ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

Tn the hammer-throwing contest at the Dunedin Hibernian Society's Sports on St. Patrick's Day, A. Skinner broke the Australasian record for 161b hammer of 141 ft previously held by himself, throwing 142 ft Gin. He also made an attack on the world's record for throwing 121b hammer and succeeded in beating it by 2ft, throwing 175 ft. The record was previously held by Carroll, of America, at 173 ft.

L. Broad, the ex-amateur, took part in the. 135 yds St. Patrick's Handicap at the Irish Athletic Society's Sports at Invercai'gill, and with 12yds start, won his heat in 13 2-sth sec, but was beaten in the second round. The prizes for this event amounted to £60. and the winner was J. Murphy (10yds), B. Bain (14yds) being second, and McGill(9yds) "third. Time, 12 4-sth sec. Murphy was a stranger to Jnvercargill, and there being some doubts as to his identity, the unusual course was adopted of photographing him with a view-to enquiries being made. Murphy also won the 75yds Handicap very easily, running the distance from *4yds behind scratch in 8 l-sth sec.

Bob Fitzsimmons and Jim Jeffries have signed articles for a fight for the world's boxing championship, to take place on May 26th. The fight will probably be held at Coney Island, New York, under the auspices of the Greater New York Athletic Club, who offer a purse of 30,000 dollars. It will not be a. 'fight to a finish,' as in that case a. match coiild not be brought off. within the confines of a New York State, or in fact in any State but Nevada. . ■ , Speaking of. the two-mile walk at the recent Carnival of the Auckland A.A. and C.C., 'Prodigal' says:—By the way, I understand the competitors were asked whether they would prefer one or more judges of walking, and stated they preferred one. Thjs strikes me as a novel procedure, for many walkers would prefer no judge at all if it were left to them to decide. I was hoping the Auckland pe<vpie, having several capable:. judges, meant taking a firm stand j n the matter of toe and heel progression, and in a handicap walk it is liard for one man to watch all. competitors, whp may be scattered about a track. Here we have a hard and fast rule on the point, and it is compulsory to have three judges. Personally, I don't believe in any hard and fast rule, especially in scratch races, where the cracks usua Ily keep p"rett f *cl ose to"* gether. I cannot remember whether tjie N.Z.4.A.4. haye a.^y-.^le ra tjje, point, but anyway it is a fatal mistake to consult competitors on any point. . -. .„ _ , Death removed a famous athlete oit February 15th, in the person of Laurence E. Myers, the amateur running champion, aged 42 years. During his career as a runner, Myers won fourteen. American ] Championships, ten Canadian Championships, ,and threje Championships'V of England. Hfe matches with W. G. George, the English distance runner, created much excitement at the time. In, 1887 Myers went to Australia, where professional running was at the zenith of popularity. He competed in nearly all the big handicaps, and was credited with some wonderful performances. While there he ran his old rival, W. G. George, another series of races, for 2000dol. The American again proved his superiority by winning two events off the reel. He captured the 1000 yds race in 2mm i9sec, and the 1500 yds in 3min 46sec, On October 29th he Avon a quai-ter-mile handicap in Sydney, from the ,4yds mark, in 49sec. His profits from the trip were small, as his form was so well known that he was handicapped out of most of the races. Latterly Myers had gone in for horseracing. His running records, which still stand, no runner, professional or amateur, having equalled them, are: — 350 yards, 36 4-ssec, Philadelphia,

October 15, 1881. *400 yards, 43gsec, New York, June 3,

ISB2. . / 660 yards, lmin 22see, New York, July

17, 1880. 800 yards, lmin 44 2-ssec, Brooklyn,

September 16, 1882. **840 yards, lmin 48 3-osec ; :j London, England. July <S, 1885. v . 1000 yards, 2min 13sec, New York,

October 8, 1881. *Circular path. **Grass course