ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1366, 17 February 1912, Page 18

ATHLETICS.

[ET "Mekcdet."] WILL WE LOSE THE SHIELD? February 17.—r«tono Junior A.A. Club. A ('tern 3011 sports meeting, Pet-one. February 21.—Karori A.A. Club, evening meeting. February 21.—Hawke's Bay Caledonian Sports, Napier. February 21—New Zealand Championship . fleeting, Invercargill. February 2S.—Manawatu A.A. Club's sports meeting, l'almorston North. March 2.—Karori Club's Carnival, Karori Park. March IG.—Challenge Competition, Athletic Football Sports Club and Victoria College A.A. Club; lvelburne Park. March 23.—Victoria College A.A. Club Sports, Kclburno Park. Our Gallant Defenders. To-night there Bails for the front the little—all too littlo —band of Wellington athletes who are to figure at InveTcargill on Wednesday next as the defenders of the championship shield on behalf of the local centre. Tho personnel of the team, and the events in which tho meu are engaged are:— 11. Kerr, Walks (one and three-mile). L. It. M' Ivav, p 0 le Vault, Shut-put, and Hop, Step, and Jump. V. Byrne, Half-mile. M. P. Pool, Sprints. A. Bisset, Hammer and Shot. D. Cashman," Walks. J. W. WiltoD, 440 Yards Flat. C. Pugh, One and Three-mile Rune. Not up to Centre's Strength. The team is not up to the centre's full j strength. The most important absentee is W. G. Harding, of Napier—a sure winner in the half-mile had he started—who was not available for selection. Then A. Evenson, who was in the original selection, was unable to make the trip, while A. T. Duncan, who won the 100 yards provincial championship on Saturday, was also compelled to forego the journey. The loss of Harding in the quarter mid half-mile is serious, although he has a capable understudy in Byrne, so far as tho latter distance is concerned. R. ll'Kenzie, of Mastertou, was selected in Evcuson's place, but, despite the tact that his non-inclusion in the first' choice caused much dissatisfaction in the Wairarapa—in fact a subscription was actually under weigh to send him privately—lie found that lie could not get away, and "Jimmy" Wilton has now been chosen fill this gap.' This is another blow to Wellington's hopes. M'Kenzie was to have started in the 410 hurdles, and the hop, step, and jump, in both of which events (and especially the latter) he was very likely to score points.- Wilton is a one-distance runner only, and, good quarter-miler as he undoubtedly is,' tho opposition which he will encounter in Opie, of Canterbury, and Dormor, of Auckland, make his scoring chances extremely problematical. Cecil Pugli, mile and three-mile representative, was also not in tho first choice, but, fortunately, his club and friends have risen to the occasion, and have rctlle centre of any financial responsibility, so that ho is getting the trip ho desires so well after nil. Pugh is a sound runner at his distances, but, like U'l ton, owed'his non-selection to the brilliance oi his likely opponents-G. N. tuli, of Aucklaud, and Miles' Dickson, of Canterbury, Australasian champions both.

Like Wordsworth's Poem—"We are Seven."

In personnel, the team is not «t all ft bad on& —it is in the smallness of its numbers that its weakness is due. This compactness is duo not from choice, but owing to a circumstance over which the centre "has no control," namely, dire' necessity. The trip to Invcrcargill is on expensive proposition—far too much so to allow of the dispatch of auy but sure point scorers (and not a groat number of them), and there! ore men have perforco been left behind whom one would have liked to have teen included.

"Mercury" understands that the selectors picked ten men for the trip, and chose them on their proliabio points value. Thus, Kerr was chosen first as being worth ten points (first in both walks), M'Kay next as a certain seven, and a likely ten points (first in tho pole vault and a sure plaeo in the hop, step, and jump), and so on. It was found, however, that finances would allow of tho dispatch of seven men only, so the last three in order were reluctantly dropped. Hence tho present regrettable "We are seven" stato of things. Is It a Forlorn Hope? So much for the team. Now for its chances. These may, perhaps, be easiest arrived at by first disposing of the actual championships, in anticipation of course. Thus the probable winners are:— 108 yards—Opio (Canterbury). 220' yards—Opio (Canterbury). 410 yards—Opie (Canterbury). BSO yards—Either Byrne (Wellington) or Dormor (Auckland).

One and threo mile runs—Hill (Auckland).

Ono and throe mile walks—Kerr (Wellington). i

120 and 440 yards hurdles—Keddsll (Southland).

Putting shot—Read (Southland) or De Thier (Canterbury).

Throwing hammer—M'Holme (Canterbury). Pole vault—M'Kay (Wellington). Hop, step, and jump—M'Kay (Welling- j ton). Broad jump—Keddell (Southland). High jump—Mitchell (Otago). The Provinces which are In It. This seems to leaye the issue between Canterbury and Wellington; each with four likely firsts and a probable. It will thus be seen, that the allocation of the shield will, in all probability, bo decided upon second places. Going further, we find that Canterbury lias excellent second place chances in' the shot put with Do Thier, in the pole vault with Hatstonc, in the one and three mile runs with Milts Dickson (who is reported to have recently run a mile in imin. 32sce.), in the two hurdles and hop, step, and jump with* Cook, and the high and broad jumps with Robinson.' Wellington's second place prospects are Cashman in the two walks, Bisset in the hammer throwing, Byrne in .the 1 halfmile, and perhaps Wilton in the "quarter." 1 Thifl disposes of all the second place®, except in the three sprint events, and this is where Pool may come in. If he can score seconds in these two distances it may turn the tide in Wellington's favour, if not . Canterbury has no second strings in these events, but her heavy prenondcrauce in the field events more than compensates for this. Thus if these prognostications are anyway near the mark, the shield contest will bo a battle royal between the Canterbury and Wellington Centres, with the odds on tire former on account of her superior weight of numbers. This calculation is of course based upon the supposition -that Canterbury can get her published team away.

A bis; factor in Wellington's chances is Ponnor. of Auckland, of whom mere anon. If he proves to be as good as he is rcnorted to be, lie may create a hisr surprise in the "quarter," and he may <;et a Record in the mile, while, if bp ic n"t. tl>en Bvrue may win the "half," all of which would materially assist the local team.

Canterbury and Auckland Chatter,

The "Weekly Press" reports that some of the Canterbury representatives were

"tried out" last week. Cook, the "fencer," registered a good run in the quarter hurdles, covering the distance in (id 1-ospc.—equal to lCeddell's best to dale. The other performances were_ but mcdiocre. liatstone' and Harvey tying in the pole wiult at Off. "in., and none of the competitors reaching Hlft. ill the hop, step, and jump, although Cook got a second in this competition at the last Xew Zealand championships with lift. 3in. (!. X. Hill and Dormer, the Auckland representatives, went south early in the week. The champion distance runner did a little work on Jvelbnrne Park on his way through and reported himself in "tip-lop" condition. He told "Mercury" thai lm va* timed to run n properly measured "Half" rtcentlv in linik 59 3-5

sec., which, if the clocking was right, speaks for itself. Hill spoke in flowing terms of his team mule's capabilities anil tips hi in lo break alsec. for the "quarter" and Siiiin. for the "half-mile," if the track is in anything like good condition in Invercargill. This is a big order indeed for so young a runner, and the prediction strikes one as being unduly optimistic. Htill it may come off, ami if it does Opie will have to run to retain his 4-lO.yds. title—and also to be in better condition than lie wis at the Australasian meeting at Christmas time. Last Saturday's Succcss, Unfortunately the length of the above review of the championship team, and its prospects, has precluded anything more, than the merest of passing references to last Saturday's provincial championship meeting. Tlii.s is a pitv, because the gathering was an excellent one in every way. The management was good, the standard of performance sound, and the fields, for a championship meeting, exceptionally large. Incentive of M'Villy Shield. This happy order of things was in no small measure due to the incentive to competition afforded by the strugglo for the M'Villy Shield, and the worthy president of our centre is to be heartily thanked for the service which ho has done looal athletics l)y the happy thought that inspired liis gil't. Only Blot'on the Day. The only blot on the sucoesa of the afternoon was the comparative smallness of the "gate," which although big enough to finance the meeting and leave a small credit balance, was not sufficiently large to provide the funds for the expenses of the championship team. However, there is consolation to be found in the fact that this was not due to lack of interest on the part of our public, but to the clash with the swimming sports. The sport-loving section of our community is r.ot big enough yet to support the two summer pastimes at the same time, and it would be of mutual benefit if tho two executives could so arrange, in future to avoid a similar clash. With these few remarks, "Mercury must leave Saturday's meeting, although room can be found for congratulations to tho new champions, to the W.A.A.C. oil its popular shield victory, and to the Wairarapa A.A.C. on the good performance of its large contingent. At Petone To-day. This afternoon the Wellington championship representatives will be afforded n last chance of showing their form lrei'ore the convincing day in Invercargill. Together with most of our local runners, and field event men, they will be engaged at the Petone Junior Club's meeting. Harrv Kerr arrived in town on Thursday, and will start in the walking events, anil, as Cashman is in excellent form at present, something sensational in times is expected. It is somewhat rogretfeililo that this fixture lias clashed with the local Rowing Association's regatta, as, should the wind bo northerly, tho aquatic event will be held off the foreshore, and, if so, the attendance at the sports meeting—uever as good as it should be in Petone—is sure to suffer. Karori Club's First "Annual."

The Karori A.A.C. lias issued Hie programme for its first annual sports meeting oii the local Recreation Ground on March 2. The bill of fare is largo and varied, and contains all the elements cf a good afternoon's sport. Entries close 011 Saturday, February 1 24, at the usual points in the city, or with Mr. J. _B. Jordan, the honorary secretary, at. Karori.

What's O'clock in Melbourne? The Victoria A.A.A. championships arc set down for February,2i at the St. Kilda Cricket Ground, Melbourne. It will be interesting to see how our recent visitors faro on their native heath, and also to comparo the performances registered with those set up at our own premiership meeting two days previously. Comparisons are not always odioiis. Apropos of tlio Victorians, Murray, tlio walker from "that State, who made such ' a good impression here at Christmas time from the excellence of his style, and wlio was awarded the special trophy for correctness of gait, is reported to have covered a mile in Melbourne recently in Gmin. 40sec., said to bo the fastest put up in Victoria since the introduction of the Australasian code. Natalian and Queenslander. Tt is reported that • Arthur Postlo, of Queensland, and "Reg." Walker, of Natal, tlio Olympic 100 yds. winner, will meet in a match in Natal at Easter time.