OLD TIMERS’ RACE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 December 1927, Page 11

OLD TIMERS’ RACE

STRATFORD’S 1928 JUBILEE. SOME EARLY PERFORMANCES. INVITATION WALKING EVENT FOR HAWERA. (By “Physical Culturist.”) Stratford will celebrate its jubilee next March, when the citizens purpose holding a monster sports meeting, at which, I understand, the intention as to feature a genuine ‘ ‘ old timers race. In a recent issue of the ‘ ‘ Star, Phj - sical Culturist” offered this suggestion to the local athletic club as an item worth considering. Mr D. J. Malone is taking up this idea on behalf of Stratford, and if he throws himself into the proposition with his usual energy, I have no doubt of the ultimate success. In discussing the proposal with him recently I gathered that his idea is an invitation race, probably a handicap of, say, 100 yards, with a minimum age of 50 years, full details of which have not yet been worked out. To make a success of such an event, it would be necessary tor the handieapper to take into consideration not only the various ages of the men competing, but also the difference m the distances these men used to run when in their prime. To illustrate my meaning: Two men, aged 60, are entered; the one has been known to win a mile from scratch in 4min 40sec, and at the same meeting the other man has won a hundred yards from scratch m 10 J.-.) sec. The sprinter would give the distance man a reasonable start in proportion. A man known in his prime to be good for, say, llsec. for a hundred and good for 4min 50sec for a anile, would receive an intermediate start at same age. The genial Dan mentioned to me quite a number of well preserved athletes in the Taranaki district whom the older generation of citizens would dearly love ;to see all together once, more. Just a few I have in mind at. the moment of writing are: Members oi the Webster family; the Goods, Allan. Willie and Hugh; the Julians, Frank and Alf; the Minhinnicks, William Steven and Jim; Mills, Kilpatrick and A. Whiting, Harry Vine, Jack Bennett, Aif Hansen; and there are numerous others I have met quite recently who are only as old as they feel.

OLD ATHLETES FOREGATHER. There is on view in Messrs Purser Bros.’ window an interesting photograph of a notable gathering of “Veteran Athletes, men who blazed the trail in the eighties _ and nineties. This photo was taken in Auckland over a year ago. Doubtless old Haweraites will recognise amongst them faces of interest. That of J. Pickering (Linden) will serve to remind Steve Mmhinnick of their match race in Auckland, in which Steve proved victor. On the left wing of the front row is W. 11. Arnott, now looking a little white on top, but otherwise the photo leads one to believe h.c could, -still stride 'Q/ hurdle? though ’tis all 35 or 36 years since he earned the title of professional champion hurdler of New Zealand. On the right wing of the back row shows Tommy Roberts, predecessor to A. H. Holder as quarter-mile amateur champion hurdler of Now Zealand, who will be still further remembered for his deeds of valour on the scene of thCj wreck, of the Wairarapa at the Great Barrier. In the centre of the front rank I recognised my old friend and opponent, Bob Olipliant, good athlete and rep. footballer. On Boxisg Day, 1887, in a 150 yards maiden race in Feilding, J. M. Wilford, Bob Olipliant and self finished in that order. Later in the day, same distance off same mark, Bob and self* reversed the position. From that, date forward Bob Olipliant was a force to be reckoned with ,either on the running track or the football field. He hailed from Palmerston North. Another good sprint runner and footballer ol those times was his friend George Newtli. The latter, I believe, is still a. resident of his home town. Another faco in the picture I recognised is V . (■Scotty) Farquhar. A good distance runner, contemporary with, though not quite equal to, W. Huckstep, who was possibly the fastest milor Now Zealand ever produced, and in expressing this opinion I am not losing sight of the fact that we have had such good men as A. Campbell, E. A. Eose and Alf. Hall. At some future date I hope to give a resume of some fine races run by Bill Huckstep. Another face in ,tlie photograph is that of A. George (distance). The latter was a New Plymouth boy, if memory serves me true. D. Wilson (walker), who, with F. Creamer, will be remembered as two of Auckland’s fast one and two mile amnteurs. Second from the left in the back row may bo seen Charlie Morris (sprinter), in his day recognised as the fastest man in this country at starting. It was a revelation of quick movement to see Charlie leaving the holes on the report of the gun. In all there are forty-five athletes in the picture, each one in his day right in the forefront of track athletics and football. Coming nearer home, I have in front of me two group photos, one of It. Whisker, of Feilding, _ prominent . m quarters and half-miles in the eighties, and a Manawatu rep. footballer; the late Sam Thacker, of Palmerston North, sprint runner and later as a sprint cyclist. Sam was also slick off the mark at times. Once he won his -heat at Wellington on a New Year’s Day, won the semi-final and final of a hundred yards event in 9 2-ssec; self also won liis heat and semi-final, but could not catch Sam in the final —the latter got off with a flying start of ten yards before the gun wont. The Wellington starter of those days was not a Dorric Leslie. Sam Thacker, a popular man with the boys, fell overboard one night between Napier and Gisborne. Genuine sorrow was expressed by many who knew him. ' The third man in this group was Cameron (Baldv), of Turakina, a very useful runner from 100 to 880 yards, and a good hurdler. Another group I have also at hand shows old Tom Copeland. Dan Kitchen, R. G. McNiven, of Wanganui, and self. As I have lately reviewed some of Tom’s and Dan’s performances, I will not here enlarge, while those of R. G. Mac is reserved for an early date. A “SURPRISE PACKET.” One of the athletes, who was much in the public eye in the eighties and nineties was .f. Troy, known to the boys as Tim. Better known as a high jumper, he was also a capable performer from a hundred to a half-mile, and he could run over hurdles. I have heard it remarked that Tim walked over hurdles. He was also handy at the long jump, hop, step and jump, or at a piucli could run a mile. In fact, he had a knack of turning up and winning an unusual event in an unexpected manner. I have a recollection of this self-same Tim starting in a half-mile in Feilding in. which I fully expected to

score first, but for the first time I saw Tim win a half and I had to be content with second. Others subsequently told mo Tim had a habit of doing this kind of thing. Certainly he did spring some surprises. I don’t think records worried him much. The higher he jumped the greater handicap he would have to give, therefore sufficient for the day the evil thereof. For years he consistently 'urnped more often than not sft’ Bin. I believe it was Boxing Day, .1886, I first saw Troy win a high jump at sft 2in. A week later, at Matarawa Friendly Society sports, he won the high jump at sft 3in, second in 220 yards hurdles, won hop, step and jump 41ft Cin. On January 22 the same year, at the Caledonian gathering, Wanganui, Tim wou the high jump at sft 9in. This stood for years as a New Zealand record. Ted Green, of Turakina, was second at sft Bin. The latter was also a good exponent of pole vaulting, being a rival to Dan Kitchen for. supremacy. From memory, . I believe Billy Broughton was third in the high | jump with sf,t 7in. Broughton was at this date nearing his finish in public. Ho and Ms brother Jack, a field games exponent, were in the early eighties much in the public eye. at sports gatherings in the Manawatu and Rangitikei principally. It must be half a century since they were star attractions at gatherings. A correspondent recently mentioned that W. Broughton (high jumper) and Geo. Newth are located at. Palmerston North. But to return to Troy. At Marion he won the high jump at sft Bin, won the maiden 150 yards, second in 220 yards hurdles. At Wanganui he wou the 220 hurdles and second in hop, step and jump. At Turakina he won the mile, second in high jump; at Wellington, won the high jump sft 7iu,_ won 440 hurdles, won hop, step and jump 41ft 7in; at Bulls, won hurdles and high jump; at Palmerston North, won Mgh jump sft Sin, hop, step and jump 42ft llin, second in hurdles. At Westport, a two days meeting, he won the halfmile, high jump, 220 and 440 yards, and second in 100 yards. At Feilding, won half-mile, first high jump sft Sin, first 220 yards hurdles and second in 440 yards' hurdles. At Dannevirke he won the 220 yards hurdles, 150 yards handicap and high jump, also the silver cup presented by Mr H. Smith. At Napier he won the high jump sft 7in. Later at Wellington he won the high jump at sft Sin, and Morrison, of Blenheim, second. More than usual interest was attached to the meeting between this pair. Morrison, a slimly built lad, hud been heralded from Blenheim as a certainty to win, as his admirers said lie would reach 6ft before he was beaten. From memory, I think he received a handicap of some inches from Troy, who, in his usual buoyant manner, made light of the handicap he was giving. We West Coast competitors gathered around to see the boy who was expected to beat Tim. Morrison had a very clean neat style much like Taranaki’s pride, Jim Minihinnick, but made the fatal mistake of wearing shoes without heel spikes, with the result that when tire cross-bar was something over sft high his feet slipped from under when springing off the ground, the latter being sodden and greasy. Morrison fell on liis back, a nasty cropper, which finished Ms chance, and the “old General,” who had taken the precaution to be well heeled with long spikes, cleared sft Sin and won. Troy had a number of other successes at various times at Wellington, Christchurch. Alexandra, Westport, Greytown, Pem- , berton, Patea and Reefton; but there is not space to enumerate the lot. However sufficient has heen written to show he was a versatile athlete. THE PROPOSED INVITATION WALK. It is pleasing news that there is likehood of an invitation mile walk being included on .the programme of the hawera Club on February 2, so that an invitation may be extended to. V . Lankey, present champion. Such an event would be a strong attraction to the public. From the fact that Du<i Wills, the local youth who had until the late championship .meeting m Christchurch done all that he had been set by handicappers to do, and whose style had previously been unquestioned by any judge, was disqualified by the judge'in the championship mile at. Christchurch. To suv that the news came as a surprise to" local enthusiasts is to put it mildly. They were quite prepared to see the lad beaten, but not for a breach of the rules of walking. From my own point of view I had not prior to last electric light meeting seen Wills in action. Others interested in him had requested me to closely watch his walking on the night in question, and point out faults if I found them I closely followed his action .throughout, the race. To my mind liis carriage of body and balance gave nothing to take exception to. Walking very erect, arm action good, knees locked and walking fair heel and toe, with no appearance of lifting. Not being satisfied that undei artificial lighting I may have been mistaken, I later arranged to. try W ills out under rigid test in daylight, and had no hesitation in pronouncing his style when going -at top pressure as being quite in accord with the rules of walking. Following his last race in . I-lawcra, Dud walked in Wangapui, when liis stylo was pronounced beyond reproach, and it was at the expressed wish of Wanganui enthusiasts that Wills was sent south, where he undoubtedly unknowingly committed a breach of the rules. While our representative has not offered any excuses, in common justice to him I may state that he left Hawera on Thursday morning’s mail train, and the same night crossed the straits by steamer, arriving at Lyttelton on the morning of tho cliain-pionships and -competed in the three mile walk the same day. On questioning him, he told me that he hau not been cither train or seasick, but when he started in the race felt .that he had no dash or vim and he felt sluggish. Under the circumstances this was only to be expected. He had not previously travelled any distance by train before competition. Feeling .that he could not on the day give near of his best, he pulled out in the fifth lap. In the mile race the following day, he states, his number was 82. When aboM two thirds of a lap had been covered the judged called out cautioning No. 87 for leaning too far forward. Not. realising the judge was addressing him. Wills continued without correcting the evident fault. Shortly after the judge again called out. disqualifying No. 87. Wills (No. 82) continued to walk still unconscious the judge was mistaken in the number until he was convinced the judge was referring to him. Should the invitation race eventuate I would suggest that an outside recognised judge of walking be requested to act, not. that we have not. in Hawera men qualified to act as judges, but in justice to both Wills and outside competitors. I am confident that Dnd’s mentor, Mr C. Faulkner, would so desire.

While Wills will naturally be disappointed that he failed to rise to expectation on his first appearance in big company, I am confident he will in the future prove that tho confidence of his admirers has not been misplaced.