CHARLESTON CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 444, 2 January 1869, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHARLESTON CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

(from the herald.) The Sports commenced on Boxing Day, on the ground selected by the committee,adjacent to the town. Much had been said respecting the unsuitability of the locality for the holding of sports, and there can be no question that, had the committee contemplated such a continuance of bad weather, they would have found it advisable to hold them elsewhere, the approaches to the ground being very indifferent. The first meeting, on Saturday last, was attended by a more numerous assemblage of fashion and fortune than, under the circumstances, the committee would have dared to hope. About two o'clock the stewards had got all in order, and the grand stand having as many faces looking down from it as could do so conveniently, the sports conmenced with the subjoined results. The first event was the Hop, Step, and Jump, which was won by Twohiil, Melville being second. For the Three-legged Eace there were three entries— Mitchell and Nichols, O'Fiynn and Thomas, Murphy and another. Won by Mitchell and Twohiil. In the Collar aud Elbow Wrestling there were seven competitors—Flynn, O'Connor, Watson, Ward, J. Carroll, Tallen, and P. Carroll, resulting/m a draw between Flynn and O'Connor. The prize for the best Standing High Leap was won by Twohiil, who cleared 4 feet 5 inches ; Quinn being second. Sack race, for which there were five entries —M'Shane, Sampson, Jackson, New Chum, and Nooney—was very cleverly won by M'Shane. The Mile Eace, for which there were eight competitors, was won by Hurley; O'Loughlin being second. The latter entered a protest against the winner, on the ground that he had not passed the winning post twice, the race being twice round the course. As above stated, the attendance on the ground on Saturday was very good, and the number of corks and bottles strewing the ground will give evidence to any future geologist of an amount of mingled thirst and jollity upon that spot, which will enable him to trace with unerring fidelity the nature of the men, means, manners, drinks, and diversions for which the nineteenth century was remarkable. From the aristocratic cork that crowned the bottle of champagne (but not iced) to the more plebeian plug that liberated the lukewarm fluid imprisoned in the humble bottle of gingerbeer, every variety was to be found. We certainly looked around in vain for the horizontal funnels through which adventurous youths elsewhere are wont to shoot for handaful of nuts, following the sport with an ardor which cannot be accounted for upon the supposition that the marksmen try their skill for such trifling prizes; neither did we find the peripatetic vendors of ginger-

bread nuts, cocoa nuts, Brazil nuts, Barcelona nuts, and spiced nuts ; the sellers of brandy balls that have never had an interview with the exciseman; but in their place the various booths spread over the course did a thriving trade, and a target for rifle practice also came in for a full share of public patronage. MONDAY. 200 Yards Bace.—lo competitors —Denovan, Duncan, Twohill, Mitchell, Hurley, Nicholas, Butler, Dwyer, Melville, Smyth. Won by Butler, Iwohill second. Butting the stone (351bs). —Connor, Ist prize; Cullen, 2nd prize. Distance, 22 feet 2 inches, and 21 feet 9£ inches. Wrestling, Cumberland. Connor and Cowan divided first and second prizes, value together £ll. Hurdle Kace, 300 yards—Duncan, 1; Hurley, 2. Bunning High Leap.—Twohill and Curtait divided prizes value £5, both clearing 5 feet 3 inche?. Bunning Plat Leap.— Ist prize, Hehir, 16 feet 10 inches • 2nd prize, Twohill, 16 feet 6 inches.