CROSSING THE RIVER

Hawera Star, Volume L, 7 February 1931, Page 11

CROSSING THE RIVER

OLD ATHLETES DROP OUT

EARLY TRACK DAYS RECALLED (By “Physical Guitarist.”) (All Rights Reserved.) One by one they cross the river; steadily the ranks of the athletes who were prominent half a century ago are being depleted. Recently an old athlete sent me a press clipping i'r-oni Hawke’s Ray which, under the heading “A Light of Other Days,” reported the death of Mr William AA iseman, who died at Wellington at the age of 74. It mentions the fact that lie was a former resident of Waipawa. During his residence there he took an active part in the work of the hie brigade ,and was also a prominent figure on the running track. In addition to securing many successes in local meetings he took part in match events against well-known Mew Zealand professional runners, including the late Ken Bayne and Sid Clark; Evidently the writer of the above par has heard the rumour which was prevalent that friend Kenny had leit this mortal sphere. It is strange how these idle rumours, like a snowball, gather as they roll. Recently this writer had the pleasure on the best of authority in contradicting this rumour.

Sid Clark was a sprint runner who. for sonic time, was located in Wanganui, and was a well-known figure at the .Hawera Caledonian Sports. Good runner as Clark was. no one, knew better than he the art of bluff. This writer well remembers the wiles of that runner. If there was anything missing in his make-up it was not •confidence. By Hus mannerism he had many a competitor beaten before he started for tiie race.

The handicaps had been declared foi the Wanganui. Caledonian Sports in January, 1891, Clarke being scratch, giving the writer 4yds in the 100 and 7yds in the 220, also 3yds in the quarter. Nothing would tin Sid but that me must give me my start and run over the two shorter distances, doubtless with the intention of beating me us lie used to say by “jamming m\ tail.” 1 think to his surprise in the 100 run I beat him, he making the (excuse lie got a bad start and stating Ibis certainty of beating me. over • the longer run. Now, if anything was calculated to put me on my mettle, it was for anyone to show me lie held me cheaply. Consequently, when tin .signal to go was given I shut my teeth and went like a scalded cat. winning witij a bit in hand, after which the guileless Sid said he had not tried. Instead of his bluff working it had the opposite effect, for though before we had those runs I did not think much of my chances, I called his bluff and won the three events at the sports. One of Clark’s best races was when he won the 350 champion race a 1 Feilding in 1890; the time returned was 37 A see. When last I heard of him some two years ago lie was located in the Hutt Valley. Reverting to Wiseman, the writer only met him once and then he gave us something to think about. Though 38 years have passed. I often hear the name of “Witherow” whispered when triple events are mentioned. To this day old-timers say that the winner of the mile, half, and quarter at Feilding in 1892 was a. ringer. However, although I never saw either Wiseman or Witherow on the athletic tracks again, I have reason to believe ( that that athlete was genuine in all that he did. his only fault being he had too much pace and staying power, plainly proving what condition will do. With the useful start of 110yds in the mile, 40 in the half and 20 in the 440 he made every post a winning p<sst. and romped home in each event. In the quarter-mile lie was leading in the straight when he fell a cropper, regaining his feet to run home a winner, this being the only instance in which I have seen it clone. Chatting with Wiseman after it was all over, he assured all gathered around that Witherow was a genuine novice entitled to ibis starts; that he had so much confidence in him that if he were cut up into' little hits lie would run just the same. Of course such an expression was overdrawn, hut it was Billy’s way of paying tribute to the gameness of his protege'. A New Zealand runner who won a handicap in Fiji told me when he t was over there he was asked “Do you j know that man standing there?” To his answer “No. who is he?” he was 1 informed “That is Witherow. the man J who won the treble at Feilding. N.Z.. years ago. He is now a well-to-do planter there'. • ! An thus flier come and go. A PUNTER’S MISTAKE. In file old coach days it was not an unusual thing for a strange peel, to arrive on the eve of a meeting, i make himself “hail fellow well met, scoop the pool the next clay, collect the cash and disappear never to he heard of again. It was small wonder that when a stranger did well at a meeting lie was viewed with suspicion. This writer was once (though innocent) thus looked on by some Taranaki sports. It happened at New Plymouth on New Year's Day, IBBS. This writer, still in his teens and unknown round Egniont, won the handicap. for which Billy Webster, Humphries and the Bishops (Frank and Fred) were about equal favourites, ll so happened my manager-trainer was well known to most ot the committee, and they were satisfic'd my performances were all O.K. and so were most of the peels—at anyrate no protest was entered, although some of the fans let me see they were not giving me the glad eye and I wondered why. Tt was not till a year later that 1 learned with a shock that J. was under suspicion of being an Aucklander rung in. It came about this way: Tt was in Wellington New Year’s Day, 1889. Sitting in a tramcar with a Gladstone hag across my knee, I was on my way to the sports in the Basin Reserve, when at one of the stops a young man got in whose mannerism proclaimed “they won’t know T come from the country” and Ids accent had file sound of Devon. With a glance at inv hag lie said, “Going to run ? When answered in the affirmative be enquired, “Where do you come from?” When told Wanganui In' further asked. “Oh. do you know blank?” As T was blank 1 iiarl no hesitation in saying. “Yes, do you?” to which lie replied with some heat. “Yes, he ought to he disqualified for life. Let nr’ tell yon In' rung in and got away with the hnnelPap at New Plymouth last New Year’s Day.” Naturally surprised 1 retorted. "1 think you are mistaken. I happen to know him pretty well and 1 have never heard anything like that about, him.” Getting still more boated uutler the collar, lie stoke loudly so that 'all wight hear and blurted out, “Oh,

fno, 1 am not. He is a crook. A fellow called the Stretcher took him from Wanganui and rung him in. 1 know, because 1 lost five bob. He had only been in Wanganui for a few weeks, and went there from Auckland. I found out all about him. Ties a crook.” Bv this time we had reached the Basin and I was spared hearing more of my virtues. I was among the prize-winners at the sports, aft-ei wliic-h with several other pods. we boarded a tram for town and tea. till the same train was my Taranaki friend of the morning. Asking him had he been to the sports lie said. “Yes and I isaw you win the half.' Enjoying the joke I said. “I suppose voii’ll tell the committee all about the crook and put my pot on.” which made the other peels, look at one another, as they knew me well and wondered wlnit. I was coming at. when the man from Taranaki said. “I’m sorry for what J said this morning. I didn’t know you again. you have altered a little, ancl I was nettled a hit because I lost five hob. A\ ill von come and have a drink?” However, being in training. T had to decline.

TWO PALS ON THE COACH. One evening in 1888 the coach as usual pulled up in front- of a nub. at Manaia. when two passengers, strangers, light, lithesome and natty, each with a Gladstone hag, hopped off and, followed by curious eyes, entered the hotel. They engaged a room with two beds in it, as the annual sports were due to be held next day. The two mates were non-communicative, keeping much to themselves, though in answer to questions, stated they were running next clay. They immediately became objects ot suspicion, and when the next day one of them won the 100, 220 and 44-0 yards (known as the cup) and his companion, a youth, won the mile, running in the other fellow’s singlet and trunks, it was taken for granted, as they won off good marks, that they must be ringers. They were put on the mat and asked how they came to he together on the coach, -stayed at the same hotel, occupied the same room and ran in the same togs. Finally they convinced the committee they were 0.K.. the one twining from Inglewood and tin l other from 'Wanganui. Getting off the respective trains at Hawera‘and learning they were both going to the Manaia- sports, they fraternised and that was 'how tliev came to he on the coach together. The man who won the sprints was Tommy Tavlor. then of .Inglewood and now of AVaitara, who by his man a - meritorious performances proved to be one of Taranaki’s best all-round athletes. The youth was 'Tommy •Tames, a Wanganui Collegian, contemporarv with that other fine college athlete. W. (Billy) Woon, and by profession one of Wanganui’s leaduur architects. The two became life-lone friends and when the one from AA aitara- visits the river _ cit-v lie never fails to call on his friend of the old coach days.