Sporting Sprints.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 73, 2 August 1912, Page 13

Sporting Sprints.

Tho lato.st football story conies from Melbourne. The captain of one side ftrollod up to the referee before a bit; match, and announced: "Look hero, if wo win to-day you're on a fiver." "Well," questioned the referee, "and if yon lose, what then!- ,, "Then." was tho reply, "you're on a st r<>t<\her. M

w » - Hall, tho. "woll-k'newn wing-forward, Is an Auckland RiiLihy ropiosonLitivo again this soason. It was Hall in tlio Maori team's match against three soasons ago who said to tho Otaflo fling-fnriv.ird, Morrison: "Look lioro, yming follow, thero's only room for ono wing-forward in this game, and J'm It I" He was.

A valuable addition to this year's prize list of tho AVarrnambool-Mel-fxinnie road race will be a 2-Vguinea trophy, subscribed for and presented by tho ladies of Warrnambool. Such a spontaneous gift is much appreciated by tho Dunlop T?ubl>er Company, who promote the big event. Tho trophy will take tilie form of a silver tea and coffee service, and will bo added to the Bmial prize list.

The Northern Union football game in Sydney, has developed along on lines influenced by a clear atmosphere. light ball, hard grounds, and rare physical fitness, according to E. E. Hooth. It is in Tonlity faster and crisper than it is in Yorkshire, Lancashire or Cumberland. These local conditions nonplussed the English team in lniO for the first fow matches. In Sydney the forwards practically eschew all heavy ruck play, and act like backs. As a result. iight operations, such as wheeling scrums, screwing, holding and dribbling ■which one sees in England and New Zealand, are noticeably absent. It is a weakness in N.S.W. play. Recollection of a funny incident in connection with last season's opening inn of the N.S.W. Cyclists' Union has bc«n revived by this year's fixture. 'At the "meet" in the Sydney Domain a boory-looking individual approached an official of the, union and asked the mason of the unusual display. "This is the opening run of the Cyclists' Union," was the reply. "Strike mc pink!" said the becr-chower. "I knew we had a Labor Guv'ment in, but I didn't know they made yer join a union before they'd let yer ride n bike." a « * We havo been assured that good things are ofttimes wrapped in small parcels, and the remark applies with Special aptitude to Charles G. Macartney, Australia's midget champion cricketer. "Charlie," as he is popularly known, is the best bit of cricket goods Australia has unearthed for a decade, and on his performances in England is easily the best of our batsmen and, indeed, of the world's willow wielders. Tlio latter honor may be claimed by English critics for Hobbs, but the Surrey man lacks the brilliance and versatility of the New South Welshman, who is most versatile in the matter of strokes, and lias a quick, wristy style, being particularly strong in his driving and off-play. Macartney is easily depressed by failure, and is as equally elated by success, which probably accounts for his somewhat chequer- i ed caToer. * * » The "Athletic News," in reply to a correspondent, expresses the opinion that the six best all-round cricketers in England are : Hirst, Woolley, Thompson, Rhodes, Tarrant, and Llewellyn. * m « Lord Donman handed out an unsolicited testimonial to the professional jockey, which is sure to he unappreciated by him. Tie remarked at Adelaide the other day that when he "followed stoeploohasrng his horses won when ho rode them himself." No danger of the rider misunderstanding owner's instructions in such circumstances I —Christchurch "Evening News." * * » "A recent New York message stated. that Albert Griffith, known as "Griffo," the one-timo brilliant featherweight boxing champion of Australia, lad been arrested on a charge of bo"----ging. TTe said ho was starving. "Griffo" was born in Sydney, and \n bis time was regarded as tlio mo;-t ■'scientific boxer seen in the ring. He >»s commonly referred to as the "Marvellous Griffo." He won a fortune? in Mie ring, hub squandered tt. Tho l'pil 'of this once ring favorite from the pedestal of fame to his present depths of misery afl a down-and-out tramp and •Areet beggar certainly can afford «iil something to think over. <• - " '"Look at Messenger's performance-— §f« penalty goals 1 What can bo dona jpitb a Jtan like that?" asks the Aijfl-

tralian correspondent of a Dominion paper, in his cmnniouts on the N.Z. League leani's roeenl tour of the Common wealth. Xeir /oalnnd exponents of the game, together with the New Zealand public, will .shortly have, tho opportunity oi' putting their heads toKi'l'in , )' to (lie qni\si ion. l'"<>r it is annouiK'fd that MosßPiijj;or will lie ono o! Uio Now Smith Wales team that lonvos for New Zoaland tliis niont.h. Ho will Ik , ,a attrartion, and thousands may ho. r-xpootod to lay aside tlioir p-ffjudiooK against tlio Novtliovn Tin ion gaiiH! if only 1o "Dally" MoE'Sm ;.£<•'r kicking goals. ft is just pnssihlo that tlio will yot sue!) a fillip, and that Hio Australians will prove snoh a "draw' , that whon tlio accounts avo balanrrd tlwro will hr , found a fow shillings on llio credit sido. Tlio playi>rs ;to lookinii; forward to an int-oreslinjc trip.

During tho throe years since he was in England Macartney has developed such Roundness and versatility, such procisonops in timing, that it is hard to understand why ho was omitted from four of tho test' matches iv Australia last season. A vehement driver on both sides of the wicket, he is crisp in his cutting and lusty in bis leghitting.— An English appreciation.

Tlio loading English cycling and motoring papers now to hand devoted considerable space to chronicling particulars of the biu: relay contest held last Easter from Adelaide- to Svd;iev hv tho Diinlop Rubber Co. "Cycling.' , England's leading cycling journal, l.:id tho following comment: —"When duo allowance is mado for the condition of tlio roads and weather, it is tho porformaneeof Uio cyclists that stands nut in boldest relief. Wo know what ran bo do'iio with tho mighty engines th-it urge th* modern nvotor-eai , . nnd wo arc accustomed ho the whirlwind speod of tho motor-cycle, but it is satisfactory to know that tho humanly-pro-pellod machine ran run its rivals so closely, and with such a clean shoot so far as accidents are concerned. Motors may bo more, powerful than muscles, but it will be a long time before they attain the. same standard of reliability."

Mr. C. V. Langsfonl, secretary of (he Auckland Rugby Union, when in reference to the. stiggo-strd visit of an Anal lalnsinn tonm to Rnglnnd. s-iid ho did ni)h Uiink tliero wnp. tlie sli'/liicsi possibility of such a tour ovontuatiiifj;. A similar proposal was before tlie New Zealand lwidv recently in connection with n tour of America, which was at once turned down by the Now Zealand authorities. He thought that a trip ou the siig"oM.'Hl lifi.es would bo inadvisable. The style of piny adopt™! If> New Zoalaud was totally different In of Australia, mid it was br.rdly likely that either l>ody would adopt I lie other's stylo of play. Tt was also doubt fill if a team composed of Australians and Now Zealandors would work together amicably. In the reront League, tour it was an open secret that 7-oprcsontatives of New Zealand did not have altogether a, bannv time, with liieiv Australian cousins, and there, was no reason to suppose that different aff:>irs would exist in a union team. To his mi'ivd, tbo suggestion was impossible.

Northern Union football lias made rapid progress in Now Zealand einoo it was first introduced in 1900, and though it has boon chiefly confined so far to tlio North T aland, it scorns now in a fair way to becoming established in Chrißtehurch and in Dimodin. whore bramdios of tho N.Z. Rugby League havo recently boon formed through tho in-fitirnirwvntn-lity of Mr. D. W. McLean, of Auckland. Mr. McLean speaks enthusiastically of tho League game, which is bright, spectacular, and full of incident, and he is quite optimistic concerning its prospects in tbo South Island centres, whoro ho is certain it will soon b-pfonio exceedingly popular with players and the public when its advantages are known.

Jack .fofii.son is still looking for fight. He says he, wants to fight three more fights hofore he definitely retires, nnd would like matches with McVea and Palzer. "I want some hurry-up," says the champion. "I don't want those fellows to lie lagging around waiting for mc. I'm ready when they are. and' [ want io convince everybody that there ii- no heavyweight in tho world that, ran beat mc. Then I will l>e. willing io retire and M the resb of them wrangle among themselves for ih© box-seat. Beat them?" he replied scornfully to an interviewer. "Of course, I'll beat them. Then I'll go baok home and live quietly with the wifo a-nd mammy." The black is seriously thinking of opening a big store in Galvostop, Texas, his home city, and he rwkons tlkat be will draw- all the trade tfiem in , less , lihan no time. "It'll be a Irtlo«kw>ttfc for the Fest?' he P.we.— ■"Sua ,, catlei