Sporting Sprints.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 54, 22 March 1912, Page 13

Sporting Sprints.

If angels rode bicycles, would then be mole fallen ones; , » •» *

This life is all a sportiny ch;ui«

The bookies are "y«' ; ' lead the race a- pretty dame. Till D<.at!i laii-hs. "What's ill. ,-Klds:-"

The Miuiaiynu i,t Coiuinitue of ilie Wellington I'ootliiili AssiK'ial ion, iv its aiiiiual rc]KuT. stati'd that tlw past scasoiv was the most successliil cne over held in tin , annals ul' the Bower lvalue, and arc imw bo l)ri<rtit that the eominitwe con.sidera there is .no cause to fear J'or the future prositeriiy and wella-re of the game in Wellington.

A. T. Gotillct. who, in conjunction with 1 , , llehir as (earn mate, won both the Sydney and .Melbourne six days' races, has already mad* , a world-wide reputation as a racing cyclist, although he is only just 2\ years of age. H« is a Victorian by birth, and a splendid stamp of athlete. Last year he won riKire rae<>s, handiean ami scratch, than any other rider in America. He is fift. 7in. high, and weighs in condition about list. Goullet and Hchir both lido Dunlop-tired machines with u'jin. craiit and 92 sieur.

Miss Kaiiny Durack has won the oO yards ladies' swimmiii" chanijiionshij) of N.S.VV. in aisec, iliss Wylie Ix'iiig ■econd and Miss Kerr third. The N.S.VV. Ladies' Swimming Association has decided to send .Miss Durack and Miss W'ylie to compote at the Olympic Games.at Stockholm.

Tho prowess of F. R. Foster, the lofth&nd howler with the M.C.C. toani, prompted tho following from "Onlooker" :—

It isn't a hook or a cross or a iolt

Or a short-arm blow or a kidney punch ; But it acts alike on sage or colt,

Who t:ik<' it sometimes where they

take their lunch. "Tisu't oven a lead, but it- lias its sting

For it leaves our cracks of powers

bereft ; Wβ a well-pitched ball with a devilish "swing," And it's I , '. ]{. Foster's "dirty left." That i.he spirit of good-fooling and friendship is never absent front even the most bitter tights was exemplified in tho Langford-lJarry fixture, says Bydney "Sun." These men fought at • ra.ro paw, talked at each other in •eomingly the most unfriendly fashion, and, to all intents and purposes, were the deadliest of enemnes. Xeit.her man ■pared his opponent or asked for mercy kimself, but immediately there was a mjshnp the evident personal hatred disappeared. In a mix-up Langloid was tripped accidentally and sent sprawling. Barry broke clear, but immediately ho lwvtieed his rival's plight lie rushed to his assistance., and with a sniilo of friendship covering his face, helped him en to his feet, hi no other sport is this spirit displayed, and yet it is deicribed as being bnitalising, and is being subjected to all sorts of absurd restrictions.

The rule of the road and the casualness of the boy cyclist have been burning topics in the- correspondence columns of the "Lyttelton Times" for quite- a space. "Siniplieitas" feels constrained to rise and add his testimony: ■'"Tlie boy cyclist is an emphatic nuisance. He is often to be found careering along a populous thoroughfare at a good 18 miles an hour, ringing a large gong as -a. general warning to ithe populace, and steadfastly regarding 'tne landscape to his immediate rear. Then again, in more leisurely mood (because he has been sent n message and told to hurry), \w ambles gently ■long tho busy street, Wiring another boy before him on the handlebars and describing a course full of graceful curves, spirals, and circles. Then again he gets energetic at eventide, and, discarding the uso of a lamp, sprints round corners on his wrong side, with liis heal down. There must be several thousand guardian angels working overtime on behalf of the boy with the bicycle, for he comparatively seldom becomes tho indispensable party in an inquest."

The more one sees of G.N. Hill, the more one is impressed with the fact that he is the best distance runner the Dominior lias turned out for many * long day, wrote "Starter" in a recent ChrisUlnireh "Fve.tiing News." Ujs Brtylo is so beautifully easy, and bo finisiu'A , up his Traces so freely, that one eaiuiot'Juilp wondering what sort of time he would put up in first-class company, and in the hands, say, of a trainer like tho famous American Mike Murpliv. The Auckland champion is em© of the most enthusiastic competitors liiat cv-'t put on a shoe", and to have a conversation with him ia refreeh-

'Announced that Jack Johnson and Fireman Flynit are to meet on Independence Day, July 4, At Lasvojae, New Mexico.

"Vifjliuit," of (lto London "Kpuri-.-Jinaii," nmsitlofi thiit there is only en<> !i:iti-i)ic::p horsc-rac in tin l world t!i:;t has a hold (in i.'riniiuc spoiti-inc:) and public alike, and 'thai is the .>! "Illume (_'up. X * # A noticeable f'aturo ill the '»;■>-us;--! roke s\\ iiiiiriirj; '■iif!i!i]iif M - ; !.i;i at C'hi'i' Icillirch was till' six.'' of lllc co-.ii-pnitois. With the- «'Xt-.-i»l ism of t'l.nksoii, ;ill ivi'i'c hiL' iiiid , l-iill n;i!i. |-;;nt:----i1j.,: 1 ll|) til fii'i. ">iu. ill 111 . I'lllr-01l w;is 0.."). lloiuiii t.i.M. Kiiil; ;uid .\lc>;!itlli'.v (i.L. ;illd fii!lt■ [■ r-oliipi'-tiHU's ;:l! Stiiud well llj) tn (>l'l. |)n\o Siuitli. Ausirulasia's t4i|i-m>; <-li bnx< r. iii.i inN to lcnvo lor Vm April 7. in i[U< -st ill' luitiii i- tiijiic ;iud lori line. ■/■ ■.• # lr iCur jiicii playiii'4 pill' itn , <-nili'd .1 iouisoviio, ;u'<' mil t!i<ir wivi'S li;.l)U' t<) lit l ilKlllf SO UK # » # Syd. (I'ropiry first visiiod Kii':l;ui(i in 1890, and fias Im( n a lru-iubi-i - of every Australian <:ickc! U-v.iv. siii'-o. vi:-..,* 1>93, !«>(!. INH>. \'.W. V.iii. and 1 !)!!•). As he is ikiw <ni tin' way i\ ith the li)! - - , team, tills will tusikv liis trip to tin' Old Country. # * >' A eonifurlalile hh-yvh- >. t .]cll,■ Is truly a ''sli-rii" iic'cssiry. 'J'he dill'iTfiK'p brt\\T<ii r,. jiw-Uev lieforo and »■ jjiinter wfter a it'-c? , lvisy. Oik- nlwiivs has to wich isi. tin otlur. invariably, to out. • » • It is rciHirt"<l i'nim N''« Y<uk that Bob Fitzsininions is sc-rcMy his l(3-yoar-old son in uinlit u> make a world-bi'iiter of liim. loy is said to Oft-, nnd to IfJOK). In additi ill. he possr. ss /.q ;i !l t'.io craft and generalship which his fiither' , has been able to instil into hiiii. * * -x- I Grepdi'.T lias been appointed captain ' and Jcnninijs vice-eajitaii! oi ilie Australian erickt't team i'or Knylaud. I

Tho Xt.-w South Wales v. Queensland ; cricket match at Brisbane, was won I easily by the ila State's reps, by 10 . wickets' S<-or<-s: Queensland, 1 f*l : (Redgrave 1.,7.) and 79: N.S.W., 228 J (Diamond ll!o not out. Scott 44) and 33 for no wicket , ;. Redgrave, top-scorer for in ihe iirst innings, is an ox-X.S.W. player. * # * Tho mile amateur cycling champion- ; ship of Australasia wns won in Sydney ; on the 9th inst. by .McDonald, of Vie- i toria., by :i wheel from Hurt , 'iishaw ! (X.S.W.'), with Clafton (X.S.W.) third. | Time, L'min. 8 3-osoo. Tin , , live miles ! championship wont to CiiWiffo : (X.S.W.), McDonald and CWtnn filling the places. Time, llhnin. G l- r )sec. » » » All tho latter-day Ameru :,n ringmen seem to lu<ne taken a leaf out of the book of Tom Shnrkey, and Tom is frugality personified. It was Turn who, on paying Is. od. a pound lor a Tliaiikfviiying turkey which wixigliod 18lb. when purchased, and but 12 when brought home cleaned and trimmed, remarked : ''Tho next turkey I buy will have to weigh .it the ringside." ■x- * * He pledged his heart, he pledged his love, He pledged his promise bigger. And then to buy tho engagement ring Ho T)l,..;]ged ]iis brand-n<?v,' jigger.