OLD TIME ATHLETES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 22 October 1927, Page 13

OLD TIME ATHLETES

PROMINENT PERFORMERS.

EXPLOITS RECALLED. l

(By “Gash Runner.”)

I have read the reminiscences ,• .of ‘‘Physical Culturist” and others which have appeared in the “Hawera Star.” Well do I re me nicer most of the athletes mentioned by these writers. I often wonder whether the athletes of to-day are as good as they were 20 or more years ago. There are a few names of competitors which occur to me that have not been mentioned by previous writers, men who were on short marks in the late ’eighties and earlv ’nineties.

To start with there, .were 'lorn Hobbs, Alf. Wilson and “Kips” Baldwin, who were good men over a. mile and were generally on short marks. Then there were Ban. Malone. Ban. She aha n, and . Jack Patterson, ol Pate a, and the , Pearce brothers (George and All'.), of Kakaramea, who won many a good race. over the shorter distances, not forgetting Dave Craig and W. Bigham, of Manaia. Dave was one of the , best over the sticks in hiis day. I have had the pleasure of seeing him win quite a few races. Jack Matheson was a. fine stamp of an athlete who lived in Manaia in those days, and was very good in the field events, especially at throwing the hammer. I remember the hammer slipping out of his hands while •he was competing at the old Caledonian Sports in Hawera. It flew away into a crowd of spectators, striking a boy, who was badly hurt. WORLD’S CHAMPION. There is one man whose Mine has not been mentioned by previous writers and who must he classed with the champions. I refer to Con. Casey. He came out first as a walker, and was no fool at the game. He then: did 1 a little distance running. He gave this up to take on chopping and sawing about 1898. and proved one of New Zealand’s best at the game. He was chosen, with C. Hutton, to represent the Dominion at the world’s championships, which were competed for in Tasmania in 1904. He and Hutton won the world’s _ championship 2ft double-handed sawing in very fast time. I have seen many athletes stripped, and consider Con. Casey the most perfectly built athlete 1 ever saw.

“Physical Culturist.” .says that he has no authentic knowledge of W. Minhinnick’s performances. I had the pleasure of seeing some old records a few days ago —“Star” clippings. Bill is credited with running TOO yards in 9 4-sscc from scratch at Normanbv in 1880. About the same year lie also beat Hcninton. Clark, C. E. Maior. H. Good, his brother Steve and others over a 150- yards scratch race in." Hawera at the Caledonian

Sports for a cup, which is. .still in his possession. On the .same day he also won the 100 JarcLs handicap, Monnock winning the 440 yards. CLIMBING THE POLE. Bill is also credited with vaulting lift 4in at Inglewood, beating the late Mr. Curtis, who was an adept at climbing the pole, which was alldtved in those davs. Bill’s best high jump was sft. lOiii, and hop. step and jump 14 ft Gin.

I can remember seeing Jim Minhinnick clear sft ll.yin in Hawera at the Caledonian Sports. I believe if he had tried the same day he could have jumped much higher, but his trainer, C. Evans, who will be remembered by old Haweraites, advised him not to jump higher, as it would affect his future handicaps. He did clear 6ft at Takapau, beating the Napier champion, who was a. half-caste negro. I think the latter’s name was Dryburgli. Hi.s jump was sft Uin, I can also remember Jim doing 45ft Bin in the hop, step -and jump in .Manaia, being beaten by W. Good off tiie same mark. What great jumpers they were. I saw him win in Paten with a jump of 45ft Gin. He won a cup in Paten the same day. Jim also vaulted lift Jin in Wanganui. Green was second. Jim wag a very good runner, 220 yards being liis best distance. Steve Minlrinnick was also a great performer. He could go some for a quarter, though he was not quite as good at jumping as> the other brothers. Stove was one of the prettiest runners I ever saw. A banker named Bryce who lived at Hawera in the early days could run well. I wonder what become of him? I. Watts, who I think used to live in Hawera im the ’eighties, used to run verv well in his day. NEW ZEALAND’S BEST.

I am of the opinion that the late L. McLauclilan was the fastest runner the Dominion ever produced over the four distanceis, that is, from 100 yards to the half-mile. He was the scratch man in these distances all over the Dominion for many years. He started running as quite a young man, and did not give the game best until he had turned forty. When I last saw him running in 1911 at Timaru he was as bald ns a. badger. Poor old “Laucliie” died during the epidemic. Alec. Campbell, of Takapau, was undoubtedly the liest cash mile riinner that we ever had. I clocked him to run the mile in 4min ISsee from scrcil>ch fit Frankton. in 1912. T.ho officini time was faster than that. S. Barnes, who was a scratch man m ordinary company, was on 32 yards. The limit was 160 yards. Alec. Campbell was the most perfectly actioned runner you could wish to see. He had a very long stride, and appeared to scarcely touch the ground he was that light" on his feet. He was a tall man, standing about- 6ft high._ On this occasion I have written of very old athletes. Some other time I hope to refer to the men whom I . used to compete with after the year 1900.

[“Physical Culturist” has referred to Con. Casey and others mentioned: by “Cash Runner” in some of his earlier articles. —Editor.]