Sporting Sprints.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 50, 23 February 1912, Page 13

Sporting Sprints.

Francis Birtles easily got inside the tticord for the cycle ride across Australia from Fromantic to Sydney (.3077 miles). Allowing two hours for the diffirenc" of time at the points of starting and finishing, his time worked out at 31 days 3 hours 15 minutes, which is 5 days V hours 48 minutes better than the pr< vieus record. Birtles states that he now intends giving up overlanding, and that the ride just concluded is his last. « « » There was once a rummy old scamp. "Who used an acety iene lamp; But folks who could smell Used to wish him in—well, A place that is not very damp. Barbers are not usually athletes, but they aro all "strapping men. Query: If the back stays of a bicycle «ome apart, would tight-lacing be of any avail? » » » What Francis Birtles, the overland cyclist, does not know about the interior of Australia is scarcely worth knowing, for he has cycled around the continent twice, and ridden over vast it-retches of it in all directions, covering a total distance of l>o,ooo miles m •bout six years, mostly over tho wildest and roughest parts of the country. A Dunlop-tvred Universal bicycle has been Birtles' mount on all his great rides. , » • Johiirv: "Ma. do flowers ride bicycles!-"' Mother: "No, my sou : what makes vol] ask such a silly question as that:"'' Johnny: "Oh. nuthin'. Yopt I heard pa fell another man that he was goin' out for a spin with a 'daisy' to-night." Pa's "daisy" never knew tho reason why he did not keep the appointment. M • * At the final swimming carnival (Fcbruai.v 3) in connection with the Sydney team's visit to Auckland. Malcolm Champion reduced his N<wv Zealand mile record from 2'min. 37sec. to 24min. 30 2-osc-e. A. W. Barry (Sydney) swam 100 yds. in 59 4-osec— the first time that a minute for the "hundred" has b-cn bioken in the Dominion —and L. Solomons (Sydney') covered 60yds. in i'teec. Miss Panny puraek, the Am--ralian lady champion, put "P a world's record lor ladies' swimming. She swrm 4 10yds. it; Omui. 42sec. and 60yds. :n 31 sec. » * * Solomons competed in Wellington on the 10th inst,, and ins starting, turning and speed proved an eve-opener to the onlookers. "Tod' won the lOO.vds invitation handicap in (10 1-osec. and he iirani second in the .00v.b.. open handicap, lis time being 2") 2-osrc--tho fastest time i-n i put up I'm; the distance in the Dominion. The diving and polo phiv ol Soioimms also won much admiration. » * ■ The town of Gem-va claims to have a greater number ol bicycles in proportion to its population than pay other city in Knrope. It possesses 22.vi:,' bicych s for 140.000 inhabitants, which works cut at the rate of mm bicycle for eveiv C.3 inhabitants. The onlytown it. Australasia thai would have a chanci of boa tint' this is Christchiiicli (N.Z.;. The write- do-"- not know whether figures are available as to what p.-tcentage of the residents ci Christol;ureh cycle, hut tho saying i- l--that "half Ciuistchurch cycles." li would be interesting to learn exactly what percentage of the inhabitants of this tow v do ride bi<'-y,des. • » * At the Australian swimming championship cat nival in Perth, Western Australia, at the beginning of the month, the 220 yds. breast- stroke was won by l'inliv (VV.A.'i in 3min. TJsec. —a world's record. The 100 yds. free style was won by T-ohgwerth (N.S.W t with StMiberg <W.A.;> second, and Springfield .QA thir- 1 . Long-v-.- '• >■ easily in 58 d-osro. On a subsequent occasion Longworth easily won the halftailo championship of Australia, Queenslander Springfield being second. « * * The New Zealand Rugby League bas received a cable lrom England, asking the lowest possiblo price at which the League will transfer Francis, the w ell-luiG\.\ n Auckland forward. # * * Tho following pcrfo-nv.anccs at the 'Australasian amateur championship meeting at Wellington last Christmas have been accepted a? New Zealand records :- If. F. "Kerr, throe-indo -walk, Hniin. 3(5 2-ssee.; G. N. It ill, twomile run, 9min. JO l-sscc. m ■* • At the New Zealand Championship Rowing Regatta on Lake Waihola, Otago/on February 7, Hie standard of oarsmanship was uniformly high, all competing crews- -particularly Pieion and Wanganui—showing a skill worthy of the best traditions of New Zealand towing. C. E. Stone, of Auckland, achieved the unique distinction of winning the championship sculls for the fourth sweoessi-o occasion. Tho winners of the champion pairs and champion fours were furnished by Picton tavi the champion double sculls went to HYonganui-

The following poem, scissored from a now defunct c\< ling paper, is a. somewhat unique example of alliteration, and is worth presi rving as a curiosity: Sammy Spied wjell, straddling sycle, Skiiumeth .swiftly Surrey street, Sydney'n single si«tern shyly Smileth salutations sweet. Summer's softest silv'ry sunshine Sombre shadows swiftly screen. Soon shall Sammy's sweetheart sutler Such sad shock so seldom seen. Sammy, scorching, spins superbly, Show iug scientific skill ; Scattered stones soon Sammy strikelh. Sycle skids, sum]), sudden spill. Sammy, swooning, sees such splendid, Superb, sparkling stellar sights. Shimm'riiig starlets, spheres suspended. straddling sunbeams, saucy spiites. Sammy, seeing, soon starts soaring. Seeking such selcstial scene: Saintly Salmist soothes Sam's spirit. Speeding skyward, so serene. *. - * The fourth test match at Melbourne overwhelmed in its course the reputatalious o! the Commonwealth's crack eriekcteis, Australia's hopes of vv inning the rubber, and several previous, records. The Australians cani-e out of tile tussle without a feather to fly with. They were beaten in every department of the game. It was a rout. Australia went in and wont out for 1!H. Minneit top-scoring with o(i Barnes bagged five wickets for 74, Foster four for 77. Fnglaud's innings was a paralyser, the visitors putting up the mammoth score of oWt Thus tbe previous highest total in these matches was eclipsed, viz.. oS(J made by Australia in Sydney in IH)4. while Llohbs and Phodes established a new tirstewieket partnership nl 323. The principal individual eontribntois to the colossal comnilation wore Rhodes 171). 'llohbs ITS. Ge.un To, Wool ley of), and Foster oil. Minneit. Armstrong and Hordorn secured three wickets each. Australia fared even worse in their second attempt than in the first, only scoring 173. of which Carter made 3P, Hansford 20 not out. and Trumpet' 23. Douglas look five wickets for -hi. Foster three for 38. Barnes two for 47. England tins won by an innings and 220 runs, v hieh is imbed "the lather of a hiding." or. as the small boy would express it, "a dirty doing." * . * * The Auckland cricket team on tour .'•ecured an exciting win over Canterbury by two wickets, and thus recaptured 'the Pluuket Shield. Cei.N "i'li-v '<'„;■- d SO (i.usk 27) and 102 iff • m-- -10. Patrick 30), and the Northern! is put. up 220 (Sneddon Tfi. Hemus 3-1 i and .".9 for eight wickets, OllilT ami Thompson i-iiivitii oil' ihe bowling Ice is for Amkhi'id. and Ri-eso bowled sph udidl,< for Canterbury.