ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9617, 15 September 1894, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL.

STAR (TARANAKI) V. PARNELL (AUCKLAND). This afternoon at Potter's Paddock (Epsom) the Parnell— the champion team of Auckland —will try conclusions with the Star Club, of Taranaki. Both teams are confident of victory, and a keen contest should result. Parnell will be without the services of Jervis, Ronayne, Moore, and Holmes. This loss is somewhat repaired by the presence of F. Murray and Mtchett, two Auckland representatives, who are residing in the Farnell district, and who have this season not played for any senior club. Mr. J. C. Webster will aot as referee. The kick off takes place at three p.m. The following are the teams :— Star (amber and black). Fullback, J. Robinson; three-quarters, S. Humphreys (captain), L. Allen, W. Kivill; halves, A. George, A. Humphreys, J. Laing ; forwards, C. 0 Carroll, Smith, Ryan, Hammond, B. Allen, C. Allen, W. Standish, Bellringer. Parnell. —Fullback, F. Hedges threequarters, J. Simpson, H. G. Kissling, W. R. Fitchett; halves, VV. Elliott, F. Edmonds (captain); forwards, E. Anderson, Beamish, G. Clark, Evitt, W. Geard, C. Lawtord, F. Murray, C. Speight, and H. Wright. The annual football match between Auckland and Wairoa was played at Mangawhare on Saturday last, and resulted, after a very even game, in a draw, both teams scoring three points each. The Auckland score was obtained by Mills, who with Stephenson headed a strong rush. When near the line the latter smartly passed to Mills, and the Newton captain had no difficulty in getting over the line. The kick at goal was taken by Roberts, who made a poor attempt. The ground was not iu a fit condition for a scientific display of football, being very sloppy. There was a large attendance of spectators', over 500 being present, football enthusiasts coming from miles around to see the game. The Auckland team was a very poor one, a number of the best players being unable to get away. The strong point of the visitors' play was their passing, which stood them in good service, and removed the venue time after time. The YVairoa team had a clever set of forwards, who played a hard game throughout. Both iu scrum and line work they showed their superiority over. the Auckland men, and had hard luck in not scoring on two or three occasions. The Takapuna Football Club play their J annual match with the Tauranga juniors this afternoon, at the latter place. The team left by the Chelmsford, yesterday. Beef v. Beer was a very exciting contest, and attracted about two hundred spectators at Potter's Paddock on Wednesday. The game was much in favour of the butchers, who scored no less than eight tries, while the publicans could not even draw blood. The annual football match between Herald and Star, played at Ellerslie last Saturday, proved a very interesting contest. The game was a very even one throughout, good play being shown on both sides. The Herald skipper (P. Maokie) was chiefly responsible tor their victory. He was almost omnipresent, leading rushes, intercepting passes, and still holding his place at half at the right time. He got in an immense amount of work without ever seeming to tire. A match will be played at Epsom this afternoon between the Ponsonby and Grafton Second Fifteens. Mr. A. Kilfoyle has been appointed referee. The teams are as follow : —Ponsonby: Heaps, Symons, Katterns, Wright, Kelly, Graham, Masefield, Greenhough, Downey, Tait, Merritt, Conway, Short, Robertson, Houghton, and Oswald. Grafton : Smith, Evers, Hay, Wilson, Jackson, Denny, Lee, Young, McMillan, McCormick, Paul, Cunningham, Williamson, Bailey, 'Stirling, and Hancock. The New South Wales try conclusions against a representative team of New Zealand footballers to-day at Christchurch. The New Zealand fifteen include many of the best players in the colony, and they ought to put up a great score against their Australian cousins. Up to the present the visitors cannot be said to have had a successful tour, as far as winning their matches is concerned, though all hands vote the trip delightful. There is not the slightest doubt that they have done their best to get as much pleasure as they could out of their visit, and have to a great extent neglected their training exercises in doing so. Their opening match in Auckland showed that by careful attention to training they would have made a good stand against the Southern teams, and their downfall can in a great measure be put down to one thing, and that is bad form. Since landing in New Zealand they have played eight matches, winning one, and losing seven ; 60 points have been scored by them, and 101 against. No doubt, after this afternoon's contest, the score will take a big jump. The Northern and St. James Clubs play a match this afternoon at Birkenhead. The following players will represent the Northern : — McPhail (3), Purdy, Carson, Lowe, Jervis, Ripley, Page, Coldicutt, McClean, MaQill, Hurley (2), Gee, Carlquist, Rodgers, Lusk. The Franklin Rugby Union Championship is to be decided this afternoon at Bombay, between the Pukekohe and Southern Wairoa Clubs. Mr. F. Drum has kindly consented I to act as referee.

The Huntly team by their win against Hamilton last Saturday have become the premier team for 18&4, in the Waikato, their record for the season being a very good one, they have played six matches and have not been once defeated, the points they have scored in the six matches being 122, while only 15 have been scored against them, place kicking has been the team's weak poiut, or the points for would have been much larger. In their two matches against Paterangi, they scorced no less than eleven tries, but failed to convert one of them. CRICKET. Cricketers are at the present time very busy with their annual meetings, and in two or three weeks the game will be in full swing. The Auckland and United Clubs held their meetings on Wednesday evening, both being well-attended. Matters in connection with the coming season were discussed at length, and judging from the tone ,ot the conversation followers of the good old English game are determined to infuse more life in the game this year, than they did in the past two seasons. The annual meetiug of the Dairymen's Cricket Club was held last evening at the Newton Bathrooms. Owing to the state of the weather, and the fact that many of the country members could not get into town it was deemed advisable to postpone the meeting until the middle of next month, when the first practice match will be held and members will be in town.

The United have decided this year to have for certain a second fifteen, and perhaps even a third one.

Mr. C. E. MacCormick was re-elected captain of the United Cricket Club for the coming season. Brockwell, the Surrey cricketer, has had to pay the penalty of becoming famous. He has been interviewed, and the result of a list of questions plied by a representative of the Sketch was a very interesting series of answers. Replying to a remark about bowlers, Brockwell said he didn't believe the fast bowlers were only fast throwers, and nave his opinion that there wasn't an unfair bowler in first-class cricket at the present time. Mold was without doubt the. most difficult bowler to play, and Brockwell said he would rather plav anyone than him, though he was glad he didn't face Richardson, for he thought the latter would not improve his (Brockwell's average. Further, he remarked there was not much to choose between Richardson and Mold, although probably the Lancashire man came faster off the pitch. On a sticky wicket, however, Wainwright was about the most deadly man in England. All cricketers will be glad to known that Arthur Shrewsbury is sufficiently recovered from his lengthy spell of illness to again take part in the game at which he is such a bright and shining light. He played for the Notts Castle Club against Coalville recently, and scored 109, not out. The hot weather suits him to a nicety, and we are told that he got his century in excellent form.

Frederick Gale, the cricket poet, has published a delightful book of verses on the national game. We give an extract from his •' George Lohmann'': —

May warmer heavens make you whole For Surrey! How men would roar to see you bowl for Surrey! Nurs'd and help'd and mended, Truly kept and tended, Come and be our splendid George! Shuter wants you home Again ! England wants you—cross the main I Hay Good bye to - Capetown sky, you George of Georges, come again! Mold, the Lancashire professional, used to earn half-crowns in an easy way when he was ground-keeper for the Banbury Cricket Club. A wealthy member induced Mold to bowl for him by placing a half-crown on the practicestump. When the coin was dislodged by the ball it became the property of the bowler. An Indian prince used to be a great admirer of Arthur Shrewsbury, and conceived a .strong desire to become possessed of a personal memento of bis hero. On hearing of his desire, Shrewsbury presented the Prince with the bat which he had usod with great success during the season, and inscribed ou it a record of'his big scores. The Indian dignitary was highly delighted with it. Alfred Grace, the brother of '* W.G.," was once obliged to remove an obnoxious onlooker at a cricket match. Later in the day, when the match was in progress, the ejected one fetiuned with a number of his friasde.

iiostiiitiea recommenced, and Alfred w«4 for his antagonist a second time «BfcinVto the occaaio," says Dr. Grace, }n his book & ke V £ *»*<&<* him off in «S£ and satisfactory manßer." * r3lßtta JI ATHLETICS ' /

♦. C ni A, i lra^ eywon the !«> Yards Handicap at Blackiool from scratch and assisted 38 a little wad, did 10s. dead. {» additinW S the officia timekeeper (Mr. W. Piatt) watches »reed that the time was tweet It was a ine day. and everything in f aroai of a good jerformance. ai F. E. Baton scored an immensely popular victory in he Half-mile Handicap at Black pool recenty. His time was lm. 57 %<£' and as he w» rather comfortably he can ndoubt impnve upon this. The track * Blackpool i very fast, and given a favour able day it i Ju .t the place for Bacon to B0 for the mile coord. *° Lacrosse unconsidered by seme people as a kind of d&wiog room pastime, but an parently thefc is more in it than meet! the eye of -,he observer, especially in England. In Canada, for instance tl, home of the gtme, it is prosecuted rathfr vigorously, if we may take the Montreal Gazette as an authority, and the spectators participate in -,he excitement equally «; t u the players. A* account of the great match between the Shamrocks and the Sherbrooke* attracted ten thousand spectators, including the Governor-GeiieraHncl suite. The detail! read like an organisednrize fight, and police players, and partisan; were mixed lU) in several promiscuous rw ß . Blood was shed early and often, and wfcn the tumult was at its highest the Governor-General left the ground disgusted, alert with a number of ladies and gentlemen *o had gone to «ee & game and instead hadlwituesaed a terrible row. If Englishmen *e not as expert aa Canadians at the game If lacrosse, it is to be hoped they nover will fe if this expertnesa leads to rowdyism. 1 CYCLIJG. The coming cycling fiason in Auckland fnromises to be a mostjimportant one. A. arge number of new ridrs have joiued the ranks, and are daily to! be seen in the byroads breaking in their rqtchines. The Auckland A.A. md C.C. hold their annual meeting on th) 28th inst. The carnival will be a little iter than usual this year, being fixed for tilt early part of D«. cember. I

It is to be hoped thatour cyclists will be favoured with better weather tor their outings this Mason than tiey were last year. Taking; exercise over iad roads in rough weather is not to be recommended. The rnuch-talked-of natch between Zimmerman and Barden, if or a mile and tivc miles raoe, was ruu of at the Velodronu Buffalo, Paris, ob Sunday, July 15, before an enthusiastic gate, son* 15,000 strong. Zimmerman won the mild with ease, finishing a dozen lengths in fronl of Barden. The five miles, which was rum ivith pacemakers, wa3 an even more hollo? affair, Zimmerman running clean away fiom his man early in the race, which he Won. in llrn. 59 •>-5 3 . Barden not finishing. \ Laser, Zimmerman rode in and won a ra<e, Wheeler coming in second.

A parsons' 'cycle race for charitable purposes is the latest idea Irom America. Impracticable unicycies are still being invented in America, at me rate of about one a week.

Osborn lowered the Seotch quarter mile record, on Hampden Park track, July 14tb doing 535., mounted on a Humber. Jerome K. Jerome is learning the safety, Frank Shorland will have to look out for hi' laurels now his uncle is on the war-path. What long-distance riders eat and drink is always of interest. A recent number ol "Cycling" is responsible for the following : —Grevifle, during his 12 hours' ride at Leeds, amongst other items, got through 2! eggs and 25 bottles of lemonade. Pity thej did not mention the other items.

A tricycle record has been put up by ac English rider named Bidlake, who pedalled his new Humber trioyoJe to a good tune, and broke the 50 miles record. He covered 25 miles and a few odd yards in the first hour. and finished the 50 ia the excellent time of 2h 22m 555. Had not both his pacers punctured, he would, undoubtedly, have beaten the safety record. •

Racing the train is the latest novelty introduced by the sport-loving cyclists of Waterford. It does not say much for the speed of railway travelling in Ireland, when we hear of a train being beaten by cyclists in a 20 miles spin. Yet this did actually occur recently, Messrs. Shalloe and Kennedy, two members of the Waterford B.C. " tookon the train one day from Ferrybank and raced it to Thomastown. At first the train made some ground, the roads being very rough for about seven miles out, but then the cyclists got on terms, and kept well up with the train right along to Thomastown, finally pipping the engine in the sprint. The cyclists used a tandem, and needless to say "nicked" beautifully, the passengers were greatly interested in the contest, and cheered the wheelmen lustily en route. The 20 miles were accomplished in 55m. Tha train had to halt at a few stations on the course, SWIMMING. At the celebration of the twenty-first anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Normal College for the Blind at wood, a very interesting display of diving, swimming, lifesaving, floating, etc., was given by the blind children. It was a most remarkable exhibition of what can be done by skilful training, These children with sightless eyes swam up and dort-n the bath as straight as a die, and dived with tar more accuraoy than many of those blessed with one of the greatest of all blessings — good eyesight. None the less marvellous was their figure skating, foot racing, and gymnastic feats.

A 60yds swimming race between the P. and 0. Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company was held at St. George's Baths on the 25th July, the New Zealand Company's team winning easily by 525. A two-lengths handicap was held afterwards, which resulted as follows :—H. E. Strickland, 10s., 1; A. A Green, scratch, 2; J. P. Blake, os., 3; J. A VVyllie, 155., 4. It was a fine race, won by a foot; touch between second and third. Mr. W. C. Dawes (who presented a silver cup for this race) officiated as judge, and Professor Francis as starter. AQUATICS. Summer is coming, and the various clubs are wakuig up after their winter rest. The popular rowing clubof our western suburb will hold their auuuat meeting, as notified in our advertising columns, this afternoon at their boat-house in St. Mary's Bay. I hear that this club is likely soon to lose the serrices of their popular captain (Mr. C. White), through removal. He has always Riven a great deal of time and attention to the interests of the club and aquatics generally, and will be much missed. Logan, sear., of the North Shore, ia building a five-rater for the King of Tonga. Logan Brothers are very busy just now. Theutfent away a handsome loosing yacht to Fiji by the Ovalau on Thursday. She is 3'2 feet overall, and has been built to the order of Mr. Snell, of Fiji. They have another yacht in hand to be finished by the end of next month. She is to be a centreboard, 36 feet overall, and diagonal built. The yacht Magic has arrived at Port Adelaide from Sydney, the run occupying 18 days. The cutter yacht Waitangi, the holder of the first and only race for the intercolonial championship, has been sold to Captain Prett, and has left Sydney tor Noumea. Her old rivals in the historical race were the Magic and Janet. The former has gone to Adelaide, and the latter is, or was, a wellknown fishing packet at Melbourne. Mr. M. Rush has decided to postpone his allcomers' handicap to later in the season. Probably the latter part of November will be chosen. The promoter fully exnects to bring off a very suocssful affair. The Sydney Mail of the Bth instant says :— Mr. J. L. Laing, a member of the North Shore champion eight-oar crew, has gone over to New Zealand, and will reside at Auckland. He is a good oarsman, and baa been very successful during the past two years. SUnbury is reported by an English sporting newspaper to have written to America, offering Gaudaur a match for the championship and £500 a side, on any neutral water, provided expanses and stakes are guaranteed. The champion is also willing to guarantee Gaudaur a race on similar conditions to be rowed on the Parramatta, or th« Nepean. What we really want is to see the Canadian visit this colony. He could be sure of at least two races for large stakes, and very probably a sweepstakes handicap could be arranged. These races have been freely supported by Gaudaur daring the past two or three years. Mr. W. J. Lines (" Pegasus") writes in the News of the World:—"ln response to the statements made in the columus of English and American contemporaries, I am authorised to make a match for Mr. R. H. Labats launch Hibernia against any other boat in the world not exceeding her leugth (18ft 2to) or steam pressure, limited to 2001b. The match to be decided on the Honley Regatta Course, or the Thames Championship Course (Putney to Mertdaka) for stakes of £500 a-sid«. A reply to this office will ensure a match fit amy time." Lv>x.