CLUB SWINGING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 10

CLUB SWINGING.

PROJECTED ENDURANCE TEST,

BURROWS TO ATTACK THE RECORD AT WELLINGTON. Next Thursday morning, Mr. " Tom" Burrows, who is in "Wellington' under engagement to Messrs. Fuller and Sons, will commence an attack upon his world's record for endurance club swinging, viz., 61 hours 46min. Some interesting particulars relating to the event and to his career in the athletic world wore courteously given by Mr. Burrows to a Dominion representative last night. The champion, who was born at Ballarat, will be 40 years old next birthday. Ho is sft. 7in. in., height, and is sturdily built, his chest measurements, for instance, being as follows: normal, 40in. j oxpanded 44in. " I feel quite confident," remarked Mr. Burrows, "that I will bo successful. The attempt, I may .mention, will be made 'at the Theatre Royal, under the supervision of a committee, whose duty it will be to appoint a.'referee, .judges; time-keepers, and 'watchers,' who will keep . watch in turns. The-, clubs which I shall uso will be 23in. in length, and'both together will weigh three pounds. It may be of interest to athletes to say that in such tests I take the following kinds of food:—During the first eighteen hours, eggs, toast, beef-tea; during the reminder of the period, chickcn, jellies, sherry and egg, and fruit." In answer to a query with regard to the proposed contest between Jack Griffiths of New South Wales and himself at Adelaide in July next, Mr. Burrows said: "The contest will not, strictly speaking, be an endurance test.' We have agreed that if both keep going for sixty-two hours, tlio contest shall bo stopped, ' and the' victory awarded; to the ono who, has performed best,, in regard to time, style, variety gf movements,,- and combinations. To continue after the sixty-two hours have passed would simply be. a physical contest, and not what has been arranged, viz., an endurance trial, of ' ability. In the course of the test it is probable that I shall uso no less than 2000 different movements and combinations. ' In JJarch. last Griffiths by keeping going for 61 hours 44J minutes'beat the record, which" I had made the previous month at Broken Hill, viz., 61 hours 41 minutes. However, in April at Adelaide I beat his record with 61 hours 46 minutes." : The following details of championship contests won by Mr. Burrows will bo read with interest;— 1890.—Won . open championship of Australia for .best display of fancy .'club, swingeing in smin. ' ' .... 1890.—Drew with Joe Hickey in GraccoRoman wrestling contest ~at Melbourne. Time occupied, 31irs. 20ihin.; one spell of lOmin. No fall recorded. - 1892.—Swung 41b. clubs for 81irs. lomin. at Aldershot —first test of , the kind. ■ . , 1893. —Aldershot, 241irs..' ■:•■'■ 1896.—Egypt, ,2ohrs. / 1898. —At Dublin, performed 100 different combination swings four times each in 7min. ' 1899. —Swung a pair of sharp American axes (weighing 61b. each) at Aldershot for 2hrsl, and introducirig over 100 different combinations. : - 1901.—Created : new endurance record with 41b. clubs at, Capetown,' by continuing ; for 36hrs. j 1902.—Swung 41b. clubs for. 12hrs. on six cohsccutivo days at Edinburgh/ 1903.—Defeated Professor West at Capotown in March, by swinging .41b. clubs continuously for 42hrs. In June, defeated John Scholl for Welter Weight Wrestling Championship of South Africa. < Three months later won from Louis Papcnfus, at Johannesburg, in a contest for best display,, his exhibition lasting 30hrs. In November, at Bloemfontein, swung 41b. clubs for 42hrs. 4niin., as against about 30hrs. by his op-ponent,-Charles Spinch. , ■1894 —Defeated Spinch again in January, Idoinp; forty-three hours as compared with his twenty-four hours. Created now record of 43 hours 35 min. at Montreal in October. Defeated John Murray at Toronto some weeks later, only requiring to swing'..for hours. Later in at Philadelphia, swung 41b. clubs for eight hours on twelve consecutive days. • 1905.—Created now record of 45 hours at London in January. Two months later defeated Chas. Spinch, who had becomo champion of England, by swinging for forty-seven hours as against his twenty-two ' hours. Created new record of forty-eight hours in London in April. Frank Lloyd and Burrows swung for fifty-fours hours in Johannesburg in August, but Burrows won on points. In November, at Buenos Ayres, created new record of sixty-one hours. ' 1907.—Harry Burton and Burrows Bwung 31b'. clubs for twelve hours on six consecutive days at Edinburgh in January, Burrows winning by one hundred and twenty points. Subsequently, in London, 'created'.'world's record by swinging 31b; clubs for 61 hours 35min. In September, at Capetown, broke 31b. club record by going for 61 hours 35min. 1908.—At Sydniy in January swung 31b. clubs for 61 hours 37min. In February,' at Melbourne, did G1 hours 30min. At Broken Hill in March went for- 61 hours 41min. This month, at Adelaide, created present record of 61 hours 46min. I