On the Trade

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 133, 2 December 1922, Page 16

On the Trade

THE AMERICANS' TOUR

HURDLING AND FIELD SPORTS

LOCAL SCHEME FOR COACHING.

COMING EVENTS.

December *—Evening Meeting, ■Wellington

Club. December C—Primary Schools' Championships. B»3in Reserve. December 9—Wellington Centre Meeting, Basin Reserve. December 11—Evening Sleeting, Athletic F.B. Club. December IS—Evening Meeting, Caledonian Society. ' > | December 26 and 27—Caledonian Sports Catherinj. j December 26—Sports at Mangatalnoka. I December SO—American team arrives In Wellington. .January I—Meeting at Baraparaumu. , January I—Meeting at Masterton. ' Jannary 2—Mauriceville Sports. 'January 6—Americans compete at Wellington. ■ January IS—Athletic F.S. Club, Athletic Park. ■January 22—Meeting at Levin. January 22—Meeting at Masterton. ■ January 22—Meeting at Wanganui.

(By " Spbinte:*.")

The news that Krogness is to be the third man in the American team to tour the Dominion Trill be welcomed, particularly as that distinguished hurdler ■will find someone of his own class yn this country. It is reported that i Krogness registered 15 l-ssec for the <120 yards hurdles at Hava-rd, and that, together with the fact that he ran second to Earl Thompson in the American championships last year, gives promise of great contests'baiween the American ■ and H. E. Wilson, New Zealand's champion. Hurdling, as a specially attractive feature' of sports gatherings here, came ■■ into .great favour when H. E. Wilson brought the new style from the InterAlbed Games and improved upon it after competing at the Olympic. Games. .It was a rare treat to see Wiison "flying over the sticks," and to see him in company with one of America's best should be the best ever as far as hurdling in New Zealand is concerned. It is good to know that both Merchant and Krogness hold high credentials for field sports, as jumping, shot-putting, javelin throwing, etc., form a branch of amateur athletics that is in need of much development in this country. Merchant is also a good sprinter, and was a member of the American champion relay team in 1920, as well as being a sprint representative at the Olympic Games. Paddock" will, of course, be the great attraction. He_ is unquestionably the greatest -sprinter of aJI history, and it is unlikely that the ancient Greeks at their Olympic Games, under conditions which differed greatly from the modern, could have produced a man to equal Paddock's speed over a short distance. In Paddock's appearance here New Zealand has something really great t^ look forward to. The New Zealand council peed have no doubt about the success of its notable venture. '

Part of the success of the American tour will be in the knowledge that will be imparted into the sport in New Zealand from a study of the Americans and their methods. An. excellent medium by which the best results may be realised by local athletes has just become apparent in the shape of a scheme for training and coaching under the guidance of men well versed. in the requirements for the making of a good athlete. Through the efforts of Mr. S. Hall, those men will be in attendance at the: weekly evening meetings for the purpose of giving instrnction to athletes, and of answering questions relating to the sport. A start will he made on Monday evening when Mr. Len M'Kay will give instruction in the branches of athletics with which he is most acquainted—field events. Messrs. P. Munro (shot putting champion), H. E. Wilson (hurdles champion and sprinter), T. W. Leslie, and ( Heenan, eenr., are others who have consented to support the scheme in a similar manner. It is a move that will do a tremendous amount of good, and later on, when in proper working order, it will be extended to the schools on the lines at present being carried out by Mr. "Dorrie" Leslie. It is intended that through those men the lessons of the Americans tour will be passed on to the local athletes, athletes.

It is expected that the American athletic team (C. J. Paddock, Merchant, and C. G-. Krogness) will arrive in Wellington on the 30tb December by the Maunganui from San Francisco, and •will compete at a sports, meeting liere oa the 6th January. LOCAL ATHLETES BUSY. The Wellington College Old Boys' Club •is to be congratulated upon the splendid result of its first experience of controlling a sports gathering, the evening meeting at the Basin Beserve this week being another step forward in the notable march of progress of amateur athletics. Th» club is composed of a 'very keen band of officials, and athletes. The former were right up to the mark with the preliminary arrangements, and it was particularly pleasing to observe that the successful competitors did not have to wait long for their trophies.—Secretary Keegan was on the ground with a bundle of orders ready for the first and second place-getters as soon as each event was decided. One of the active workmen was Walter Barclay, the well-known cricketer, who is an official of the club and a fairly good sprinter. Officials of the local centre and other enthusiasts were again assisting in the control of the events.

Among the old boys who competed were M. Leadbetter, F. Jones, S. Bedell, and B. M. F., Kelly. The first-named is on the improve, and should be prominent right through the season. From the scratch mark he won the 75 yards club race in 8 3-ssec.

L. A. Tracy, the provincial and University champion, is finding the furlong more ..to his liking than the shorter sprint. Mr. A. C. Kitto,- the handicapper, gave him an opportunity of doing his best in the 100 yards handicap at this week's evening meeting by putting him back to scratch, but the 'Varsity man, could not do 10 3-Ssec. He finished behind the first and second men in his heat, and almost on level terms with Poutawera, to whom he was conceding fij yards. The heat was vron by C. N. Louis (7 yards), who has every appearance of becoming a sprinter of merit, and F. 3. Hill, off the same mark, filled second place.

It is unfortunate that H. E. Wilson is at the present time unavoidably prevented from competing at evening meetings. HeVlfc reported to be. in.good form, but his.' appearance in events is necessary in order to obtain an indication of his capabilities this season. He may prove to be the best man that can be put up against Paddock. A repetition of his sensational performance in the relay race at. Christchurch last season would leave no doubt about the matter as far as the furloug is concerned. No doubt he will b» seen ou Saturday next. D. 1 Paris showed a fine turn of speed in the 100 yds handicap this week, and with just a little more coaching he will be registering excellent times. From the 3yds'mark he won his heat, giving M. Leadbettei-; ' tiwp yards Mid a ■beating, and in the fr»l be -bad% great tussle with- H. G. Whitehead (44yds). The latter was also in good form, and tin-

ished strongly enough" to win by hushes from Paris. . t Guy, Sinclair, Jeffery, Underbill, Tunnmgton, Elliott, and Selman are likely to be prominent in handicap sprints during the season. All did well at this week's meeting. B. Barker's overdue place among the prize-winners came on Monday, when he made the most of 25yds handicap ia the 440 yds event, but was just beaten on the tape for first place. With half the distance covered his chances of a place seemed hopeless, but he gamely held the lead until he found Louis's challenge in the straight just a trifle too strong. Apart from Barker, the most noticeable of the quarter-milers was N. Smellie, concerning whom a reference was made last week about his performance over 440 yds in a recent relay race. That had evidently been noted by the handicapper, as he placed Smellie near the back-markers on Monday.

A liberal handicap enabled L. G. G. Ward to fill the main place in the t'.ro-mile event. He ran well throughout. Tile best of the seventeen distance men who competed was M'Kinlay, who finished third, but Bowler, rhowing improved form with each race, put on a pace that was too good for the backmarker over' the- last part of the journey. Barclay, with the same handicap as M'Kinlay, finished fifth, just behiud Ayre, who started from 220 yds. Increasing interest in field sports was indicated by ten competitors for the long jump. The performances, however, were poor. P. G. Thomson was off colour, making two "no jumps," and covering only 18ft 2iin in the other effort. The ladies are progressing well with their training for the events next Saturday. They have not yet taken to the spiked shoes, but without them they can sprint in a manner that will surprise the spectators next Saturday. DOINGS IN DUNEDIN. - One of the best methods of increasing interest among the competitors themselves ie the holding of evening meetings (writes " Amateur " in the -" Otago Paily Times"). There. is a nominal entry fee of Is 6d for each of four events ■ —the 100, the mile, broad jump, and mile relay—entries to be handed in at the Sports Depot on Saturday morning, or to be lodged with the secretary. The fact that there are good trophies should be one of the least important factors in securing full support, for evening meetings provide a runnerj with some of his happiest hours on the "track. Such was the experience of the University Club recently, when a number of events were decided. In the javelin throwing, about half a dozen contestants reached tha hundred feet mark, while in the high jump G. Kingston appeared, in a new role, clearing sft 2in with J. H. B. Hall. In the hammer event, J. Gray did his best performance in competition, throwing 111 ft Bin to Kingston's 105 ft.. M'Miken won the hurdles in good style, and Forbes again proved too good in the half-mile. In the 220, Brownlee, M'Miken, and Deaker finished in close order, and in the relay Dickson's effort helped to secure victory for the thirdyear meds. The Caledonial Society held a sports meeting last Saturday, and an evening meeting was conducted by the Pacific Club on Wednesday.' AUSTRALIAN SPECIALISTS. One is struck with' the need for specialisation on the athletic field. Too many, competitions in Australia essay all branches of running and field games (writes "Marathon" in the "Sydney Sun"). The championships of the South Sydney and East Sydney clubs prove conclusively that the man who pays strict attention to training for one event, or series of events, such as sprints, middle distance, hurdles, or field games, only, is the one who is ultimately successful. America, the home of the highly trained j specialist, has shown time and tinle again how necessary it is for the' athlete to attach himself to one branch of the sport. In the South Sydney Club we find a. number of men content to follow closely their particular sphere. Take, for instance, hurdle-racing. _E. H. Scott specialises, an*d his victory in both 120 yards and 440 yards events is ample repayment. Then, again, there is that very promising young middle-distance runner, K. Rowling, who won the "WO yards and 880 yards titles of his club. It E. White, three times winner of the 100 yards championship, is a sprinter through and through. Good as he is, one would prefer to see him cut out races beyond 220 yards—he ia hardly bnilt right for a brilliant quarter-miler. Frank Guider, always -reckoned too heavy for a distance runner, surprised the critics again when he won the three miles championship of South Sydney in the great time, for the track, of 15.41 1-5, defeating cross-country champion Mackenzie. Guider had previously won the one mile title of his club. A. W. Winter, no doubt the greatest all-round athlete in Australasia, had to content himself with two wins, in the high jump and hop, step, and jump. He competed in no fewer than eight championships, and was out of a place only- once. No one but an all-rounder of the calibre of Winter could do all this—a lesson, is it not, to the ordinary athlete to pay attention to one branch only?

In the East Sydney Club we notice a similar state of things, with the compass pointing to the man wh"o specialises. Even setting aside E. W. Carr—holder of the- Australasian 100 and 220 titles, who eaflily annexed these events at his club's, championships—we find the javelin event in the hands of A. L. Harwood, whose keenness for this section has led J him to own a javelin. S. J. Young, winner of the, 120 hurdles, high jump, and hop, step, and jump, is a well-known exponent of field. athletics. To win both tho 440 yards and one mile championships of a club in good company was an unusual perfbrmaoice accomplished by R D. Norman; nevertheless, he will do even better to confine himself to shorter distances, say to 880 yards. In this State there are at least two athletes possessing Olympic qualifications, and if others specialise there is reason to assume that N.S.W. will be favourably represented at the Games in 1924. |.» , NOTES. W. W. Hunt, ex-Australasian sprint champion, has joined the ranks of Botany Harriers, and t will represent that club in the 'Dunn Shield competition to commence on 2nd December.

The Otago cross-country champion, Don. Lister, is having an enforced spell from the track on account of a serious injury to one of his feet, received while competing in the New Zealand crosscountry championship. :

Porrit, Hie well-known Otago athlete, who has been laid up, has now recovered sufficiently to proceed to his home in Wanganni. It is hoped that he will be well enough to meet Paddock on Cook's Gardens, and perhaps on other North Island grounds.

Championships recently decided by the East Sydney Club resulted as follow: — 220 yds, E. W. Carr, 23sec; three miles run, E. C. L. Chapman, 16mm 46 2-ssecj 440 yds hurdles, B. R. Heath, 61sec; runi.ing hop, step, and jump, S. J. Young, 43ft lliin; pole vault, G. F. Moor, 9ft 6in; and throwing the javelin, A. L. Hanvood, 135 ft. Carr, who ha-d won* the 220 yds in .decisive fashion from the improving C. Murphy, was set a hard task in the 75yds handicap, the final of ■which was won by G. Pryor from the 14i yds mark in 7 3-ssec. Anyway, Carr (ocr) and G. M. Pryor (9yds) ran a dead-heat for second place. Carr haß since done even time for the hundred.