ATHLETIC NOTES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9815, 26 August 1897, Page 2

ATHLETIC NOTES.

"Weekly Press and Referee."

[By Vaulter.l

Mr E. R. \Vebl>, who had not been.at all well, is out and about again and intends after all settling ac;ain in Christchurcb. At a meeting of the Australasian Sports Committee, held in Sydney en August 6th, the programme of entertainments for the visiting athletes was decided upon. Messrs E. S. Marks, R. Coombes and A. L. Baird were appointed as selectors of the team to represent New South Wales, and full power was given to them to arrange for representation of the colony with its full strength. After a long discus aion, the following programme of twenty - seveu events was decided upon as under : — Bicycle Handicap Races — Half Mile, boys twelve and under, P.S-A.A.A. ; One Mile, boys over twelve, P.S.A.A.A. Cyclist Union events : Half Mile, One Mile, Three Miles, Two Miles Intercolonial Invitation Scratch Race. Running handicaps : 75yds, 100 yds, 880 yds, One Mile, 880 yds School Relay Handicap Race, One Mile Inter-Club Relay Handicap Race. Championships of Australasia: 100 yds, 220yd3, 440 yds, 880 yds, One Mile, Three Mile 3, One Mile Walk, Three Miles Walk, Long Jump, Pole Jump, High Jump, Putting Weight, Throwing Hammer, 120 yds Hurdles, 440 yds Hurdles.

Advices by the last English mail are to the effect that F. E. Bacon, the ten miles champion, was again on the warpath. He had several opponents in view, and two or three matches appeared likely at any moment. Bacon's reward for beating the record of " Deerfoot" amounted to no less than £433.

A twenty-five miles walking match for £50 was decided between J. S. Mellet, of the Orange Free State and W. Griffen, of Marylebone, at the Putney Velodrome, on Juno 21st, when the former won easily, Griffen giving up after covering twenty miles three laps. Mellet has a good record in South Africa and besides holding the championship of the colony he recently beat Baker, of Australia, at the Wanderers track Johannesberg. In the match under notice Mellet covered twenty miles in 3hrs 9min 57sec and his time for twenty miles four laps, when he was allowed to retire, was 3hrs 18min 43§sec. The Darlinghurst Harriers have chosen the following as club representatives to be submitted to the council of the N.S. W.A.AA. fox , a place in the New South Wales team against the other colonies at the Australasian Championship Snorts Meeting : 100 yds and 200 yds O. A. Smith, B. H. Richards, C. M. Macpherson ; 440vds, G. C. Griffin R. Mastertou ; 880 yds,"C. Healey, G, C. Griffin ; distances, H. W. Thomas ; 120 yds hurdles, B. K. Richards ; 440 yds hurdles, B. H. Richards, R. Masterton, G. C. Griffin; long jump, R. Masterton, W. T. Macpherson ; weight and hammer, W. T Maepherson, J. A. Reid.

The Four Miles Flat Championship of Ireland was decided at Dublin on July 3rd, when there were eleven, starters and M O'Neill, of Southampton,won by 10yds from N. F. Barren of Kilkenny, who finished second and J. J. Cremen, of Cork, was third. Time, 22min 25sec.

The following are the results of the Scottish Amateur Championships decided at Glasgow on June 26th :—BBoyds—H. Welsh 1, J. Barclay 2, D. S. Harvey 3. Time, 2inin 2sec. One mile—H. Welsh 1, W. Robortson 2, G. Stevenson 3. Time, 4min 24Jsec. 440yds— J. Donaldson 1, G. C. Thomas 2, R. D. F. Paul 3. Time, 52£ sec. 100yds—F. W. Simel, H. Ban- 2, T. Gordon 3. Time, lOgsec. 220yds—F. W. Sime 1, B. Auld 2, H. Barr 3. Time 23j?sec. Four Miles Flat— J. Patterson 1, A. R. Gibb 2, W. Robertson 3. Time, 21min lOsec. Putting the Weight— J. D. McTntosh, 40ft 4in, 1. Throwing the Hammer— J. D. McTntosh, 117fl 3in, 1. 120 yds Hurdles—A. B. Timms 1, W. C. S. Taylor 2, A. A. G. Stronach 3. Time, 17£ sec. Long Jump —H. Ban , , 21 ft llin, 1. High Jump— J. B. Milne, sft 6in, 1.

Commenting on the English Championship Meeting " Philistine " i» the Athletic Neios of July sth writes :—Amateur athletics are surely" losing their attractiveness, or the representative:! of British manhood are of a, much inferior class, if one may judge the rising generation of physical.experts by those, who on Saturday came from all parts of the kingdom to compete for the championships. This decadence, bo to speak, was more apparent in those events which form the staple portion of any ordinary athletic festival. We have scores of sprinters who each week turn out and win heats if notprizes, but only ten of these speedy gentry were in the programme for the 100 yds dash, and three of the entered were absent, including the late holder, N. I). Morgan, who failed to appear to defend his position. The 120 yds Hurdle and tho Quarter-Mile were also shorn of much of their importance and interest for the same reason, though with regard to the latter event it must be said that Meredith's absence was due to the spraining of a sinew on Friday last. In other competitions which one might describe as rare, inasmuch as they are seldom included iv an ordinary programme, as for instance High Jumping, Pole Leaping, Putting the Shot, Throwing the Hammer, &c, the rivalry was keen between the fewaspirants for honours, and some good performances were witnessed, though the interest was not too intense. In fact, taking the meeting altogether, it was most disappointing, and as for the management, one cannot bestow the slightest praise upon those who were supposed to have the arrangements in hand. A good start was made at three o'clock, but as the hours wore on a sort of happy-go-lucky atmosphere pervaded the arena, and enthusiasm in the competitions began to grow small aud by degrees beautifully less until the meeting developed into a weary fair, and the last hour was almost painful by reason of the procrastinating procedure. The excellence of the methods at Northampton last year caused many to regret that the example set there had not been followed by those who were responsible for Saturday's plan of campaign. Instead of the sports finishing a few minutes before six o'clock, it was almost a quarter to seven

ere the la3fc race was run: No blame can be attributed to the lack of officials, for there were gentlemen galore within the enclosure sporting badges and medals of various degrees, and no doubt doing their best to expedite matters in a courteous kind of way, but without much success. The weather was by uo means favourable, though, fortunately, there was no rain, but there was a cheerless, cold wind blowing, and h dull, drab sky, with an occasional glimpse of a mottled canopy which seemed to threaten, if it did not perform. How much the climatic conditions had to do with the attendance may perhaps not be known, bnt it seems strange that on the model ground of the Manchester club less than tive thousand spectators should assemble to see the erea.ni of British athletes contest for the coveted title of champion. Presumably the taste of the public does not run so fiercely in the direction of amateurism as it once did, for avowed professionals can attract more people to see one race than could be drawn to Fallowfield on Saturday to witness thirteen events. Another remarkable circumstance, which could not fail to be noticed, wa3 the indifference shown by the majority of the holders of the championahips gained last year to turn out to defend their titles. Possibly these men, having attained the height of their ambition, are satisfied to rest on the laurels gained.