A LONG CAREER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 11 August 1928, Page 12

A LONG CAREER

TWENTY YEARS A RUNNER. THE DOINGS OF A CHAMPION.

(By Physical Guitarist.)

For all the years Alyx Campbell was running, lie only competed at two meetings wnore be failed to score fiusr, second or third prizes. One day lie was running in ,a mile race a To Auto, as usual iram scratch, giving a limit of JoOyds. When going to nis mark he lain his hat and coat down at the oottom ot tiie straight. Aiex caught nis men and continued' running lake a machine, haltering the straight ior the linail run iiome, ne g.ancea hack anu saw 90yds ot daylight between himseli anu the second man, so he stopped, put uu ins hut ancl coat, and stroaneKf ior me tape, still winning by SOyOts in ready good time, 4.39'. The targe liuauw?v oi ai aon lans present, ever quick to see the humorous suae ot things uiougnt this was a great joke. They laughed heartily ana were singing out ••Good bow, Gamelor!” Te Aute has advanced with the times, and amateur events nave completely ousted the. pro’s nowadays, line day he won the Governor’s Cup at Fraukton Junction for the mile championship his lace broke, causing him to run with some difficulty ior some distance. Ultimately the shoe cable oil', and Alien ran the last 30Uyds with one bare, foot, winning easily; George Hail" second. Flynn third. There were times when Campbell had some difficulty in getting away to run ; but in on© cycle of 21 starts in running events he had a record of 16 wins, one second and three thirds, with one. unplaced—really a better sequence than ills record of nine wins in veil starts in the South Island! At one time that astute athlete, Charlie Johansen, travelled with Aiex, when he arranged a match with one Roberts, at Waihi. As Roberts, had been heralded as something out of the common, Charlie decided they xiad better run a trial to ensure, no mistake, so Alex stripped for the work out on the Thames racecourse. W’hen Johansen saw the state of the track he said he had never .seen anything like it, it benig fill 1 , of holes from the horses’ hoofprints. During the wet season such holes were hidden by the long grass— Johanson judged five minutes on such a track would he impossible—but if Campbell could return near five minutes he would be a sure winner. This was a new experience to Campbell, as lie never • resorted to trials. The track was .so bad that to avoid twisting, his ankle in the hoof ho'es he followed a sheep track nearly all the way, and without a pace-maker he was clocked to do 4.32. Needless to write, he' won his race.

One of Campbell’s happy lmutinggravmdisi was Master-ton, where for several years he won the double- —half and nine. One of the most exciting races of his career was a. half-miie run, on the tree-enclosed oval one New Year’s Day. Campbell got blocked an between three other runners, and on entering the straight it was estimated lie. had to gain between 30 and.4o .yard® to win. The crowd, were on their toes as it. was seen that Campbell was literally eating, up the ground in his desperate, sprint lot home just winning by inches at the tape.

One year at Masterton George Hall and Campbell were both on isoratoh in the mile. Hall was then at, the top of hiisi form, winning the mile both at W anganui and Feilding. At Masterton Alex let Hall take, the lead for one round, then, thinking he was going too slow, he ran up. to the limit men in .the second round, trotted in behind till tine bell rang and won easily. Hall wa,s second. Alex also won other halves and miles at Masterton in different years. AN INTERESTING SECOND.

I have before me a host of events won by Campbe,ll, embodying the localities, placed men and times recorded, but the actual dates and years are not available. 1 purpose therefore not to enumerate thjam in detail, but will simply chronicle the events.

One Boxing Day at FeiMing he won a sensational mile in 4.22. This race a correspondent, Olios. Mexted, Iras described, so I will paiss on. At Tiniaru, on Ist and 2nd January, 19x1, Ire was given 15 yards from \V. Trembath, sor., Needless to write, Campbell won, the scratch man second, and Robertson, off 90yds, third; time, 1.57. Won by 10 yards. Alex won the mile "from scratch by 20yd s in 4.29, G-lyim, off 70 yards, i&econd. Campbell won the mile championship, in 4.38 a; won anyhow an ! he l'ikjed. W. Taverner second, G. T. Smart third. Half-mile chain pi on ship. Trembatlr 1, Campbell 2. Time, 2.7. Comparing the handicap half, Tim in 1.57, with the same distance for championship in 2.7, I can only think the old bores was very tired. Again at Takapau. in February he won the 440ydis off 18yds in 49-}seo, A. Parkinson (32yus; second, Donnelly (25yds) third. Slanting from 14yds behind scratch, lie won the mile easily in 4.27, W. Mitchell, 130 yds, being second. He also won tire half-mile from scratch at Kelvin Gr<_ve with yards to spare in 2.2, Vince Carrol (30ydis) isjseond. On December 19. 1911, be made a raid on Pleasant Print, South Canterbury, where he won the half from scratch, Taverner rtOyd.s) second, W. Halil third; and gathered up the mile from scratch, favsrner CSOya) again in second place. At Fein nil a cn Boxing Day he was first from scratch m tire half, Taverner (25yds) isecoini, Glynn (30yds) 3. in 2.2; scored anothei win from scratch in the mile, Taverner (30yds) second, W. Hall (120yds) third, j in 4.301 see. On December 23 hi?, finish- ' ed his raid in the South Island by winning the double event at Faarlie; ffnst in mile. R. Robertson (150yds) second, W. Hall (120yds) third; first .in halfmile, R. Robertson (GOydis) second, iGlynn (30yds) third. Thesi? were two more easy wins. Once moire at Taka,pan, in February, another easily-won 440yds off 22yds in 49 4-ssec, A. Parkinson (35yds) second, 0. A. James (27yd;w) third. Owing 14 yards, he won tlie mile in 4.27 2-5, O. It. Redward (80yds) second, J. J. Glpespn (154yds) third. The old general caught the second man in the third lap and kept in behind to sprint past for the tape. At Napier the following Wednesday by way of a change lie filled third place from scratch, in 4.24, the mile being won by R. Watters from 140 yards. It. D. Chalmers, of Dunedin, getting second off 40yds. Alex was a non-starter ,in the half that day. At Ham/ua, Forty Mile Bush, ho was first in the half from .scratch, H. E. Rosenfel 1, (30yds) being second. He also won the mile from scratch, Rosenfelt again second from 70yds in 4.34. At Waipawa on March 17, 1912, he won . another great mile from scratch in 4.25. A. Aniott (40yds) second, W. Mitchell (90yds) third. He then easily won the 440 hurdles from lQyds in Glsec., W. ■

Hughes (.ser.; second, I>. C. McLaohlan (scr.) third. He scored his third win for the. day in the 440yd:s. flat from 20 yards, !McLachlan (scr.) iscoond, W. Hughes (15yds) third; time, 50sec. He won a fourth race, at those sports for a gold medal in 9 2-5. Campbell (Byds) .von by 3yds, AlcLaclilan (scr.) second, C. Morris (Iyd) third. At Onga 'On'ga lie bumped a dark horse, who won the 160, 120 and 440yds off 6, 10 .ana 10yds 1 respectively. Campbell wa.g second in the three events off 8, 16 and 15yds. Alex caught the greasy pig the same day, and, being a good dealer, he accepted an offer of two pounds sterling for it immediately after he caught it. As it only ooist him a “bob” nomination, ’tiis said lie ha s always lifted his hat to a. decent-looking pig ever since.

At Kumeroa on March 13, on a very rough track, he won the half-mile from scratch in 2.1, Terry (50ydis) second, Rosenfelt third; also from scratch lie made a dead bindi of the mile in 4.35, Rosenfe t. off 50yds, second, and Terry 90yds, third. Prior to this he was at Napier in February, winning the mile from scratch in 4m,in 30seos., Charlie Hutton, the “Flying Axeman,’ running second from 10yds. Alex aliso won the .Hugh jump at 5.7, Walker second with 5.6. At Weber lie wa® satisfied to win the ha.Lf from scratch, Rasenfelt once moi-e filling second place from 30yds. aft Gisborne on March 17 ho won the 440yds from scratch in 52, 5ec., Spencer Barnes (scr.) second. Barnes, from 10yds, also finished second to him in the. mile. Smith (130yds) third, m 4.30 1-5.

At New Plymouth Campbell and C. France weip the only starters an the half-mile championship, which Alex won ay 40yds in.. 2min. Campbell always ..seemedi to think the public should have a. run for their money, which probably accounted for Jiis undoubted popularity with the. .spectators. At Porangahau lie won the mite from scratch, R. Watters second. There was no time taken. At Martin,borough he wan the lOOytk, from, 7yds. 220yds. from 11yds, and the un-niie from .scratch, G. Ilall (20ycls) second. Time, 2.5. No one w-ould!com-pete in the mile, .so lie gave an exhibition run against time on one of Martinborough’s windiest days. His time registered 4.47, for which he received a special .gold medal. At the Forty-mile Bush fi'oani scratch lie finished second in a half-mile to A. N. Morey, off 25yds. in 2.1. He won the mile from scratch m 4.29, with Pedersen (90yd.s) second. Alex also won the higih jump at sft 4in. He also won a high jump of 5.6 at Kim bo'.ton.

Campbell wa, s also credited with .some exceptionally fast times at Mangaweka. Two of the best races he ever ran took place there. In the half-mile he was giving D. C. iMeLaolilan when at his best 10yds. After a great go AJex won in time given as 1.551. He. also won amile from scratch in 4.24. De Laoour ivas second olf 30yds. .Campbol, oil being told the time,- exclaimed, “I wish I had known the time was iso fast, I would have put up a .record. I just ioafpdl along till the bell rang.” This was true. He caught the field at the half-mile, as was Ins .habit, and then fell in behind and suited his paoc to that of the leaders, .and when the bell rang he .shot to the front and won easily, a® .stated, in 4.24.

Once in a while a. dead heat will occur in a half or a mile, but surely the following unique incidents must i*j in the nature, of a record. At one. sports gathering at Manunui Campbell (sar.) and George Hall, off his mark, ran a dead beat for first in a, half-mile amid a scene of wild enthusiasm. The two met again in the mile, when, after another ding-dong go. up the straight, with the public nearly frantic, a second dead heat was returned, after which Campbell won the high jump at 5.7, and finished second from 10yds in the 440 to Rodgers, who won off 20ydis in 51J «kj. Rodgers, who was a good quarter runner, went to Australia, where he won good money. Another fine halfmile. performance, due to Campbell’s credit, was at Mangaweka, when he gave Greenlees 40yds and won in 1.57, Greenlees second. The latter made the supreme .sacrifice at the front during the Great War. Alex also, won another mile at Mangaweka jn 4.27-J-. 1 think B. Mullins was second off 50yds. Another of Campbell’s good days was at Matamau, where he won from .scratch the 880yds and the mile, won the high jump at sft 4in., and .scored the points prize of £3 3s by winning the 220.yd>s forced handicap bv llydw, helped; by the liberal handicap of 16yds. Alex, who was usually looked on. as a “monty” to win a mile, had a host of friends on the track. At times his friends somewhat embarrassed him. Seldom did lie start in a race without someone wishing to save with him. Of times he would lie saving with two other runnens, as he never liked to refuse. One year at Napier he had promised to save with four other comnetitors. When on the mark it suddenly dawned on him they were all bleeding him, the first prize being £lO and the second £3. He decided it would pav him to get .second only and let someone of the others win the tenner. To run second was much harder than winning, but he succeeded in doing the trick.

Campbell, who competed for twenty reasons, was a champion to thj? very last, a wonderful runner and game to the core,.