THE ATHLETIC MEETING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 29, 12 August 1871, Page 5

THE ATHLETIC MEETING.

The moat numerous assemblage of the public that has taken place in Wellington since the last Caledonian gathering was on the occasion of the athletic sports in the Mount Cook Barrack Ground on Monday. Although the programme was not gone through with quite as much spirit as at the New Year’s fete , there were circumstances connected with the meeting which fully explained any such want. The whole thing may be said to be an impromptu affair, for though a week’s notice had been given that is not a lapse of time sufficient to enable our amateurs to make themselves fit for such encounters, nor is it sufficient time in which to create an appetite in the general public for a matter in which they are accustomed to receive months of warning and to lay themselves out accordingly. That the people of Wellington should turn out to the number of two thousand, was an event we ourselves were unprepared for, so that it was a case of unpreparedness all round, and the result most agreeable—a wholly successful one. But the end only justified the means, for every kind of preparation had been carefully made j the ground had been carefully measured off, and legibly mai-ked, under the superintendence of a committee formed from citizens of Wellington; the course had been neatly decorated with flags ; the proceedings of the day were enlivened by the performances of a good band; a provision noticeable for its absence at our Caledonian sports had been carefully looked to —the erection of a grand stand ; and a proper dressing room for competitors provided. Under these circumstances it would have been strange, indeed, if the result had been other than it was. Added to the attractions named, and to the fact that the occasion was to witness the performances of a man chosen from all England to go to Australia, there was the addition of the day itself being one of the finest we have had this season. Although it had rained the whole of the night before, the warmth of the day was just strong enough to cause sufficient evaporation to dry up any surface water caused by the inequalities of the surface, although it was still soft enough in places to cause several spills. By one o’clock the crowd was already a numerous and also a motley one, the marines, gunners, and blue jackets from the Basilisk giving a thorough holiday appearance to the scene, and also making it a very jovial one. The shilling end of the ground was densely packed, but it was not till about half-past two that the halfcrown reserve presented anything like a crowded appearav.ee. About that time the elite began to pour in fast. The grand stand became closely packed with ladies, for which its space was exclusively reserved, and in its neighborhood were the whole of our leading citizens, and many officers of the Basilisk. Exactly at three o’clock the arrival of his Excellency and Lady Bowen was announced. They were escorted to the portion of the grand stand reserved for them, and, the band striking up the Anthem was the signal for the assemblage to uncover. Of the running of Bird, there was a little disappointment in one part of the programme, and a rich treat to an athlete in another that was well worth any money to see. In professional running, as in all other things, there are always many kinds of people 1 to consider. There are those who would have the champion win everything, and there are those who would have him win nothing the old fable of the miller and the donkey. Those who saw the mile race could hardly tell what to say of it. Bird seemed to run well ; indeed, many thought and said he ran his best; while others said that it and the two mile race were disgraceful “ sells.” The expression is a harsh one, and not altogether justifiable. Bird’s magnificient running in the five mile race convinced everybody who saw it that he could give a lot more odds than he did to anything on the ground, and at any distance—there is no gainsaying that fact; but there is another view of the case to be considered. How discouraging it would have been to our amateurs, some of whom had travelled great distances to see Bird and run with him—if they had gone away emptyhanded. The view taken then would have been, “ Oh, what’s the good, of a man offering prizes and winning then! himself.” The public have seen all they could have wanted to see —the description given below of the five mile race,and the time it was done in are sufficient to show what Bird’s pedestrian powers are, and that is all he undertook to do. The races for the blue jackets produced the greatest amusement of the day. The day was a thorough gala day for them, the officers of the ship making themselves active in contributing to the enjoyment of the men, in getting up races for their especial benefit, and doing everything possible to promote the pleasure of ‘'Jack ashore.” Every time the tars went round a salvo of encouraging words from twenty or thirty lusty throats greeted the champion of a particular mess, but a representative of “ No. 4 mess” seemed to have the call in nearly all the events down for sailors. Kelly and Pyke ran well, the former in the two-mile race, and the latter in the mile race. The running of the two on a good ground would be very equal, and no doubt many opportunities will be given to the Wellington people of seeing these two peds together, Pyke being a settled resident of the province, Kelly being an attache of his Excellency’s aide-de-camp, Captain Matchell, so that the proceedings of our next Caledonian games will have an additional feature. Many novelties were introduced, which are described below. The first event in the programme was the 150 YAEDS HANDICAP. For this race there were eight entries, and in consequence of the ground not being wide enough to give all the runners an equal chance, it was decided to split them into divisions. In the first division were placed—Kelly, at scratch; Avery, ten yards; and Lewis, ten

yards. Lewis and Avery went away very strongly, and seemed very equally matched until reaching the top of the course, where Avery fell, and interfered greatly with Lewis’ chance, the latter nearly falling over him. This made the race a very good one, because it enabled Kelly to come with the leaders. A good race home was the result, Kelly winning by about two yards after a hard struggle with Lewis, who seemed very like winning'np till the time he stumbled over Avery. In the second division Prosser, 10 yards; Walden, 15 yards; Bitson, 10 yards ; G.F.M.,3yards and Corbett, 6 yards, started. The places were not changed till the top of the course was reached, where Prosser fell. At the second turn G.F.M. also fell, Walden still leading. This order was not changed, until Corbett came away with a rush, but could not overhaul Walden, who had been handicaped too favorably, and won easily by three yards. For tbe final head Kelly, at scratch ; Lewis, 10 yards ; and Walden, 15 yards, started, but the unfairness of the handicap was fully proved, for neither of the other two ever caught Walden, who won by about ten yards. 500 TAEDS HUBDLE EACE. Bitson and Kelly started for this race, the former with forty yards in front. Bitson, who seemed cut out for anything but a runner, fell back at the second hurdle, in the second lap, and after scrambling over pulled up altogether at the next hurdle. Kelly then took it how he liked the remainder of the distance, and went through without any misphap. The time was not worth taking. THE MILE EACE. The course being calculated at 150 yards round, Bird had to do 12 laps ; Pyke, 11 laps j and Walden,, 10 laps to cover the distance. In the first lap Bird fell, in consequence of the greasy nature of the ground, losing a considerable distance. Walden ran only about two laps, when he caved in. Pyke continued to run well, keeping up the pace all through the distance. In the sixth lap Bird’s left shoe came off, and although he continued running it was evident he couldn’t keep up the pace, and in the ninth lap, finding it would be impossible to catch Pyke, who had made the pace pretty hot all through, he gave up and retired to the dressing room. The time was not taken, but the impression seemed to be that it was pretty good. MEN OE WAE EACE. There were two races for men-of-warsmen, and in the first the distance was 150 yards, for which there were eleven entries. A scrambling start was made, the flag posts and some of the competitors coming to grief. At the top of the course a number of those in the race went to grass, and Head, being quickest on his legs, came away an easy winner. A 200 yards race was then improvised. Much amusement was caused over this race, a squat little fellow of cubic proportions, named Sparkes, rushing away with a considerable lead, which he maintained to the finish. 200 YARDS’ EACE FOR YOUTHS. Five started for this race, which was a very good one, a lad named Moran, who showed most bottom at the finish, winning easily, after a struggle about twenty yards from home. CATCHING THE BELLMAN. This was a very amusing event. The competitors were blindfolded, and armed with a padded “ wand.” A number of sailors were entered, and some wild all-round hitting was the result. After the competitors had pummelled each other to their satisfaction, always thinking they had the bellman, one of them, a sailor named Jarvis, was declared the winner, having given the bellman a well-directed hit across the back. SMOKING RACE. The distance was 150 yards, each competitor being armed with a lighted pipe, with which he had to return to the winning post unbroken. About a dozen sailors entered, and after a good race Head was first on the tape. The race was won easily, and the pipe being still alight and unbroken, he was declared the winner. THE TWO MILE EACE. Only two out of the six entered came to the post. To cover the distance Bird had to go 24 laps, and Kelly, with 230 yards start, 22 laps. In the third lap Bird passed Kelly for the first time, and at the end of the sixth lap was leading by fifty yards. At tbe eleventh lap Bird had increased to 100 yards ahead in the laps, and in the fifteenth lap they were both on the same side of the course, Bird still overhauling Kelly. Several offers to back Kelly at level money were now made. In the nineteenth lap Bird passed Kelly, and in the next two laps positions were changed several times, Kelly reaching the tape at the winning-post about a foot in front of Bird, the two miles being done in good time, 10 min. 30 sec. Bird was ultimately declared the winner, in consequence of the stewards having placed Kelly twenty yards in front of his proper position at the start. After some discussion between the judge and the stewards, it was decided to have the race run over again on a day to be appointed by the runners, or else to be declared a draw. SUNNING IN SACKS was won by a sailor named Holmes. THE FIVE MILE EACE. Three appeared at the start for this race. To cover the five miles, Bird had to go fiftynine laps, and Pyke and Wilkinson, a sailor, fifty-two. In Pyke’s eighth lap he was passed by Bird, whose starting position was about half a lap below him. In the twelfth, Pyke re-passed Bird at the top of the course, but by the time they reached the post at the home end Bird was again leading. Wilkinson having dropped out, the two ran together until in Pyke’s sixteenth lap, when putting on a spurt at the top of the course, his left leg, which was bandaged when he i stripped, gave way and he had to pull up. Bird then ran the remainder of the. distance himself. For the first f ime during the day he gave the spectators evidence of what he really could do. About the end of the third mile

he put on several spurts. In these spurts, his strides seemed more like the bounds of a deer than those of a man, and again at the end of the fourth mile he seemed really m better trim and in better wind than at the commencement. Some idea of the speed may be given, when the state of the ground is taken into consideration. Then, again, there were three distinct stoppages—once to fasten his shoe, which was again coming off; once to reverse the running, upon which lie had to consult the judge, and once to ask whether it would Be necessary to continue the running, as he had so one to contend with him. lo this the judge replied that the distance would have to be completed to enable him to claim the money; After some more magnificent spurts, the five miles including the stoppages were completed in 32 min., amidst loud plicflriii There were some other events undecided, but as it was now nearly dark, the proceedings were brought to a termination.