SPORT & PASTIME

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 76, 23 August 1912, Page 6

SPORT & PASTIME

Wilding's Retirement.

CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP.

CYCLING ROAD RACES.

ALL SORTS OF SPORT.

"A line batsman, eh?" said Clem Hill ouco, referring to Ranjitsinhji. "He's more than a batsman —ho is nothing less than a juggler." * •* ■ • A challenge has been issued by the Wellington drivers, New Zealand, tho champion tug-of-war team, to pull any Australasian team for £200 aside. Ithas been accepted by Fitzpntrick, of Sydney, on behalf of a tenm of Australians, lv the event of tho New Zeals nders proving victorious probably further matches will be arranged, carrying largo prize-money. The longest cycling road contest in Australasia—the Dunlop road race from Tamworth to Newcastle (N.S.W.), I a distance of 180 miles—is set down for decision on Saturday, September 7. As the event is tho first long-distance race of its kind held in tho northern districts of Now South Wales, it is attracting considerable attention. On. the following Saturday the annual N.S.W. Dunlop road race, from Goulburn to Sydney (131 miles) will be decided. * * * "Wellington is very unfortunate in not being provided with tepid baths such as exist in Christchurch and Napier." So runs a portion of the annual report of the Wellington Head Centre of the Royal Life-saving Society. Commenting on the fowness of tho awards granted last season by the society, as compared with previous years, the committee states: "We have no hesitation in attributing this marked decrease to the extreme coldness of the water and the wintry weather that prevailed during the whole season. Up to the middle of January, even the hardiest of our swimmers found it impossible to remain in the, water for longer than a-quarter of an hour." Had there been a tepid bath in Wellington the results, it was stated, would have been much more favorable. "Next year," continues the report, "we hope for more favorable conditions, so that we may commenco building, upon the foundations now prepared, a branch of the society that will bear comparison with any kindred established branch in Australasia." * * .» There was a large attendance at the New Zealand Cross-country Championship meeting at Miramar, Wellington, on Saturday, August 10, when Otago again won the harriers' great event. Tho course proved a strong test of the staying powers, with a liberal helping of fences, ditches and sand. Tt was probably from half to three-quarters of a mile over five miles, which accounts for the apparently slow times. The finish was as follows: —J. Beatson, 41min. 30scc, 1 ; G. McKnight, 41uiiu. 43sec, 2; 1). Jack, 41min. 51 sec, .3;. M. Mickelson, 41min. 51 l-ssec, 4 (all of Otago); Ornstein (Auckland), 42 mm. 31 l-ssec, 5. Otago was awarded the Teams' Championship, the following being tho points: Otago, 10 points; Auckland, 28 points; Wellington, 46 points. The individual competitors' event was won by Beatson, who has been runner-up for the prize for the past three years. »« • ■ The two greatest swimming women in the world are now undoubtedly tho Australians, Fanny Durack and Annette Kellerman. Fanny proved herself at Stockholm to lie the Naiad of All Nations. She is no beauty, like Annette, but she can swim like a duck; the Kellerman's style is more like a swan's. * * * Bob Fitzfcimmons sees no chance for any "white hope" against Johnson. He says: "In my estimation Johnson is one of the greatest fighters that ever stepped into the ring. He has everything that goes to make a champion fighter. His defence is so marvellous that I really don't think any of the big white men now on the scene could hit hint once. Some man will eventually come along and beat Johnson, but it will not bo for a. few more years." * * * Commenting on the. Al Palzer-Bom-bardier Wells fight, a New York writer says:—"Although Palzer won, he was tho worst whipped man in the first two rounds that over aspired to a championship. Luck was surely with him — luck and stamina and courage. As for Wells, he is a wonderful boxer tuid a wonderful puncher. There are few who will go three rounds with him. It may be that he lacks the stamina necessary in a long light. New Yorkers would like to see him stack right here and try again. If he can develop endurance or learn how to conserve his energies through a long fight-he will be the best of the 'hopes,' in spite of this first defeat. The bout between the Englishman and tho big Westerner was the most gruelling, slambang, real swat Vm good and hard fight that has been seen in this country for years. It was fast from the word go—it was real fighting." A Yankee opinion : ''If Johnson meets Palzer he will need all his science and strength to get the better of Al from the ploughshare, and he will want to lose a whole lot of those sweltering layers of fat which come from feeling too good as a champion." "I'm like Alexander the Great—l'm too good," said Jack Johnson a couple of weeks ago. "There isn't anyone else to lick that's worth a whoop. From now on I expect to meed red, white, blue, or black hopes one a week. That means Sam Langford, too, but Sam will have to put up a side bet. I don't like that man, and I want his.money." '■•-.■# • ■ * ■*■ Cabled that at Saskatoon (Canada) Tommy Burns (13st. 31b.) defeated Bill Rickard (14st. 91b.) in the sixth round of a 15-round match. Burns played with his opponent until the sixth round, when he knocked his opponent down twice, Rickard not rising on the first occasion till the referee had counted nine and on tho second time till the count was eight. Then Sheriff Calder stopped the fight, and awarded tho contest to Burns. Tommy now wants Al Palzer, Kennedy, Bombardier Wells, or any other heavyweight barring Johnson. * * * Writing of Warren Bnrdsley, an English cricketing authority says: Few batsmen at the. wicket give such an impression of power as this great lefthander. Also no left-hander that I can recall has shown such impartial skill in scoring all round the wickot. He can

challenge comparison with either Darling, Clem Hill or Hansford, which is tremendous praiso. In tho field ho is quick on his foot, with a safe pair of hands aud a beautiful return. A legend runs that being asked what he had most enjoyed on his former tour, he promptly answered, "Why, the two overs 1 was allowed to send down at Hastings." He waited there beside the brook While minutes lengthened into hours ; The branches, mingling, made a nook, And all the fields were full of flowers. And still the. time, .went by apace, And still he waited in that place. None came to meet and greet him there, A robin twittered from a limb ; Though still he stayed, no maiden fair Clinic tripping o'er the fields to him. lint whit cared he? —his heart was light, For he was waiting for a bite. The Dunlop Rubber Co., who have promoted the Warrmmbiol-Molhourne road race annually since 1901, announce that the event will not be held this year. This drastic step has been taken owing to the League of Victorian Wheelmen and the Interclub Cycling Association, the latter body having the support of tho Victorian Cycle Traders' Association, failing to effect a settlement of their dispute over the control of road-racing in Victoria. The decision to abandon the premier road contest of Australasia for this year will be regretted by all lovers of road-racing throughout the Commonwealth and New Zealand, and will be a big disappointment to tho hundreds of cyclists who have been training for the event in both countries. But it is hoped that the cancellation of the Warrnambool will only be a temporary one, and that next season will see this great sporting event again promoted by tho Dunlop Co. In the meantime it is anticipated tiiat a road board will result from the present Victcriar conflict, and that before the season is through the government of load-racing in Victoria will le placed on a solid, permanent anl satisfactory bun's- « - ■ The Dunlop Rubber Company advise that owing to the cancellation of the Warrnambool, the Timaru-Christcburch road race has been postponed until September 26; entries closing on September 2. The Taranaki race, will bo held on September 7. It is the intention of soveral of the crack Australian riders to come across to New Zealand for these two event*. * ». * A. F. Wilding, the New Zealand tennis champion, has announced his retirement from first-class tennis. While the news was not unexpected, it is regretted by all tennis lovers and admirers of sporting prowess throughout Australasia. Lawn tennis in New Zealand owes a great deal to Anthony Wilding—more, perhaps, than it owes to any other man—and it is Tegrettablo that such a champion of champions, with tho necessary vigor for years of tennis in him, should be-, lo.st to the tennis world. Although Wilding has now permanently taken tip bis residence in London, ho is at heart still a good New Zoalander, as his recentlypublished book, "On the Court and Off," testifies. His pride in New Zealand, her scenery, her resources, and her people crops out in frequent affectionate references, and the book is an excellent advertisement for this country. A keen sportsman himself, Wilding has found the. qualities he values among the players of hie own land. "All players are friends on the field and off," he says, referring to the social conditions under which lawn tennis is played here, "and there is no place in colonial communities for tho snob." It is boned that this will long continue to lie true of New Zealand in regard to lawm tennis and other sports. As Mr. Wilding says, we have no place for the snob. * \ » • Paul Til, the French lightweight boxer, now in Australia, cannot speak a word of English, and some people are saying that if the referee wants t» do thorough justice to the boxer he should be able to speak his tongue. In the event of a foul or a serious offence, being committed against him Til could, of course, make himself understood, but there are other things which the Frenchman would not be able to make known by moans o£ actions. Arthur Scott, the Sydney Stadium referee, is of the opinion, however, that tho Frenchman's inability to make himself understood in English will not affect the visitor, and the "Sun" observes that while Til's lack of knowledge of the English language will be decidedly inconvenient and embarrassing to him during the greater portion of the time Tie is in Australia, there will be occasions when it should be a decided advantage to him. This should be particularly so when he is opposed to American fighters. As is well known, some Americans rely on their tongue as well as their fists to win them their battles, but they will have no possibility of pulling Til's leg. They may talk themselves" dry: they will be in a position to call the French boy all the offensive names they desire, and he will not be affected. The only language he will understand in the ring will be the language of the fists. But as he will be able" to express himself that tongue as forcibly as his opponent he will doubtless not complain.

' Singing in the Quinlan Opera Co. in j Sydney is Violet, only sister of Ernest ' Barry, champion sculler of the world. Her name is now Mrs. Sydney Stanley, and her husband is in the orchestra, while their child, Gladys Violet, aged five years, plays the'part of Trouble . ■ Cho-Cho-San's daughter,- in "Madame 'Butterfly.'' The three are immensely proud of their famous relative, and the little girl declares: "I'll row Mr. Arnsfc if lie ever beats Uncle Ernie. I'm not afraid of him, even if he is big." Mrs. Stanley, who 5k as nice as her voice, which is very nice indeed, says that each of her five brothers has a fine voice, and declares that the champion "has got one of tho loveliest baritone voices you ever heard, though I say it as shouldn't. When he has done with sculliug—and, of course, he oan't last tor over—l have absolutely no doubt but what ho will be a success as a singer. Ho lias got the voice all right, oven thouch it hasn't been trained yet. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to s re him starring in grand opera before ho has finished."