An Athlete and His Trainer.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 36, 11 August 1887, Page 2

An Athlete and His Trainer.

An interesting oase to those who take part in athletic sports was hoard in the Magistrate's Court to-day. John Lodge claimed £8 from William Smith, the winner of the Jubilee Handioap at the Friendly Sooieties* Carnival, for services rendered in training him for the event. The plaintiff swore that an arrange* ment was made between him and Smith that the latter should pay him for the training at the rate of .£1 per week, and that in accordance with the terras he attended tho competitor every fine evening at the Basil* Reserve, but that as he had another en* gagomont on Jubilee Day it was agreed that he should send another man to the raoeoourse. In cross-examination, the plaintiff said he had reoeived £1 a week from other people whom he had trained, but admitted that it had not been in regular fees but partly by taking a proportion of moneys won. James Black deposed that he was sent by plaintiff to attend Smith on the racecourse, and saw the latter a quarter of an hour before the raoe was run, but another man had then been engaged. For the defence Smith denied that ne had made any agreement to pay his trainer. Ho «uti they had been on friendly terms for three or four years, and mooting Lodge in, the street he merely asked him to, come Uy the training ground and rub him. clown, nftor his run. This he agreed to flo, a.s a matte? of friendship, and did on ievera.l oooasions. On the day of the raco Bfook did not appear until the second hea,t had been run, and; witness had already scoured another attendant, whom he paid 10s for the day. A competitor usually paid his trainer what he liked in case he won, and If he loßt the trainer got nothing. Lodge did not spurt with witness in his trial runs. "He did not give any instructions, and witness would not ha.vo takeja any from him, as he know as much as he (Lodge) did. Lodge wa.s recalled, and swore that on several Qooasions be " spurted the plaintiff in" at the olose of his race, and at each run witness gave directions as to the distance to ba covered and tho paoe. Mr. Wardell gava judgment for plaintiff for Jsl, with £1 7a costs. SJr. Levi appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. Skerrett for defendant.