ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 276, 27 November 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

W. H. Madill had quite a field day on Saturday, winning the hammer throwing-, weight putting, and high jump contests. One of J. W. Skinner's throws in the first-named event was within sight of McCormack's New Zealand record (110 ft 6in), the local man sending the hammer over 108 ft. One of his hands, however, touched ground outside the 9ft circle, so the throw was not allowed. 0. McCormack's distance formed the Australasian record until quite recently, when it was broken by Dr. Barry, now on a visit to Australia. The Irish giant established a new colonial record with a throw of 119 ft 9in.

McKean, the mile champion of New Zealand, was disappointing on Saturday. His old fault, want of judgment, was again apparent in the mile, and his running generally was lacking in brilliancy, not to say lifeless.

Mr C. Herbert, hon. sec. to the English A.A.A. has replied to Mr B. J. Parkinson's letters inquiring about the chances for an Australasian Athletic Team as to matches against England, Ireland, and Scotland, and in connection with arrangements, etc. Mr Herbert says that the English A.A.A. is prepared to most heartily Avelcome an amateur athletic team from Australasia in 'OS, or in any year. He thinks a special match between England and Australasia would be difficult to arrange and would probably, even if fixed up, not be a iinanciai success, at any rate in London. He cannot as yet speak about the chances of matches with Ireland and Scotland. Mr Herbert states that matches could easily be. arranged with the London Athletic Club, with the United Hospitals, and with the Manchester Athletic Club, and he has promised to consult the Oxford authorities as to a match Australasia v. Oxford University.

The determined finish fought out between 11. G. Thomson and 11. ,T. Webber in the 440 yds on Saturday is not the first in which this pair have figured. I remember how in the 000 yds handicap at the championship meeting- last February the two ran neck and neck the whole way tip the straight. It was a most exciting finish, for just as they reached the post Thomson fell underneath the tape and the race went to Webber. Again at the March carnival this year Thomson and Webber foiight out another great race for second place in the 440 yds handicap, which Bowser won. Both are wonderfully game finishers. In the race on Saturday both, men were greatly interfered with, but they ran with good judgment and made the most of every chance of an opening. Thomson is improving every meeting and has a capital style.

I hear there is some talk of a sweepstake race (for a trophy) over a quarter-mile between E. Oliphant, 11. V. Buchanan, 11. G. Thomson, and McKean, all starting- from scratch. If the event comes off it should certainly result in a splendid contest.

The world's professional record for the mile walk is Gmin 23secs, established in 1874 by Perkins, at Lillie Bridge, London. F. P. Murray's amateur record was made in New York in ISS3, and it is this one that Creamer has lowered. For the three mile walk the professional world's record is 20min 21isecs, made at Lillie Bridge in 18S3 by J. W. Eaby. The amateur record stands at 21min 9 l-ssecs, this being the time put up by F. P. Murray at New York in 1883. The Australasian record is held by A. O. Barrett, of Melbourne, who did the distance on November 13th of last year in iJlmin 36 l-ssecs. Wilson's time on Saturday was 21min 36 2-osees.

J. Dickey, who won the mile walk from the 180 yds mark, was the only other roan besides the two champions to show anything like a decent style. Dickey is a very promising- young walker, and will be heard of again.

A. E. George, the winner of the mile run, showed' excellent judgment, his final spurt being timed to a nicety. C. E. Hanson was the most successful of the distauce runners, carrying off the half-mile and finishing second in the mile. He made a bad mistake in the mile in spurting too soon, otherwise I believe he would have won. As it was Hanson made a great fight for first place with George, and was only beaten by a bare yard. I consider George as our coming- champion distance runner.

The secondary schools continue to provide some runners of remarkably good quality, the 150 yds championship on Saturday being cut out by the winner, L. Murray, in 16 l-ssec&. Tliis race has now been held annually for three years, and it •is interesting to note that each year the winner's time has been 16 l-ssecs. The 1895 champion was H. R. Hesketh (A.C. and G.S.), and the race was won last year by J. Parkinson (Marist Bros. High School). Murray was the most fancied for the event this year, on the strength of his performance at the King's College sports a few weeks back, when he did the 150 yds in Kisecs dead. At the time it was thought to be rather 'too good' for a schoolboy, but in the light of his performance on Saturday the other time was no doubt genuine enough. Syme and Craig, who ran a dead heat for second place, both showed excellent form. V. R. Meredith, of Wellington, has the makings of a good hurdler. He took the jumps neatly, and showed a good turn of pace. In the 440 hurdles, however, he slackened pace at nearly every jump, a defect which may be put down to want of practice over that distance. •

B. J. Wefers, America's champion amateur sprinter, won the 220 yds race at the Canadian Championship Meeting', in 2isecs, making1 a world's record. Each man's course was measured separately and staked oil', so that each ran the same distance. The world's record previous t° this was Wefers' 21 l-ssecs, made in New York in 1896. Wefers also won the 100 yds in lOsecs, on a grass track, and finished second in the 440 yds, beaten by a yard in 49secs. A week later, at the New York Athletic Club's meeting, he won the 150 yds in 14 3-ssecs, beating the record by l-ssec.

On September 18th, F. E. Bacon made a successful attempt to lower the grass record for five miles —25min 45sec. He was assisted by An stead, Mullen, and Watkins, and covered the distance in 25min 42sec.

T. F. Kiely, the noted Irish amateur' hammer thrower and all around! athlete, at the sports of the .Eoyal Irish Constabulary held at Nenagh week in September, created a • fresh Irish record for throwing- the sixteen pound hammer from a 9ft circle by hurling the missile a distance of: 143 ft Sin, which beats his own pre-j

vious record by 3ft 10in. In a foul throw he sent the hammer 150 ft Bin, lie fouling the line by an inch. Was the walking quite fair cm Saturday? One cannot help asking the question, in the face of the times cut out by Creamer and Wilson in the mile walk. The former did the distance in Gmin. 27 2-sth sec, and Wilson's was only about three yards worse. There can be no possible doubt about the timing. The watches agreed too closely for that, and the timekeepers were thoroughly reliable. Several private watches also agreed with the official time. Nor can there be any question about the distance, for the track has been surveyed and re-surveyed. The real difficulty about the performance is the walking, whether or not it Avas fair according to strict ruling. It appears the judges (Messrs A. F. Burton and G. Peace) warned Wilson in the third lap, and I certainly think his walking was more open to question than Creamer's. The following opinion of an English authority on the subject expresses my meaning, and may fairly be read in connection with Saturday's performance:—'The amateur champion, Sturgess,' he says, 'has been accredited with walking a mile in a little over six and a half minutes, that is at the rate of over 9 miles an hour. I have no doubt that the judges acted conscientiously, but I am bold enough to affirm that nine people out of ten do not understand what is the real difference between walking and running. When Perkins walked eight miles in an hour it was considered a mai-vel-lous achievement, but here we have a man walking at the rate of nine. The popular fallacy is that walking consists in 'fair heel and toe.' as a matter of fact 'heel and toe' have nothing whatever to do with the question, a fact any one can demonstrate to himself by running 'heel and toe.' The important distinction is that l,aid down by Professor Huxley in his primer on physiology, viz., that one foot must always be upon the ground, and therefore the front foot must be put down before the hind one is raised. If this is not done then the wallaf" is Milting.' I\ To man breathing who adheres to this definition Avill ever walk a mile in six and a half minutes.' Creamer's time was less than six minutes and a half by 2 3-sth sees. Walking races are always more or less imsatisfactory, and while fully appreciating the undoubted abilities of both our champions, I cannot help thinking that the walking was not always 'only that and nothing more.' Certainly one thing to be said in favour of the walkers is that the club coxild hardly have found two more competent judges than Messrs Burton and Peace.