BOXING. Swimming.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 80, 1 October 1910, Page 14

BOXING.

Swim mi ng.

AUSTRALIAN PUGILISTS. The following items are taken from the Sydney Sun's messages by independent cable service :—: — Australian pugilists are the subject of some interesting remarks by a San Francisco sporting writer. "Bill Lang," says this authority, "brings back memories of the old-time Australian heavyweights who came to this country, and impresses us Avith the fact that the land of the kangaroo is not developing high-class ring men. At present it is certainly not sending forth any world-beaters. "The questions is often asked, Which of all the Australian heavies did the best work in the United States ? "The palm beyond doubt must be awarded to Bob Fitzsimmons, but at the same time it is well to remember • that he had more opportunities of showing his worth than any of the others." JOHNSON AND LANGFORD. Jack Johnson and Sam Langford met in Boston on the 22nd September, to sign articles for the heavyweight championship of the world. 'Johnson is insisting upon Langford posting £4000 as a forfeit. . There was much talk, but little money was in sight. Langford accused Johnson of trying to avoid a fight, and the champion hotly denied the charge. A lively exchange followed, and at one stage it looked as if the proceedings would end in a very sensational manner. LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. A Milwaukee message says that the only condition on which Abe Attell is willing to meet Ad. Wolgast for the lightweight championship is an equal division of the puree.

(By " Header.*') Well, the southerlies have about blown themselves out for the time being, and the good old northerlies, accompanied by clouds of dust, are upon us once again. The water is alluring, though slightly chilly. It seems only yesterday shice the ideal exercise gave way to the more strenuous winter games, and, in the words of the peripatetic showman, "Here we are- again !" We shall soon be thinking seriously of tho cliampionships, and this year it will have to be serious thinking indeed— that is, if the events are given to Wellington, as they most assuredly should be. Anyway, local officials are quite confident that the Christchurch gentlemem will not overlook Wellington again. There will be serious trouble if they do ! The Thotrndon Club's report was the first to come to light; but these was really Jiothing in it worth mentioning except -a credit balance of £24 8s 7d. Last year the club carried forward the sum of £27 lls lid; therefore the credit balance has decreased by £3 3s 4d. Tho remainder of the report was in the stereotyped form. The annual meeting of the club is .fixed for next week, and it is to be hoped there will be a good muster. It is seldom that any interest is taken in an annual meeting of any athletic body, but those who fail to attend such meet- • ings prove that they have not the interests of their clubs at heart. For instance, you will heaa- members growling all the year round that something is wrong with tlie management, but they will not roll up in force and endeavour to elect men to their liking. Therefore what can they expect? There is one outstanding matter which members of the Thorndon Club would do well to discuss, and that is encouraging the young swimmer and the secondrater—the person who cannot do the "50" in anything less thaai 40sec. 1 his class of swimmer has been sadly :i3gleeted in the past. There i 3 room for a change, aaid no time like the present. If the Thorndon Club does not "wake up it will lose all the "small fry" to Te Aro clubs, particularly Wellington, which are making a big bid" for them. During last year the Wellington 'Olub made matters very attractive to the class of swimmer referred to, and there is no reason why the Thorndon Club should not do the same. It. has the material. Something wrong elsewhere? The Wellington Club holds its meeting, on Tuesday next, when it is understood that Dr. Chappie, M.P., will preside. The above remarks regarding attendance apply equally well here. The Wellington Club has a very big membership, and, should have a correspondingly large meeting. This week the proficiency certificates earned by local boys and girls last season have been distributed by the New Zealand Association. During the winter much interest has been taken here in the performances of "Bogie" Beaurepaire at Home and on \ the Continent. What he has accom- ' plished (he has won all the championship events except the long distance, in which ho did not compete), stamps him as being the greatest living swimmer, and this statement is borne out by the remarks of experts in the London Sportsman. In the short space of about six weeks he has won six English championships, created two new English records, and about half-a-dozen Continental ones. By winning all the championship events he has done what no other swimmer has yet accomplished. W. R. Iller (in 1880) and Nuttall (in 1887) took all but two events. The following gives the results of all this year's English championships, together with the times registered :—: — -» 100 yds (Bth August). —Beaurepaire 1, Derbyshire 2, Radmilovic 3; time, 59 4-ssec. 220 yds (22nd September). —Beaurepaire 1, Battersby 2, Lastorres 3; time, 3min lOsec. 440 yds (16th July).—Beaurepaire 1, Battersby 2, Spiers 3; time. smin 3-5 see. 550 yds (19th September).—Beauropaire 1, Battersby 2, Hathfield 3; time, omin 21 2-ssee. 880 yds (2nd August). —Beaurepaire 1 Battersby 2, Taylor 3; time, 24min 39 4-ssec. 1760 yds (9th July).—Beaurepaire 1, Battersby 2, Taylor 3; time, 24min 32 2-ssec. Long Distance (23rd July). —Battersby 1, Taylor 2, Umvin 3; time, 63min 12 2-ssec. i English amateur swimmers are complaining that, under existing conditions, visitors like Beaurepaire are almost certain to beat the local men and annex the championships. The reason given is that the visitor comes to swim and swim only. For the time being, that is his business, and when he is not swimming he is training. They suggest that, to equalise things, the swimmers who are to defend the local championships should be taken care of and kept by the Swimming Association for some months beforehand. They argue that a man who has to look after his business and swim in his off-time cannot be a match for the swimmer who has been relieved of all business cares, and is free to devote all his time and energy to the task of becoming a champion. And there is a \nighty lot in it, comments the sporting scribe in the Bulletin. But the swimming people are not likely to adopt.the suggestion, all the same. It would be •regarded as "veiled professionalism." A little time back was published a brief cablegram to the effect that J. Wolffe was unsuccessful in his attempt to swim across that troublesome Channel. From reports to hand, it appears that the effort was a very fine'one, and was abandoned seven miles off the English coafct, after eleven hours' swimming, during which over twenty miles had been covered, swim and drift. When the&wim was htarted at 7.46 in the morning from the shore at Sangatte the conditions were favourable, and a- haze over the Channel gave promise of calm weather diu-ing the- day. There was a large party of swimmers and friends on the acccompanying tug Champion. The swim was made under excellent conditions for the first four hours-, after which a fresh easterly breeze sprang up. Against the flood tide this made a nasty broken sea, and materially lessened the swimmer's chances of succeeding. Wolffe, however, continued to make good progress, and was abreast of the Varne Buoy, seven miles off Dover Admiralty Pier, just before 7 o'clock. The conditions had become ao bad, however, that there was no prospect of success, and Wolffe left the water at three minutes to 7, returning to Calais on the tug. Mearns, the Scottish long-distance swimmer, also made an unsuccessful attempt to solve the problem. When lie made a start from the South Foreland at 3.45 in the morning of 6th August, the sea was calm, with an overcast sky, and the temperature warm. Swimming strongly, he made excellent progress, the driftage being little more than is frequently the-oase -on the neap tides. Mearns was in splendid form, and his position after seven hours' swimming was very promising, about ten miles' progress having been made. Unfortunately, a heavy squall, which had been threatening for a long time, broke over tho Channel about 11 o'clock. The strong wind caused a heavy, broken sea, whilst the rain' came down in torrents, and made matters very unpleasant for those in the accompanying boat. Mearns expressed the hope that the bad -u-earher might only be temporary, and plugged away maniully at his big tass, Fir an-

other two hours he swam strongly, although at times he was lost to view '\i the seas and the dense curtain of uin which continued to fall. So bad had the conditions become that those in charge of the swim strongly advised Mearns to abandon the. effort. He wished to continue, but after persuasion he entered the boat at 1 o'jclock, having in the nine hours and a quarter owumaln'Nt twelve miles across the Channel, and covered a total, including driftage, of about sixteen miles. He was not at all exhausted. Mearns will not try again this year, and is returning home to Aberdeen. The 100 yds Ladies' National Swimming Championship took place at Wes-ton-super-Mare (England), for which race there were nine contestants. The first heat was won by Miss Irene Steer, of bardifi. Miss Jennie Fletcher, 01 Leicester (the holder), being close up, second. The next heat was very close Miss J. Spiers, of Liverpool, being firs*, and Miss D. Mackay, Glasgow, second. In the final excellent form was shown by Miss Steer (Cardiff) and Miss Fletcher. The former soon took the lead, and easily maintained it to the finish amid the cheers of her many Cardiff friends present. The time, lmin 1"? 3-5 sec, equals Miss Fletcher" .5 En^li!=h ucord. Miss Fletcher, who is not in the best of health, and who had not struck form, was a plucky second. The Junior Ladies' Championship was won by a Miss Snelgrove. Excellent progress is being made with the International Federation, which it is hoped will in the course of time control the whole of the world's swimming. The object in view is to bring within tho union the whole of the governing bodies of the sport, and already the federation includes Australia, Canada, Great Britain, the United States, and most of the European countries. At the meeting which was to be held at Brussels on 11th September it was hoped to pass several world's lecords, and other important recommendations. The principal items in the agenda were minutes of the meeting held in Paris in 1909, election of honorary secretary and treasurer, honorary secretary's report, schedule of world's records, fancy diving conditions drawn up by Germany and high diving conditions drawn up by Sweden. For racing purposes England was to have proposed that swimming across or obstructing another competitor shall disqualify the offender, and should the foul be intentional the judges must report the matter to the association promoting the race and to the association of the swimmer so offending. Should a foul endanger the chauce of success of a competitor the judges shall have power to allow him to compete in the next round, or- should the foul occur in* a final they may order it to be re-swum. When turning, swimmers must touch the end of the bath or course with one or both hands. Standing on the bottom during a race shall not disqualify a competitor, but he must not walk. A competitor "swimming ov«r" must cover the whole distan.se to qualify as the winner.