OLD CHAMPIONS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 March 1928, Page 12

OLD CHAMPIONS

DOWN PATEA WAY.

THE HOME OF SOME GOOD ONES BLACKSMITH'S SHOP AS MEETING PLACE. (By ‘‘Physical Culturist. ”) In writing of events, which took place 50 years ago, with no print of cue day for reference, one is placed somewhat at a disadvantage. Of the athletes of the past 40 years 1 have, as it were, rubbed shoulders with and paced it with many. Some of these who were my senior in age I have heal’d sing the praises of a generation which excelled before my time. Some of these I actually saw in competition years before I commenced to train, but in the main I have relied for my information on the memory of others, some of whom were witnesses of and some of whom actually competed against the athletes whose deeds I purpose placing on record. I have heard so often of the quality of such men as the late Dr. Saunders, William Williams, Adam Sergeant, Han Williams, Jock Hood, Frankie Woods, George Broughton, Andrew Kellick, Gifford Marshall, Louis Olialdicot, Tom Copeland, Dan Kitchen, W. Minhinnick, Harry Waite, G. V. Pearce and others, that I anticipated some older hand than mine would have ere this date have given credit to those fine ■ old athletes who gave of their best (and tell it not in Gath) neves asked for appearance money.

There are some good fellows amongst the “Star” readers who have reminded “Physical Culturist” that he has overlooked quite a number of men who in early cjay& of settlement made athletic history on this coast. To the enquiry “names, please, and performances,” almost invariably some of the above names, have been mentioned. Most of them are around the seventies ,some well over. Compared with these “Physical Culturist” is a move youngster. How’ever, some of the old settlers who were interested in their athletic friends have, during the past half-year, favoured me with a resume of some of the deeds of those hardy old pioneers. These statements I have' submitted to others who are qualified to express an opinion. From what I have gleaned here and there and my knowledge of a number of the athletes in question I am confident that in the main the substance is true.

Who was the sprint champion of Taranaki in 18781' In one breath I. seem to hear Adam Sergeant, Jock Hood (if still alive), George Broughton and Dan Kitchen exclaim “Billy vVilliams.” Billy Williams, who was he ? It may interest our black and amber representatives to learn that Mr. William Williams, of Meremere, Hawera, was from 1878 for a period of seven years the Taranaki scratch man and recognised champion sprint runner. In my early days it was drummed into my ears that in 1878 Billy Williams, of Patea, was a king pin 100 yards man, and when I was told the men he had beaten 1 acknowledged he must be a champion. His father,. who was farrier-major to the troops, founded the first blacksmith’s business in Patea. Tins was before the second Maori war, Billy Williams at that period being a 12-year-old boy. He is now 72 years old. When the war broke out the family retired to Wanganui, where they lived at what is now the populous suburb of Gonvilie. When the war ceased the family returned to Patea, where Williams’s blacksmith’s shop became the gathering place of the youths of the town. From it graduated the Williams brothers, Billy and Dan, Adam Sergeant, high jumper and all-round athelte, Andrew Kellick, a fine mile runner, and at one time Jock Hood, a; well-known sprinter, worked there. In those days the Williams’s shop was looked upon as the greatest athletic shop on the coast for running and jumping. W. Williams was the sprinter ; Dan Williams, good from 440 to half-mile; Andrew Kellick, the distance man; Jock Hood, sprinter; and

Adam Sergeant was the high jumper of the team. He used to run straight in and clear the bar at sft Bin and oft 9ih. Kellick, who was a fine stamp of a man, won a mile in Wanganui, starting from 10 yards, running barefooted, against 18 starters, and winning by 50 yards, on a wet day. He was a- brother of Mr. William Kellick, now residing at Mangamahu, sheep farming. This race took place on Boxing Day, 1878, on the Wanganui racecourse, and is still spoken of by the young men of yesteryear. One, who 'knew W. Williams in his prijne, assures me that in his opinion, if properly trained, in 1878 he was without doubt the best runner in New Zealand from 100 yards to the 440 distance.

Dan Williams was recognised as a fast man up to half' a mile. He was also partial to the standing long jump. With weignts in his hands he used to clear llfC3in. No one could extend him, until one day a. tall man of athletic build, wearing a long beard, stood leaning over the door of the shop, which was fairly full of people watching Dan jumping. After a while the stranger asked permission to have a jump. Of course this was readily granted, when to the surprise of everyone he just took off his hat, gave one bound with the weights in nand and cleared 12ft 3in. The stranger proved to be captain of a ■steamer trading to the port. My informant related that the captain told them that some time before he had been camping in Australia, where there were five tents pitched four feet apart. The captain made a. wager of £lO that he would in five standing jumps clear the lot, and won the tenner by so doing. He added: “How many of our athletes could do that now? I don’t know of one.” To a certain extent I agree with my friend. I don’t know one athlete of the present day who can duplicate the captain’s feat, for the reason that this style of jumping has for a. number of years been neglected. But I have. in my mind’s eye one or two jumping specialists whom I would undertake to train to duplicate the captain’s feat in 12 months. As there is no competition for this style of jumping, there is no incentive to the modern jumper to practice.

Two great rivals in high jumping were Adam Sergeant and George Broughton, now living at Taiporohenui. Broughton was a smart runner, and used to compete' against the Williams brothers and against Sergeant in all his high jumping events. These two, I have heard it said, used to jump from sft Sin to sft lOin; sometimes one would win, sometimes the other. Another good athlete at a little later period was G. V. Pearce, for some years the scratch man over a mile. Another who used to compete with marked success in those early days at Patea sports was W. flMinhinniclr, who the majority of the athletes of those earl-y days aver was: the best sprinter of that famous family of athletes. As I never remember seeing this brother in action, I cannot write personally of his performances. But the youngest brother of the family, the greatest high, jumper of them all, assures •me that Will, the second eldest of 14, was in his opinion the best sprinter of the family. As “Young Jim” is now 60, this may be accepted as his considered opinion. From what I can gather, when Mr. Williams, senr., founded the original blacksmi thing business in Patea he also materially assisted in laying the foundation of the first athletic club in Taranaki.

A GOOD SPRINTER. Writing of W. Williams, my old friend tells me that his first try-out was against Saunders, then a school teacher, afterwards Dr. Saunders, at the sports held at Patea, I think in the year 1878. Williams won the 100 yards, both men from scratch. Then they met off the same mark in the 220, when Williams won again. As Saunders, while in Wanganui, beat allcomers from 100 to 440 yards, and liis admirers considered him able to run the century in evens, it goes to show what a good man Williams really would have been if properly trained. Some time after Williams’s victories on the latter occasion, I was told, a Maori arrived from Wanganui with money behind him to make a match with Williams. The match came off, the Patea representative again winning. In 1872 —that is 56 years ago—a Wanganui boy, Frank Woods, was champion of New Zealand over 100, 220, and 440

yards. One of Williams’s loyal supporters is of opinion that a match over 100 to 440 between Dr. Saunders and Frankie Woods, for a reasonable stake, could it have been arranged, would have been jyorth a long journey to see. A well-known sprint runner from Wellington, named William Dixon, had a great reputation as a fast man when he first went to Patea. A match was ■ made between him and Williams. The race came off as others had done before, and it was again an easy win for Williams, who in later events used to give Dixon four yards and then win. When Jack Hood first went to, work with the Williams firm he had the reputation of being very fast. One day Jack and Adam feergeant were talking of running and discussing “who was who,” Adam describing just how good Dan Williams was. Jack said he would run Dan for a. fiver. The match was made and came off in the Domain, about 300 people being present. They got on tlieir marks, and Jack was away like a flash, quickly leading by three yards. But Dan put in a good finish, getting home by half a yard. . Adam jokingly said that Dan saved him from ruin. STRATFORD JUBILEE “ALL-AGED STAKES.” In conversation with Mr. Dan Malone, I gather that upward <of 80 invitations have been sent out to boys of the old brigade, many of whom have responded to the call and intimated their intention of being present. The majority state they will compete in the 50 yards dash. The genial Dan handed me a sheaf of letters he had received, the perusal of which awakened many memories.. The young spirit shown in response is as game as ever in the majority. A characteristic phrase from one: ‘ ‘Too right I will be there.” From another: “My chest has slipped a bit, but I will toe the mark.” Yet another: “We thank you for the invitation. Yes, both my father and myself will be there.” No wonder young N.Zedders of to-day are making their marks as athletes. 'Their fathers and grandfathers are still young. Can-I pick the winner? Hard to say. At one time thought I had a chance myself, but on studying form and performances my chance seems less and less.

Possibly some of my readers may remember the ’famous English Jumper Higgins, who' used to do trick jumping on the stage, such as placing a number of chairs arranged in a. circle around the stage at stated distances apart, then, with weights in hand, clewing each chair with successive leaps. He used also to do exhibition jumping from one to six or more leaps. Writing from memory, I believe his average for each jump of six was over 12ft., from which it will be conceded that the captain’s statement was probably quite true. Frank Julian says he is going to make a bid. Trust Frank to be in form. Then X have a recollection of George Smart, of Stratford, heading me for the tape in a volunteer race, 220 yards, at the Garrison Sports, Wanganui, Boxing Day, 1888. Harry Waite, from Tariki. Last time I saw him he ran a brilliant mile, 'over 40 years ago. Had a look at has training track the other day; doing a lot of hill climbing, gaining wind for a d'ash. Minhimnicks, two brothers, W. and Jim and son William; last time I met Jim, thirty years ago, he beat me. He has .just assured me he is out for that fifty. By the way, all old timers are requested to wear a piece of ribbon, amber and black, and report to Mr 35. J. Malone immediately on arrival oh the sports ground. A CORRECTION. In reviewing the performances of Carl Dahl, the Danish all-round athlete, in last Saturday’s issue of the “Star,” his time for 880 yards was given as lmin 57 2-ssee., obviously a printer’s error. This should have read as 2min 7 2-ssec. In covering such a wide range: of performances as Dahl’s, the lino man may well bo excused for the mix-up.