ATHLETICS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 430, 21 December 1889, Page 3

ATHLETICS.

(By ACTION.)

Some juniors recently (says "Felix") were hard up for an umpire. After a slight delay they managed to pick up a Hibernian friend of ona of the playere. In the first over or so a leg- before appeal was made to the Celt. " How is it ?" *>ays the bowler. " How is it yourself ?" says the umpire. " Tlaze yourself how it is, my boy, you know a great dale better than I do." The following batting averages for the last English cricket season will be of interest :—: —

PEDESTRIANISM. The six days' go-as-you-please contesb at Adelaide came to a finish on the 23rd ult. Of five men who started, twogaveupeaily, and the others finished in the following order':— #oe Scott, 347 miles; Swan, 295 miles ; Cunningham r 26Q miles. Mr A. B. George, of the Spartan Harriers, England, -and brother of the famous winner, Walter Goodall George, has won a threemile run in America, in Jomin 11 l-sthsec. Mr B. J, Esam has kindly favoured me with a clipping giving an account of an extraordinary athletic feat of a well-known ewimmer and athlete numed Tom Burns. He undertook to walk from Liverpool to London and back, and dive from a bridge at each end of the journey. Burns began his self-iir posed task by diving from Runcorn Bridge, a height of 85 feet, and then swimming to Liverpool 18 miles away, in the course of four hours. He then "proceeded to London, which he reached in 6 days. He then proceeded to dive off London bridge, after some difficulty in avoiding the police. After his dive he swam a quarter ot a mile, and then started on his return journey, which he no doubt accomplished without trouble.

CYCLING. Thus " PhUibuster" in fche " Australasian ":— Messrs Fenlon and Mayes, the English cyclists, who have been sojourning here for months past, shook off the dust of Australia for good when they left for New Zealand on Tuesday last. They purpose 1 competing at the Pioneer Bicycle Club's bis meeting to be held at Christchurch on Docember 26, 27, and 28. These riders ha\e already arrived, and have started training. Then there is Mills, the Australian professional ; and all the Christchurch talent will have a try for most of the events. It is expected that most of the New Zealand records will get a shock at this meeting. John Brownell claims to be the only"man in the United States who rides a 64in bicycle. He is nearly 7ft high, and is completing a course of classics at the-Syracuse University. On October. 22nd, at Cardiff, Mr' A. J. Sheen, on a Safety, rode a starting quartermile in 35 l-sth sec, and rode a flying start quarter-mile in 32 l-sth sec. On October I9th, Mr W. C. Goulding rode 50 miles on a tricycle in 2hr 50min 20sec. Fully 20,000 persons were present on the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, 30th ult., to witness the second day's race meeting of the Melbourne Bicycle Club. The principal resu'ts were :— lntercolonial Scratch Bicycle Contest : W. H. Lewis (Fernside C.C.), 1 ? T. W. Busst (V.C.U.), 2; L. B. Scharp (Fern&ide C.C.), 3. Ten Miles Australian Championship : J. J. Mullins (South Australia), 1 ; L. B. Scharp (Fernside C.C.), 2 ; \V. H. Lewis (Fernside C.C.), 3. The other starters were, A. E. Ashworth (N.S. Wales), W. J. C. Elliott (Fernaido C.C.), and F. H. Shackelford (Victoria 8.C.). Mullins made the pace very warm, but at 9 miles the N.S. W. man seemed so fres»h that evens were taken that he would win ; but Mullins won easily by a wheel from .Scharp ; Lewis, few feet away, third ; and Ash worth, close up, fourth. Time, 3lmin 48-j'sec.

AQUATICS. I don't know thai Joe B. Buchanan was much in the aquatic lino, bub this place will do for a note aboub him. He is settled in San Francisco, working at his profession. He has had an introduction to the big athletic club there, and intends to challenge two of their heavy weight lifters for the championship. Their are a number of Aucklanders in 'Frisco — Cameron, Askew, Renner, James, Young, Buckland, and others — buo Joe's adivco to Aucklanders thinking to moving to thab town is like "Punch's" advice to those about to marry -don't ! He says the place is full ot low boxing saloons ; but ho ia carefully keeping clear of the tagrag and bobtail of the athletic world. The chief item in aquatic news this week is unquestionably the sad death of Searlc. So much has been written and spoken aboub the late champion that there is nothing new to write. The old hackneyed expressions of regret c\nnot adequately represent the feeling with which Aucklanders, in common with other colonials, received the news. The loss of Searle is almost like that of a friend. The champion oarsman of the world, a colonial every inch of him, and from all accounts a thoroughly good hearted, manly fellow, he was probably the most popular man in the colonies ; and it is especially sad that he should thus be cut off in early manhood. But his lot is only the common lot of all. The greatest certainty in the woild is that we must all die. Seai'le's death now leaves the chainpion- > ship to be struggled for ; and we may expect some interesting contests before it is decided who is worthy to hold the honour. O'Connor seems to be the best of the American oarsmen, bub it is still a question if there is not an Australian fit to copo with him. Kemp, Stansbury, McLean and the others are not likely to let the champion- j ship pass from Australian waters without a big fight. It is a pity that we in New Zealand cannot raise a man capable of contesting with the heroes of other countries. This colony has greater advantages for acquatics of all classes than any other, bub very few of our rowing men seem to try to develop their sculling powers to any great extent. It is perhapt better so, for the feeling of com1 radeship is "more strongly developed under the system of rowing in crews. A man is not so much working for himself as tor the common good, when .he 'is the member of a crew. At-tho same time ifc would be pleasant to have a New Zealander champion of th,e world. - „,

uvers. Kuns. Wkts. Aver. Attewell .. 1314*2 1555 140 11*15 Brigga .. 1040-3 1646 140 11-106 Mold.. .. 679 1207 102 11-85 C. J. M. Fox 129*2 ' 207 16 1215 Watson .. W6 1139 90 12 - 59 Richardson 668 816 64 12"48 Wright .. 863-2 1466 114 12*98 Lohiuann .. 1614*1 2714 202 13*88 From the Sydney " Town and Country :" Murdock is confident that he will be able to reduce his aldermanic corporation, and at the same time bring himself into such form as will enable him to accompany the next team home. At present our champion sculler will have to look to his laurels, for Murdock knows more about pulling an offtheory ball round to square leg than he 3oes of off-driving or cutting. Ko doubt practice will remedy that.

Iho following aro the best bowling averages :—: —

Gunn.. Shrewsbury I>. Wilson .. Uarnes M. Read . . W. G. Grace T. C. OBrien J. Cranston K. J. Key . . Inns. 33 16 10 40 27 45 26 26 40 Runs. 1299 522 360 1249 847 1396 786 709 1070 Aver, 33*7 37*4 36-0 342£ 33-22 32 2C 31-11 30-1S 30-2 C