WHY, QH, WHY?

NZ Truth, Issue 1194, 18 October 1928, Page 16

WHY, QH, WHY?

Good Athletes Turn Game In

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Athletic Correspondent.) . , .. -There is a bug, the "virus retirus," unknown to medical science, but too well known m athletics. It bites our best men just when they are m their prime and causes untimely retirements. JUST why our New Zealand runners want to turn the game m as soon as they get to the top of the tree is hard to say. Take the case of Malcolm L.eadbetter. -Here is a young man Avho has kicked down the door of the room where they keep the laurel wreaths while yet m the early ■ Everything is before him, yet.forsooth, the. "virus retirus" has stuck its sting m him and he feels or. imagines he feels,, old age. creeping on apace, and must, , perforce, retire from the track". '.:, „ -.." ■'„. ; There are. indications, however, that his at'ta.ck is by. no. means fatal and he may 'yet; persevere with' his 'running until he gets . into the- world' chiim•pionship 'class that has welcomed Jackson" Sch6lz.- : : -*'■■-•-■■ ■ .' ; •. But' these ./men . 'are; Americans- ! ;a.nd can ;it be. said that. 1 they are ; better stickers than our New "Zea- ; land. athletes? - ' ■ ' . Surely not. •*■• Yet indications would •almost point that'- ■way when the number of retirements that J have ' occurred m: this country during | .tire last few. years iare'. taken, into account. ... ; ■•: •'.. ... .•• ■ "..-;■ ' ';. ■;■• v ■■■,■ The onslaughts of thedreaded "virus retirus" have not spread to all parts of the .Dominion and we had the cheering spectacle last year pf^Frank Nesdale • carrying thirty-eight summers over the hurdles to make a dead-heat ■of the Australasian 440 yds. champion•ship event. ■■'.., ... \ _..-.. , . Cheering it is also to record .that Stanley Lay is not . m mortal . dread of it and is looking forward to having a go with the javelin" with anyone' >vho comes .along.