ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 217, 10 September 1904, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

Jho difficulties in the way of securing a visit from a team of athletes from America seem to be increasing every month. Queensland has stated it* inability to raise £120 a.s its share of the (ravelling expenses. and that means that New Zealand. New South Wales, and Victoria, will, if the tour i.s to become an assured fact, have to find another tMO earh. making their ftaarantees £1(50 each. in reply to the last, communication. New South Wales agreed to increase its amount, from £(>0 to .£l2O. provided A. F. Duffy i.s a member of the team, and there ought not to be much trouble in raising another £40 in a place like Sydney. Since writing for further particulars, the Victorian Association has not communicated. The members of the New Zealand Council recognise that In make the tour successful it is absolutely necessary that the team shall contain some stars of world-wide renown, ami a cable has Iven sent to Mr J. K. Sullivan asking whether either Shrubb or Duffy can be included. If a favourable reply is received, the contributing Associations will be asked whether they will raise their guarantees to JL'IGO each.

The secretary of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association Council has been instructed to cable the Council's American representative, Mr Jas. K. Sullivan, asking whether either Shrubb or Duffy could be included in the learn, and in the rvent of receiving a favourable reply to ask the Victorian and New South Associations whether they would raise their guarantees to £1(50 each, in order to cover the amount lost through the defection of Queensland.

The third meeting of the Oxford and Cambridge v. Harvard and Yale athletic combinations is described by my London correspondent, who says that America won the rubber in no uncertain fashion. On the same ground in July, 1899, the first meeting of the rival teams ended in a victory for the Englishmen by five events to four, but at New York in September. 1901. the Americans took their revenge and beat the invaders by six to three, and now they have clinched the business by repeating the dose and bringing their total for the three meetings up to 16 wins against the English students' 11. Some fine performances were put up by members of both combinations, but the Yankees showed immense superiority in the sprint races and field events, and it was only in the races requiring stamina as well as pace that the Englishmen showed to advantage. In these affairs the Americans hadn't a ghost of a show.