GOOD ALL-ROUNDER

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 10

GOOD ALL-ROUNDER

AN ATHLETIC JOURNALIST “MILER” OF THE ‘ ” (By “Physical Culturist.”) Hollo Physical Culturist. This) is dad. This is Mr MeHolm, then, after a pause, and! this is “Milor, ’ and all around! the room was heard), “'Glad) to moot you. ” Truly, I had struck a happy family. On the eve of the last- New Zealand amateur athletic championships this writer wandered along' in search of R. A. Rose, at a well-known Wanganui hotel. 'Some "Wellington fans said “go up stairs. First room to the right,” and there I found them, all shapes and sizes, tall, short, thick and thin. My friend Randolph A. .R. lying all his 6ft. Gin. on the "bed taking things easy, with the herculean figure of Sergeant ‘MeHolm hard at. work massaging his charge ready for that never-to-be-for-gotten three mile run with the Auckland nugget, ‘Billy :Savidan. Standing at the foot 1 of the bed was Mr H. Rose, sienr., father of iR.A., and manager of the team, and last, but. not least, the subject of this sketch, “Miler” (Walter F. Ingram), of the “N.’Z. Sportsman.” Of course I knew him by repute. Who in the athletic world does not know “ Miler, ” friend of the athletes, both on and off the track?) However, having met him in the flesh, this writer saw a good deal of him during the meeting flitting about the grounds with a camera, pad, and pencil, with a. nod and a. smile to one or a cheery word to another. Thus my impression of “Miler.”

Born, at Gisborne on May 24, 4904, in; inter years iknowru as << Miler, ” Wally Ingram, was bred! in an athletic atmosphere and it was not- to be wondered at. that ho took on the sport with an enthusiasm deserving of success. 'His grandfather was associated with Joe 'Scott, the veteran walker in Dunedin, and his father and uncle were associated with: the sport. His uncle Wally, now in a hairdressing business in Palmerston North, was a first-class sprinter away back in 1908. In his young days ‘‘Miler ’ went to the Te Ilapara, 'School and had to evalk four miles to school and four miles back home every day. Not being an early riser ,it meant that the walk gradually became a run and it was then that he discovered a penchant for dis-tance-running. At the Te Hapapa ■School was one Tom Heeney, later to fight Gene Tunnev for the world's heavyweight title. “ Miler’ ’ was dux of this school in 49 : li5—at the ago of

2/1 years—out of 30 pupils in the sixth standard. It was not until May 12, 1921, at the age of nearly 17, that “IMiler ’’ commenced his athletic career. He was persuaded to enter for a two mile race at Gisborne, where the newlyformed athletic club was' struggling along.. 'This race he won and received for his 'trophy a.n attache ease. On July 21, the same year, he won a road race of three miles, and received a silver watch. He gradually improved and before long was scratch man in all harrier events. A eross-country championship did not come his iway, although he was runner-up on three occasions. ‘‘Milerts ’’ first track win was on November 20, 19,21, when he won a 220 yards handicap. Then followed success upon success. For two seasons he won the Barry 'Gup for most points in his l club and for two seasons lie won the President ’s Cup for a 300 yds handicap (one season a win.-and once a dead-heat). In between, his own athletic, work, he assisted others and trained “Digger’ ’ Douglas, the Poverty Bay champion, cyclist. During, his i term in Gisborne he won the 44:0yds, one mile and three mile championships, and established records for the mile and throe mile. He was scratch man for three seasons for all distances over i

sso yarcte and raced (with, success. His cups number twelve. •In 1921 G ‘‘iMiler’ ’ joined the staff of •the “New Zealand Sportsman, ’ ’ Wellington, and also competed in Wellington. In his first season he won a. place in the Wellington Club team to race 'Canterbury for the Steveneaiux Cup. This team was successful after “IMilier ’ ’ had raced against Archie Laing, ex-IM.Z. representative halfmiler. (Laing reached the exchange arear two yards ahead of Ingram in 2min. Isee. The Wellington Club appointed 1 ‘ Miler ’ 1 treasurer of the club in 1927 and he did not compete that year, reserving his energy for the jubilee year of the chub. Next season he iwas made, secretary and kept very quiet. In the last season, he performed with some success and scored most points ini the club for flat events. In field events he performed well, although off good handicaps. It is “Miler’s” boast that he has won races of all distances from' 75 yards to five miles and won in the javelin, discus and broad jumping. OTHER ACTIVITIES For some time “Aliler ’ 1 was associated with ILin Robinson, ex-feather-weight champion of New Zealand, and

trained him when he met Freddy Smith at Napier. ‘‘Miler” had been to Christchurch and on returning to Napier was surprised to meet Robinson, who had received 24 hours’ notice to fill the vacancy made by an to Larrv Lasher. He had to ford the swollen Ton-goio crossing and was wet through. A brisk massage and he ™,cml the ring. "I’ll S° „ -a, tlmu if things are not- -too good, SSSSVi go,-- said, Itclbby. At the end of five rounds “Miler ”Hwas. done to a frazzle, wagging a towel, but Robbv was as fresh as paint and Aieut n to win easily. Later he regained Ms feather-weight title from Bert Brown. Byd North, Who gamed a decision over Tommy Donovan, was trained for Ms second fight by “Miler and made him a presentation! -of a. sih er matchbox for his honorary work. Another boxer under “Miler’s” care was Arthur -Fervor, a Gisborne- amateur, who defeated A’ince Parker m the latter’* last amateur bout before he turned professional. ...... , To. cVf. 'Kcftg.'uo, second m tlie Annet.te Keiderman race for two seasons was trained by “Miler,” who used to arise very -early and see M. League. aw ini a couple of miles before giving him a rub d-own. A LAVAYS ON AVATCH.

Some years ago “Miler” was paying a holiday • visit to Gisborne and persuaded Mrs AVilson to send her daughter, Norma, to AVellington for the Jubilee meeting. His advice was heeded and Miss AA’ilson travelled with “Aliler” to AA’ellaugton, where she was taken in hand by Mr Syd Murray and gained selection for the Olympic Games team. Another runner who regularly receives advice is Miss Margaret, Barron, who, according to many, has improved since heeding “Miler’s ’ advice. He was coach and manager to the AA’ellington Ladies’ Club relay team which defeated his old club team at Gisborne in 1929. Confident in his method of baton-exchange, he instilled the same confidence into the team and demonstrated to a Gisborne coach that his method was the better. He was the first atletic writer to boost Tom Pickering and Gordon Bayne, both of 'whom won AA’ellington titles and have beaten the New Zealand over their own distances.

The subject of this sketch, in this writer’s opinion, never did himself justice in the athletic arena. This is an age of specialists. Each one to liis own pet distance; the extreme for a sprinter being 440, the middle-distance men from 440 to a half-mile, while the distance runner may rank from a mile, or longer. Against any of these specialists an all-rounder needs to be good to hold his own. To win over all distances from 75 yards to fi% r e miles, with the javelin, discus and broad jump in addition, proves that the quality and will to win are there. Standing sft B*in and scaling lOst 71b, surely a quarter to a half-mile should have been his distance. Some of his best runs in. AVellington have been in relays-, as witness the first 440 relay of the season, which, his team won in 3.30—0 r an average of 52* per man. It is passing strange how one athlete may pick a distance to suit another, yet still miss the distance which suits himself. AVally Ingram is a shrewd judge of form and men, as all who read “Miler’s” notes must know. However, he has run his last relay. After about ten seasons “Miler ” has decided to retire. He recently announced his engagement and “Physical Culturist” offers his best wishes.