THE PATRIOTIC SPORTS.

Evening Star, Issue 11133, 8 January 1900, Page 1

THE PATRIOTIC SPORTS.

♦ As staled in Saturday's issue, the Patriotic Sports meeting held on the Caledonian Ground was a most successful gathering- in, every sense of the void, thanks to the great amount of energetic and useful work so ably performed by Mr YV..A. Shields. Secretaries Low and Bell, and the others, all of whom within the last few weeks performed wonders and left no stone unturned in their successful efforts to have all details in apple-pie order. The strong and capable band of officials who carried out the arrangements on the ground so satisfactorily are also worthy of everv praise, and at no time could the public complain of the intervals between the events b;ing unnecessarily long. Our representative takes this opportunity of thanking Mr A. J. Sullivan (who was'undoubtedly the right man in the right place), Messrs *F. Townsend, A. f!. Melville, and 0. H. Moller (timekeepers), and the other officials who so willingly and obligingly attended to the wants of the Press. The Committee, themselves acknowledge their indebtedness generally for hearty ■■ co-operation, and desire to speciaMv thank the Caledonian Society for the use of the ground, and the popular caretaker of the ground (Mr Sanderson) for the assistance which he gave willingly and gratuitously. In addition to the Southern and Northeast Valley Bands, the Port Chalmers Navals' Band put in appearance, and played excellently ; while last, but not least, the Pipe" Band, under their abfc leader (Chief Piper Uray), favored the spectators with some stirring music. The Garrison Band accompanied the volunteers from the Garrison Hall to the ground. It is worthy of mention that Mr M'Kenzic Forbes,'a dancer of no mean abilitv. placed his services at the disnosal of the Committee, and his dancing, needless to say, elicited loud applause. The bands at intervals marched round the ring, the North-east Valley Band playing the very popular tune ' Soldiers of * the Queen ' in their best style. All the bands joined in the National Anthem at the close of the snorts. The "bike" races were of the highest order, and much interest was displayed by the spectators in the various contests. The Patriotic Wheel Race went to Bennett, who rode with good judgment. The Championship event was won somewhat easily by the sturdy Wellingtonian'(Chalmers), who' had matters pretty well his own way after reaching the straight. In this .event 2s 6d lap prizes were given, and two or three of the riders in particular helped to make the race interesting by striving hard on entering the straight to be the first to pass the post each round. This pleased the public, and, as an official remarked, it might be a good idea for some of the cycling clubs in holding their sports meetings .to reduce the prizemoney and increase the lap prizes to, say 7s 6rl or 10s. If this were done it would probably improve the racing in a great de-' yree. and do away with the " crawl" which of late has greatly injured bicycle racing in the eyes of the public. The'suggestion is one which is worthy o: every consideration. The sum taken in shillings at the gates was £l2B 19s, and this the members of the Committee on the ground made up at or*e to £l3O. A large number of tickets were sold in town, and as there will be a profit on the sale of the programmes it is safe to estimate that, at least £250 will be added to the Patriotic Fund as the net proceeds of the sports. The following concludes our report of the meeting : ONE-MILE FLAT AMATEUR HANDICAP. Pint prize. £«; second. £\.-\V. Olsen (Siyds) I W. Martin (fords) 2. T. K. Bennett (40vds) aio started but did not finish. Won easily by 4yds lime, 4mm 40sec. PATRIOTIC FUND WHEEL RACE. Two ™ lcs lr. Flrst I,rize ' £l5 '* second, £S; third £2. Winners of heats to receive 10s, Bribetakers excepted. 11^ 1 Tierne >' (20yds) 7, A. RaUton (40yds) 2, A. Huston (110 yds) :j, N. Alston (140 yds) f A 1 ,^ B *" l^'-; 1 -Chalmers (scratch), E. Crawford ( l 7y yds), J M'MulLn (9):. yd,). Rl! <J. Klliott (220 yds). A mile from home A. Kalston held command, Chalmers being hopelessly out of it On nearmg the straight on the run borne Tierney .shot out from the bunch, and won easily by two lengths. Time, lmin 5S 3-ssec. Second Heat.—A. H. Humphries (100 yds) 1 T kirkwood (120 yds) 2, M. Bennett (20yds) 3 A R.' barker (scratch) 4. Also started: A. K Wall (scratch). H. Holland (150 yds), H. Gmthorpe (t/syds) A. Sangster (240 yds). Bennett, Wall, and Barker caught their field as the bell sounded for the last lap. Humphries had most left in him arid, t ikiug advantage of the scratch men getting blocked, shot ahead on nearing the straight and won easily by three lengths, tbe other placed men being almost bunched together. Time 4min ■U 2-ssec. Final Heat. M Tennett ... ... ... \ W. Tierney ... ... .'".' 2 A. H. Humphries ... "' ;j AH qualified started. Kirkwood, Holland, Humphries, and A. Ralston made the pace a hummer for the first mile, when Humpnnes and A. Kalston shot away, and held a good lead until lurneyand Bennett put in their claim two laps from home. When the bell sounded for the last lap Humphries, A. Ralston, Tierney, and Bennett were all together, the others being hopelessly out of it. Atthe'back stretch Humphries made his .-■purr, closely followed by Bennett, who came away on reaching the straight and won by two clear lengths from Tierney, the latter parsing Humphries, whose back tyre unfortunately went down and spoilt his chance. Time, 4min 45sec 220 YARDS FLAT HANDlCAPOrofcssional).I'irst prize, £4: second £2; third, £1 (131yds1 2 J Wilk.ns (l'JSyds) 3. Also started: R .Sutherland (4yds), D. M'Laren (131 yds) \ M'lv>y (lliyds), S. Miscall (22* yds). Won easily' lime, ii.w. .Second Heat.-N. M'Lend (22vds) 1, W. L Colym <Uy.U)2, T. Sim (Ifljyds) 3. Also started •.1 /VJV {! oy ,'. I, ' ) '. W - CUrb ("'Jyfc). A. Bennett (lbyds), U Bowie (2.syds). Won with plenty to spare. Time, 22 l-s.sec. Final Heat. W. L. Colvin ... ■ ... .1 N. M'Leod ... ..; ..' 2 J. Nagle and T. Sim, dead heat ... 3 A good finish saw Colvin win on the tape, all eligible starting. Time, 22 2-ssec. THREE-'MILE FIRST CLASS BICYCLE SCRATCH RACE.-First prize, £8; second, £4 ; third, £l. ' J. Chalmers (Wellington)... 1 A. n. Barker (Christchurch) ..'. 2 A.'Ralston (Dunedin) ... ... 3 Also started: A. E. Wall (Wanganui), M. Bennett (fJannevirke). W. Tierney (Auckland), A. H. Humphries (Christchurch). Lap prizes of 2s (id were given, and caused tbe pa;e to be very warm at times. Humphries retired after going two miles, the other competitors riding together until the last lap, when Chalmers passed Bennett at the back stretch, and, stalling off a challenge by Barker, won by a length and a-half, with Ralston close up third. Time, Smin ONE-MILE OPEN BICYCLE HANDICAP.lirst prize, \£s; second, £2 ; third £] Winners of heats, 10s (prize-takers excepted), first Heat.—J. Chalmers (scratch) 1, M Bennett (10yds) 2, T. Kirkwood (60yds) 3, A. H Humphries (50yds) 4. Also started: E Crawford (-oyds), J. M'Mullao (100 yds), A. E. Randell (U%ds). Chalmers caught his field in fine stjle, and had difficulty in defeating .his opponents! Time, 2min 22sec. Second Heat.—A. Huston (55yds) ], 11, Holland (70yds) 2, H. Gunthorpe (85vds) 3, W. Tierney (10yds) 4. Also started: A. R. Barker (scratch) R. Murie (SSyds), C. F. Lethaby (b'Ovds). Barker was unable to catch the limit men," Huston winning with pl=nty to spare. Time, 2min 18 35sec. Final Heat. A. Huston ... ... ... 1 A.H.Humphries... ... ..' 2 ' W. Tierney - ... - ... ..' 3 All qualified started. The limit men had matters all their own way, Huston again winning somewhat easily. Time, 2min ]9sec. 440 YARDS FLAT AMATEUR HANDICAP -J. W. Price (14yds) 1, W. Olsen (12yds) 2. started: C. A. Cuff (scratch). Price and Olsen kept together all the way, Price winning easily. Time, OFFICIALS' SLOW RACE.-W. A. Low 1 A E. Boot 2. . "