Hibernian Sports.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 38, 23 March 1901, Page 20

Hibernian Sports.

THE sports gathering held under the auspices of the Hibernian. Society was not too liberally attended on the inside of the Basin Reserve by the general public, though there was a nice crowd. The outside of the fences was thronged by welldressed people, who appeared to be enjoying themselves. This way of patronising sport is the most disheartening that can befal the promoters of such a gathering, because the reflection must come to them that if the Basin Reserve was owned by a private company a means would be found to make those who cared to watch the sport pay for it. As to the sports themselves, the competitions were good. The management was rather crude, no one seeming to know who was m charge of affairs, and there were not enough events on the programme to keep the spectators interested. Shortness of cash was the reason for the few events, but good management would have caused the gathering to start a couple of hours later, as there would then have been plenty of time to have got the programme through. At a sports meeting the secretary should be always accessible, and I would recommend the Hibernian executive to have their officer stationed at their next meeting where he can be easily found.

The least said about the way the starter got the men away the better — for the back-markers were generally going at top when the pistol cracked, the men standing up losing the advantage of their handicaps from that cause. The judging was not of the best. There was only one event that called for the separating of two men — and that was in the Forced Handicap. The judge called it a dead heat, and announced it so, only to alter his mind later. Reviewing the runners, Somers won the Payne Cup, with two firsts and a third, his best performance being in the 220 yds, where he was timed to do 22 2-ssecs from the mark. Somers is a neat runner, with plenty of pace, and he runs with good judgment, making his effort at the right time. Furrie, off 3yds, did the 100 yds in even time, and did not seem to be extending himself at the finish. He takes a long, sweeping stride, the sharp turn into the straight in the 220 yds and 440 yds seeming to throw him out. The best race of the day was the 440 yds, where the back-markers — Somers (scratch), Payne and Furrie (10yds) fought out a great finish right up to the tape, a matter of two yards separating the three men at the finish. They breasted the tape* in the order named. Talking to Furrie, he expressed to me his intention of giving up running, game. He seemed to me, however, as as he considers there is nothing in the if he would like to have one good season's go, though, before that. The way he won the 100 yds proved him a champion, and after he had the two 300's and 220 yds, as well as a hard quarter, taken out of him, the necessity for a hard course of training to do himself justice was impressed on him.

Tom Carrig was the most successful local runner, he accounting for the Empire City Athletic Club's race, while he separated Somers and Furrie in the 220 yds. The St. Pat's boys had a good run in the College race, the winner, Collerton, remarking after he crossed the line that it was about time he won a race. This one he only won by inches. Luke Ward and his younger brother had a big tussle in the straight in the mile run, the younger one, for practically his maiden effort, showing great promise. Peter McCoil finished some distance behind them, but in the halfmile run, earlier in the day, he had both the Wards in the places behind him. Dan McPhee had one run — in the Empire City race, with no success — but the Irish jig was awarded him, with Ready second. At the performance of Arrah-na-Pague, a short while back, by the Fabian Dramatic Club, these two danced a competitive jig on the stage, the old woman (Ready) wearing the man down. This time the positions were reversed. The Hibernians asked the running men to do too much on Saturday. The sports started at 12.30, the Ist heat of the 100 yds at 1, yet at 3.45 the runners were expected to compete in a heat and a final of the 100 yds, a heat and a final of the 220 yds, and a quarter. Men like Somers, in the best of nick, could stand it all right, but not the majority of the others. The programme as issued was a splendid advertising sheet, and should make up for a few of the shillings that were short at the gate. Evans won the handicap at Blenheim on Monday. The bicycle races were gifts to Burton and Randrup, the former winning the three miles, and the latter the two miles. Barring Humphries, none of the others were class enough to keep them going. Burton rides with a lot of dash, and when he sets out to overtake a man it does not take him many laps to accomplish the feat. They say Randrup and Burton were riding in partnership.