ATHLETICS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 19 November 1927, Page 8

ATHLETICS

(By

“Spike”)

DOINGS IN HASTINGS. NOTES ABOUT THE COMPETITORS. The local half-miler “Ginner” Verry plodded away very gamely and won the 8130 in fine fashion. This boy, who is under the tuition of Bill Carberry, could not be in better hands. It will be remembered that at the “Royal Meeting” when Verry ran second to McKenna in the 880 Cup he was considered to be unlucky, as that was his first run over the distance, and he had to make his own pace. However. Verry knows how to run hi a races now, and the writer expects to see him doing his half in a little over two minutes as the season goes on. Jimmy Russell (a reinstated pro.) made his first appearance amongst the amateurs at the Daylight Saving meeting and duly ran second in the half. Hasler, a new member, was a good third. • » • “Doggy” White of the old school was the only one to show promise. He could have won the 100 with his mouth open had he been fit. However, he should duly collect a race at the next meeting. .. . * Jagkie Blake never started in the 100 or 220, being content to run in the relay when he displayed his old dash. « • » Rumour hath it that Secretary “Robbie” has given the game best, but the writer hopes to see the 100 yapds champion back to his old farm at an early date »' * • The Waipawa boys Dailey and Banks both ran into places in their races. Secretary Cade at Waipawa is a man who would be valuable to any club, and the Hastings club have to thank him for sending down the Waipawa team. The committee are very anxious to get a team of lady runners, and if same ( are procured and snow any promise at all, they will be sent to Wellington to compete there.

The cycle races were yprv eienly contested, and the new flood. Duff, Austin and Lay rode well. Sutton, the Napier boy, although on a back mark, did not show the form that he produced last year, but his brother, Ron, collected the maiden and the one mile open in good style. Although not such a determined rider as his brother Cliff, Ronnie will do well this season.

Mr. S. C. Rusbatch donated a trophy for points in secondary schools events throughout th e season, and, judging by the entries, this trophy’ will be keenly sought after. The next distance for ,ue “Rusbatch” trophy will be held at the electric light meeting on the 23rd November, and will be a 220. Graham, the schoolboy champion, competed in the high iumn event at the last meeting and is still in the hunt.

It will be good news to the competitors to learn that the club is not charging any entrance fee for the evening meeting this season and a set of hurdles is bein<r made in order to pick out the future hurdle champion of the club. Tait White and Blake are likely contestants.

Attention is drawn to the next meeting, which will be held on Nelson Park Hastings, on Wednesday next, the 23rd November, starting at 7.30 p.m. Waipawa and Napiar will be there also, and this gathering should be the forerunner of many more successful meetings, which will be held fortnightly at Nelson Park. The club is catering for its hon members who are admitted free to all meetings held by this club

The Hastings Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club is a pretty keen and live body and is determined to leave no stone unturned to cater for both the public and the pedestrians. It is their intention to run fortnightly meetings right through the summer and possibly well into the football season. At a meeting of the club, held on Monday night last, it was decided to start the next meeting, which is on Wednesday, the 23rd November, at 7.30 p.m., or an hour later than has been the custom.

This will be a change for the better, as 6.30 was rather early for the majority of business people to get home, have dinner, and be there in time, with the result that the attendance suffered somewhat.

The club held their opening meeting last Monday week, and, taking everything into consideration, it was a great success, for they turned out a very fine programme, with excellent finishes, particularly in the cycle races. • » • Eddy, who plays half-back for the Celtic seniors, will be quite an addition to our runners. He won the 100 yards final off 6J yards, and his performance in the 220 yards off 14 was even better, for in the early stages of the race his chance looked hopeless. He is one of the most determined finishers it has been my good pleasure to see. Where was Harry Priestly ? He showed great form at the latter part of last season and it is to be hoped that he comes out again this season. • » • Nuku Grenside turned out and it will not be long before he shows his best form. Brother Bert was absent, but no doubt, along with Priestly and others, will be competing in the near future. • » • One of the pleasing features of the programme was the catering for boys from secondary schools, the event put on being keenly contested. The club must not lose sight of the fact that this is where the future runners are coming from. Several new riders turned out, and both Kyle and Austin, who deadheated in the two mile cycle race, show great promise and will be heard o fagain. Relay races always provide one of the biggest draws of any programme, and, so far, the Celtic Club have had lihem practically their own way. There Is nothing like competition, and it vould be very pleasing to the writer to see the Hastings Club trying to 1 work up a team again this year. There if another of the Sutton Jtmily riding, and for a boy of his years he shows remarkable grit, and

handled by his father, who knows the game from A to Z. there is no reason why in time he should not turn out as good as his brother Cliff, who, by the way, judging by his form early in the season, looks as though he will be the province’s best rider. Still, there are other boys, such as Hayes and Schrodski and others, that will keep him moving.

And where are the other clubs? The Hastings High School Old Boys have several boys that show great speed on the football field. There are the Crawfords, Gordon Highway, and several others, who would make up a very formidable team and with the liberal start they would get, they would be very hard to beat. I feel sure they only want to come out the first time and they would get so keen they would go right through the season. This not only applies to the relay races, but to all other events.

There was a little adverse comment on the running of the first meeting, but I think this was hard’g deserved, for the club’s officials had their work cut out to get the events off before it was dark, let alone attend to other matters. There is one thing they will have to take in hand, and that is the “small boy nuisance.” Next meeting I feel sure this will be remedied, and one suggestion I would make is that no boys ’races be put on the programme until everything else is over. As it is now the boys clamber all oven the track and they are a nuisance to everybody.

And it is not only the “small boys” who do this; there are several “big boys” who go into the inner ring who have no right to be there. This is always the case at any sports meeting. You will find quite a number who like to be amongst the “heads.” If they only knew what a nuisance they are to the appointed officials they might think twice before leaving their seats in the grandstand.

Another matter is assistance to the riders to push them off. The club might seriously think of asking or appointing their own lap stewards to do this, for it would be the means of doing away with everybody but officials and the press on the inside of the track. Other clubs have adopted this system. » » *

Another suggestion is the question of the club buying a number of jerseys, standard colours, such as white, green, black, yellow, red, grey, pink, etc., and making it compulsory for each competitor, prior to starting, to fut on the jersey allotted to him. t would be wonderful assistance to the judges, and if a little typewritten programme were issued the public could follow the race right from the beginning, and at any stage, by glancing at their programme, note who was leading and who eventually won.

The public will be interested to know that there is every possibility of the Australian athletes competing at a monster sports meeting to be held in their honour by the club one night in the first week of January. If this comes to pass there should be a record gathering and an opportunity for the snorting public to see some of the world's best athletes.