in particular wore approved of that, if agreed to by a majority of the. Australian State associations, will make important alterations in the futuro conduct of jumping events. Thus in the broad-junip it is proposed that the take-off board beeight inches broad instead of four, and that the practice of digging- away the earth in front thereof to a- depth of two inches bo discontinued, so that the board shall be flush with tho earth both in front and behind.

Tho Amended Vault. In the pole-vault and high-jump the new rule, if carried, will provide for the pin supporting tho-bar projecting three inches instead of two_, as at present. This lattor provision admits of no argument. The extra inch allowed in other countries tells greatly in favour of the jumper, and) it ia obvious that, so long as the two-inch pin is retained, our mon must be at a disadvantage. The Changed Jump. 'As regards tho broad-jump, under tho new conditions the innovation should meet with favour from the jumpers. The presont system of taking-qfr' from a narrow hoard with the declivity in front is quite all right when board is hit squarely, but it entails a seriouß risk of a sprain to.tho juniper who gets too far on to it. It is true that the board sunk flush with the earth on both sides debars the jumpori from the slight advantage of the extra push-off from the open edge, but this is met by tho additional four inches in width, which is to allow a firm take-off from the whole foot. The only apparent objection is that It adds to the responsibility of the officials adjudicating, as the onv.i will be upon them to say whether or not the jumper puts his too over the board. At present be is allowed to do so provided ho does not touch the bottom of tho two-inch declivity. This, however, is not a serious matter compared with the necessity for bringing our methods up to date, and. alter a little experience of the new conditions, both competitors and officials slinuld ii'ul thorn easy to negotinto. Next Wednesday at the Basin Reserve the Seatoun Club is conducting its ■second evening meeting. The events set down are: 100 yds., 880 yds... and one mile open events', and also a challenge relay race for the Brodie Cup, a club fixture, will bo run off, Entries close on Monday at the usual places in town.