Sporting Sprints.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 57, 12 April 1912, Page 13

Sporting Sprints.

Langford's most persistent opponon has b<oll Jimmy Barry, t.lic pair havin; met t-rii times. Alter Barry conn , Jcanottc, with fig lit encounter ■gainst the Boston "Tar Baby." Syd. Gregory's opinion of the Aus to alia n cloven in "First am foremost, Australia lias at last got ; young too in, all triers, every man o them. I believe we have a gram chance. We're all lithe, active am keen as mustard—triers with a chanc< •econd to none." * # * If Jimmy Barry had sneeoodod ii yetting a match with Jim Flynn or Jo< Jeanotte before Ji-o left 'Frisco for Sydney, Australia wouldn't have seen him although ho lia-d boon olFcred sovo-ra fights by Mr. Mclntosh. Dairy, however, was unable to come to terms witl either of the pugilists mentioned, sc be sailed out of San Francisco Bay for Sydney, but in ;\ mon , ef l> , doubtful frame of mind. He admits readily now that lie's glad ho came. He likes the place, and h<? likes the people—and they like him. Speaking of pugilists, tr-hon it comes to boxing the undertaker can easily lay his man out. * * * After a scrambling' contest, uhioh wan unpalatable at every stage, and ■tore of a wrestling match than a light. Jack Lester got tlio decision over *'Cyclone Johnny Thompson at the Sydney Stadium on Saturday, March 23. According to the "Sun," Thoiti'ji■on held the lead on points at the finish, and therefore Tommy Burns's false ala.rni was not entitled to Uie Terdict, but the "Bulletin" agrees with the referee's si/.ing-up of the all air. * '«■ * The bicycle thief is nxecod-iiigly numerous in and airomid Christchurch, the city of cyclists, and as r< , yards stolen jiggers—their name, is legion. Like Lord Ulliiii's daughter, the pedal-pu.sii-ers of the flat city are frequently "left Samenting," for many ,v time and oft do they discover that fhoir machines liare done the disappearing trick while they have been transacting some important business in a pub. or elsewhere. A word to the wise is sui'iifcient, and Christohureh cyclists would do well t<j remember that "opportunity Bakes the thief, and the thief mak< s Off." Make a note on't. Mies Rose Scott, who is President of ihe New South Wales Ladies' Amateur Swimming Association, is very out-spoken in her objection to the pretence of men at ladies' swimming galas. Whereupon Auckland "Sport" comments: "Were she to witness one of our local dual relay races in which • lady and g-eiittointin form a team, jho would probably become hysterical." * * * Hordorn is one of the- most erratic fieldsmen ever seen in big cricket (remarks a Sydney critic). One minute bo will absolutely mull a ground Iwil) or a catch, and the next do something brilliant. Wllcii bowling, he fields •traighb returns well, and rarely lets anything, however hot, past him. By comparison with Tom McKibbin lie is, however, a poor fielding bowler. JMcILibbin was the best fieldsman at the attacking onid of the wicket New South Wales ever had. He would take anything, and jump for anything, and ibe brilliant things he did in times gone »t were without number. * * # Five of the Australasian League football team will return to England, iniChiding Francis (of Auckland), who was the highest scorer for tdio tour. Ho •cored nine tries and 49 goals. a » » "Hockey for girls is a distinct danger; it is more, it is a menace to the race." This is the firm and outspoken opinion of one of London's leading doctors. » * * Thus a Christchureh ecribe: Good Bid "Rugger" is here again, and soon the dull thud of the football will have ■upplanted the sharp click of the cricket ball. Tho standard of football ehould be easily up to, if not better j than last year's, and though our representatives performed badly last seaeon, I would sooner see Canterbury lost all its representative games than adopt the brutal tactics resorted to in •ne or two other provinces. It is tho universal opinion of all thone who have •een the game played in other parts that in. Canterbury is to bo seen th-e deanest football in the Dominion. A. large niee<l of thanks for this is duo to ihe authorities and referees, but at tho same time the players deserve their ■hare of praiso, and ma long as they ©ontinuo to plo.y tho ball and not tho man, tho bettor and larger section of tho public will %)-rgivo them for losing matches. For, after all, it is the came and not tho mere fact of winning it that counts, * # 'An appreciation of Roy Minnett 'Dr. Poidevin: "He is an all-rounder, tight-handed, a cricketer who alwayt seems to be doing something useful in a match. Fast medium with {he ball, kia bowling is characterised by the en-

• ergy ho puts into it and tho livc-h I bonnet; he gets out of it-. His w!mk cricket smacks of energy and enthusiasm; it catches the eye especially 01 that- account. As a batsman his mott< is 'aggression,' and his methods coin cidi) wit.k liis ideas in that respect. H< is reputed t<o be one of the hard-esi - hitters of the day, and ccrUiinly whe-tln-r playing back or forward he puti the bat hard uji agaiinst vi'ue Will ♦\'<m\* time. Ho dote not lilt the ball from habit, inUj the country, b>l it if tin occasion demand it he is by no m-wii:. , averse to doiuiy so, and he can hii 'sixers' i»ith the best. He is a- dasher with a good defence, and the right son of temperament to make the most v.m 01 hi* ability oil the biggest occasions.' * * * Howard Hensman, in tho tast number of "Black and White."" just bo tor< it* absorption in the "Sphere," , wrote "Who will be England's captain n«'xi y«arP Of course, if —by great g< m< fortune —'Plum' Warmer is fit and well we cannot possibly look any further, C. B. Fry has, likewise, claims, but — put it (town to prejudice or anything else you like—l do not fancy him as a I leader upon these all-important oeeai stons. failing Warmr. howevrr, we hhvc three good choices left to us in the persons of 0. L. Jesson. A. 0. Jones, and If. X- Foster. Tho latter ! would ln> my selection, failing Warner. He has had plenty oV experience, and *s just the sort- of 'nerveless' lwtsnian to go in and make a -century wihon t<hc rost of the team wan falling to pieces. It- is lx'vond all precedent, of course, to nominate a professional to lead England's Kl"-«u ii> ->n international match, or otherwise I should unhesitatingly plump foi" , CktT£6 nii';-t--to my Avay of thinking thy \<*ry finest all-round ciickoter the world hns ever seen. And. permit mc to add. one of the finest gentlemen t.hnt ever stepped on to the field though he is Tint n humUe 'pro.' on the match card." * * * Tlio author of the famous "Hlue Hird" is an admiivr of '.hi , noble art of self-defence, not only with rajiw , : , , but with the gloves. "Look r.t tfli- boxers." s;:ys MaotiM'linck : ''there is in them no useless speech. 1:0 .hesitation, and no anger, but the- enhn of two certain ii' 1 . , ? who know what must lie done. The athletic pone of watchfulness, ono of the most beautiful that a ni,au's body can assume, brings all tho organic muscles into play. No parti--1 c]o of !'or."e iron, head in loot i;- , allowed to go to waste : but- each hap its •i)-'ig!!otic centre (pole) in one or oi'u>jof the two massive fists with energy. AY hat noble simplicity in their attack. Throe blows and m nioro. the fruit of long training, exhaust mathematically tlio thousand unless possibilities in wlii'-h tho unskilled iinhik;". . . Soon afi'M , ho is fnlh-n the vanquished will rise without any lasting injury, because the resisting po'U-r of his twines and organs is accurately arid u«turnt-iy proportioned to the strrnirtJi of tlw human wonjion that has dashed him to tho ground.' , ■» • > About Iho only : 'Wliit.!' Soap' , r,\;ulnblo to tackle Jo'hnsnii is a party nam-cd Flynn, whfo gives out that it' over h<! gets the chance he tv 111 "lather" him for all lie is worth. * * id The nomenclature of the'motnr-boais which init'-st Sydney harbor is anrusiny, grot-esquo or sensational names being much sought after. One sees the "Dingo,"' 'Tort," "Billikiiv"' ".Puffin," "Xox Spots." "Bug. 1, "Pup." "Don't Argue," "■•," "X.T.8.," "Hot Sox," "Goo AVhiz," etc. A group of sister boats, always immaculate, in white paint, are reminiscent of the "Merry Widow," ''i'rou Frou," "Zou Zou," ''Chou Choti." There is one j boat with an original name. It is; simply called "JJ. When she goes: well she is a beauty, and when she] "plays tip" she is a brute: she can be I "boshta" or beastly, you can bless j her or blow her according to your j mood, and there are times when t-hc is ; simply a blank. » • * Ono of the most pleasing features in j connection with the Dunlop Kulber: Co.'s great military despatch relay race j from Adelaide to Sydney at Easter was tho marked enthusiasm of the participants prior to the event. The pedalpushers declared that they would give the motorists of both classes a very tough task to catch them, while the motor cyclists fully recognised they were up against a hard proposition to catch the wJieelmcn with their full day's start. As for the automobilists, they said little; perhaps in their firm, calm belief in the superiority of the motor-car over all classes of road vehicles, th-ey were indifferent to the big koway to be picked up.