ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 58, 9 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

Charlie White has got his stable together once again, and is preparing his men for the coming sports. Harry Davey is going for the championship. T. M. Moresby has his eye on the bracelet, and perhaps the championship, while H. C. Poulsen intends to have arlother cut in at the half and quarter. Dick Jeffreys is doing hard graft for tho coming sports. He has an old .score to wipe off with Atkinson in the mile, and with the least bit of luck he expects to win that event. His scratch race with Ifwerson for a substantial trophy comes offthe Saturday after the sports. It will be remembered that this has remained over from a challengre issued at the last meeting.

. " Jim" Baxter, otherwise known as "The Racehorse," says there arc no more championships for him, but he will have a good try for that mile and the half as well. A young brother of Harold Batger, the amateur champion hurdle racer o£ the South, is in training for the sports, and will start in the 120 yds hurdles. He has never run at the sports before, though he has tried his luck at. school. .

"Smiler" Atkinson had a real'picnic last Saturday at the warehousemen's excursion. He won the half-tnile, the 120 yds and the 2Goyds. In the 120 yds I "believe that " Ted" Binney and '"Jimmy" Farquhar thought the result lay between them, and so started shouldering each other half-way, when Atkinson showed he wa3 not to be despised.

All the running men are pleased that the Rowing Association's sports have been abandoned, though they are all sincerely sorry that no regatta is to be held.

Young Peace, who came third in tho walk at the last sports, is in training again, He beat Cossar badly last time, and Walter Dodds says he will be revenged.

"Jack " Dickson, of gymnasium fame, has turned his hand-to training, and will have a stable to get fit for the next amateurs. Hutchinson says he will not go for the championship, as tie hardly considers himself class enough for that, but he does nofc mind winning another bracelet. More power to him. Elmslie's intentions are unknown ad present, but it is firmly anticipated that he will start for the championship, >;;and so prove whether some tall talk of his last November was justified or not.

It is doubtful if Howard will be able to compete this time owing to a bad knee. He had a terrible spill in the Cricket Ground a fortnight back. Jack Stewart ha 3 commenced training for the sports and should be in ■ good form by the time they come off. " Syd" Somerfield is going for the Hurdles, the sprint and the Ladies' Bracelet at the coming sports.

" Alec"' Stevenson is at work once more. He intends tackling the quarter and the bracelet.

There is every chance of the local Athletic Club reducing their annual subscription by 50 per cent, for new members elected after the first meeting in a year.

"Fred " Moore, of the St. George's Rowing Club,is going for the mile and the halfmile at i;he coming sports.

Langsford is not dishearteend by his failure at the last sports, and trusts with a bit more lenient treatment to do better this time.

From Helensville, that far off land of gum and sharks, I hear of Hugh Poland. He is going in for football red-hot next season and is studying up the new rules. He is also seriously thinking of training for the coxaing sports, but thinks he will leave the 200 yds. championship to the older members, and says it would be too rough for a new man to carry it oft. Hugh should have a big say in the long jump and the sack rac6. " Ted " Binney says he will show the big talkers of the amateurs that he has not forgotten how to run. For the first time in his life he is going to train for the sports, but declares he will not give tobacco best. " Enquirer " asks : Will you kindh/ decidethe following wager and answer through your columns :—A and B back C and I) respectively against each -other in a foot race. • The race is run, neither C n vor D getting a place, C coming in fifth and D eighth. Neither C nor D were aware of the wager. Query: Are they supposed to have run themselves out? Does A or B win the wager, or is the bet off? [The wager is off unless a stipulation was made about the men not getting a place. In wagers it is always understood when back ing one man against another that one has to get a place, and anything to the contrary must be stated beforehand.—Action.]

The warehouse picnic lasc Saturday was great fun. The Bandsmen's Steeplechase won the cake for real sport. The musicians had to wade through a wide ditch .and afterwards jump it. ' Only one was equal to the latter effort, and all tho others came down in it. The tug-of-war was immense, the representatives of McAtblinr and Macky, Logan, and Co. struggled for nearly ten minutes. " Ralrino's " face was a treat, and " Wallaby " Simpson was hardly recognisable. I hear there is a dark'horse for (the spwS this meeting. "Let him some." There is every chance of a match beinff arranged between Laiug, of Wanganui, nna " Dick " Sandall. A local sport who is a* Wanganui is arranging the little affair.