ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 279, 26 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

The Amateur Athletic Club have every reason to feel satisfied that their gatherings are losing nothing of their popularity if las** Saturday's meeting is any criterion. The attendance might be almost termed brilliant, though, unfortunately, the Club will not benefit as much, as they deserved to, for about one hundred yards of the fencing had been removed near the Hospital end of the ground, and this was nob noticed until several hundred people had made their way in, and then it was almost useless to try and stop them. The racing was not all that could be desired. Three of the events fell to H. E. Harrison, a comparative stranger, who was " chucked " into them owing to the handicappers having no gauge of his abilities. There was considerable talk after the meeting about Harrison, and it was openly stated that he could not have given his correct performances, but on a telegram being sent to Dunedin for his records everything proved to be quite right, much to the relief of nearly ev3ry member of the Club. Even though Harrison did get ••chucked in," he deserved success, for he ran like an athlete, and in each case did all he knew until lie breasted the tape. He has a very peculiar style, and to look at him you would not think he could go. When he ran the 100 yards he seemed to be run right out, but he got 200 yards and everyone thought he could not go any further, but he got .home first in the quarter-mile from the eighteen yard nmrk in 52& seconds. Major, the limit man, succeeded in placing himself in these three races, third each time, and certainly it is time he had a deal, for to run unplaced sixteen times in the Club speaks of hard lines or interior powers. Uplill won the Maiden splendidly, and ran a great race in the 200 yards, in which race Owen also showed up well, as he did in the 100 yards, though he was not given a place in the final heat, to the amazement of the majority of those round the tape. Winks had the hardest luck of anyone in the meeting, and the accident in the 600 yards not only spoiled his chance in that event, but also handicapped him considerably in the. 1,000 yards. Much as i I sympathise with Winks, he has only himself to blame for the accident, for not only was he not a clear yard in front of Poulsen when he crossed him, but at the time they had entered the straight and were not fifty yards from the tape, and by crossing he lost rather than gained ground. lam certain that but for the accident lie must have won, while in all probability Poulsen would have run into a place—poor consolation for both of them. Stone is a very consistent runner, and with all sympathy for the losers no one begrudged him his win in the 600 yards. Baxter did another bolt in the 1,000 yards, but if Ifwerson had only kept his spurt back for some fifty yards J. N. B. would have been beaten by a few yards. As it was the, race gave one of the best finishes of the day. Owen won the Hurdles with ridiculous ease, walking the last ten yards, but it is only fair to him to say that when Lusk saw he was beaten he did not try to. catch Owen. The best and most interesting finish of the meeting was that in the walking race, and Makgill certainly deserved first prize. A fairer walker never footed it on the Cricket Ground, ana from the way he stuck to Burton ho muse have a heart as big as a pumpkin, tor Uβ fairly walked himself to a standstill. it> was a surprise to me, for I had seen him ao a trial in BSmin, and I reckoned his prospects were not very brilliant. Mactarlane disappointed me in this race also, as his walking was not a patch on tue form he displayed on the trai "j n g track. I was glad to see ; the Club adopt the suggestion to run their sprint races between tapes, and, as I though id would, it gave universal satisfaction, ana in future the Club will always continue the practice. The board for the result of the races was another innovation that workea well, and the Committee might improve on it at the nexb meeting by adding the time of each race; Taken all round, the meeting was a very successful and enjoyable one, and lyfi^t^M^m^M^m^M future. ' . : / '■ ■■ -•'• *

zeroised in a di"nifiS afc - <W 2? of the Club be called r»«'♦V^* B '*** ' allow the matter s≤ annual general meeto WmZ?f and then bring the mattS "g* , dared at this meeting that S'as "^ of the Auckland Amateur AtUetb aft , compete in any class or club iSJr which professionals are then of course only for a troT'JS pun .of being declared .*H£ for evermore, and thus debarrAffi part in amateur contests. All mustS the justxce of removmg any athletes who have broken thffWTi not the spirit of amateur rules, Mkm are surely clever enough heads nJi amateur athletes of this city.S up sufficiently comprehensive rttlegijjjle lines I have indicated. - ■. ,