CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 211, 4 September 1915, Page 16

CYCLING.

There is an absolute boom in cycle racing in the United States. It seems to be as popular there as it was in England twenty-five years ago, and in Australia sixteen years back. Illustrations of a recent meeting held at Newark depict packed stands and grounds, reminiscent oi the Melbourne Cricket on "Austral Day" back in the "nineties." j July 11 at the Newark (U.S.A.), Velo- j drome, was a field day ior Australian j rider?. They won every race on the pro-; gramme, and Goullett and McNamara divided the honours of the day with | two wins each. Five races in all -went, to the Australians. Goullett won the j I one mile national championship, defeat ing Grenda. Kramer, and Spears in that order. This win placed Goullett threepoints ahead of Kramer for the American championship. Grenda. who nnised second, was disqualified for switching, and second place was given to Kramer. : Goullett defeated McDougall in straight heats of a sprint match. R. J. McXamara triumphed over Joe Fogler in the Brassard race, making the seventh victim for the Australian. McXamara I also won the three mi'es scratch race. I after a hard fight with Oscar Egg and , Bedell. Among those defeated were; Kramer, Goullett. and Grenda. Larry Corbett wound up a good day for tha j Australians by winning the third heat j of a mile handicap from 60yds. By finishing fim and second in the j ba'.f-mile national championship of I America, on July 7. Alf. Goullett and j Alf. Orenda. the' Australians, took the j lead from champion Frank Kramer, in I the contest for the American champion- j ship. The Australians then had 20 | points to their credit, and Kramer was j one point behind. Aγ. error of judgment i in permit Jins Grenda to get away at the , bell, cau =ed Kramer's d»feat. Goullett j nipped Grenda a: the tape. The same; day Gouilett estabiiehed a world's re- j cord in the five miles scratch race, tak- j ;njr 11 4-5s off the previous "nest of 9m j 42 4-ss. Oscar Egg was second, and, MoNamara third. i R. J. McNan:ara scored an unpopular j victory over Oscar Egg. the Swiss i chamnion at Newark ft'.S.AJ on July I 7. The pair met in a match race at I on» mile. MrNamara won. The Aus- I tralian ian Ei? off the track in the de I ciding heat, but the referee took no action. On July 5. at Newark. Robert Spears. | the Australian, with a start of 20 J yards, won the half-mile handicap. ATHLETICS. The sports- section of the PanamaPacific Exposition of San Francisco has ?o far proved a failure, and on the polo and go'.f tournament it is reported there has been a loss of £S4OO. According to English files. Jack Donaldson, the ex-worU's champion sprinter, recently made his debut in England 'as a trotting jockey, piloting his mount into second place in a race at Audenshaw, Manchester. j A matter in connection with amateur athletics that has received a great deal !of attention from time to time has been , the rule relating to the wearing of 1 knickers. Last year the rule was responsible for a threatened strike of jin Victoria, and some unpleasantness j was experienced once or twice in this j State. The ru!* complained of is that i I which makes it obligatory to wear j knickers reaching to within two inches lof the knee. This runners consider unfair, as it ie claimed that the freedom of action is impeded. Victoria has now asked for a mail vote to be taken, and each State and New Zealand will have to arrive at a definite understanding on the matter. Sydney will more than likely favour the shortening of the knickers. a£ opinions in that direction have often been voiced. BOWLING. One of the games that has been least affected in England by the war is bowls. It is one of the most ancient games, being indulged in as far ba-ck as the thirteenth century by people of all ranks, including several of our monarche. So popular did the game become that "the j meaner sort of people* , flocked to tne I greens, where drinking, gambling, and i swindling were indulged in. and frequent j disturbances followed, with the result' that laws were passed in 1477, in 1511. i and later, forbidding the game to be' played. It is remarkable to- think that this prohibitive legislation was in existence as late as ISIS, when an Act was passed repealing it. CRICKET. An amusing little Incident happened at the start of a cricket match in Ensland recent'.y. as, when Douglas, the famous English cricketer, commenced i>ow! ing. the scorers shouted out for the bowler's name! Not a very good compliment to the famous, old Felstedian, who naturally got plenty of chaff frcni the rest of the side. Possibly it was | the military moustache which "disguised j him! (says an English writer). In a match in England recently the ' M.C.C. beat Cheltenham College by j eleven wickets (twelve a side were j plnyed). The great feature of the rnstcb was the remarkable bowling of Thomp- ' son, the Northants professional and our iate coach. After taking four wickets in the College first innings, he srot all eleven in their second for only 5S runs. He took the last three wickets with successive balls, thus performing the hr.t trick. Not only this, but he bowied one player twice, the incident happening iii this way: As Bostock was in the act of playing one of his deliveries, one of the bowling screens fell over. Bostock was bowled, but at the request of Lee, who raptained the visitors, he resumed batling, only to be bowled again br Thompson's next ball. In his annual report Mr. J. D. Durham, secretary of the Balmain and District Association, and who Iβ also chairman of the Junior Board of Control for Australasia, and delegate of the union to the N.S.YV'. Cricket Association, state*:— "Naturally the prospects for next eea-s-on. owing to the war. are not too br>ht The prevailing Cry at present is 'Should sport continue whilst we are in the midst of a life and death struggle?" Whilst it is without question the botinden duty of every eligible person to join the colours and assist in the great etruargle for liberty, there must perforce be" many who for various reasons, are unable to respond to the call, and they certainly should have the opportunity (if they wish) of Indulging in their usual recreation, be it cricket, tennis, surf bathing or any similar sport which affords healthy exercise for the body and mind Therefore, I do think that some form of competition (possibly in a modified form)/ should be conducted as far as the exist ing circumstances will permit. If we unable to conduct our competition on/c----count of the majority of players endisted then the honour is surely <Jrs."