GREAT PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1140, 1 April 1870, Page 3

GREAT PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

, VICTORIA v ENGLAND. FIBST DAT. Thbee out of the five foot races between the English champion, Hewitt, and the Australian champion, Harris, for the championship of the world, and £1000, were run on Saturday, the sth inst, on the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The first of these was at 150 yards, over a straight course across the ground. When the two competitors made their appearance the crowd warmly welcomed them. Both men appeared to be in excellent condition, and the friends of both were a3 confident of success as if the whole thing had been cut and dried. Hewitt was going to win everything, and not leave the Australian a chance, said one party ; the other had made up its mind to expect something very different. The Englishman won the toss for choice of ground, and chose to run from the western side towards the eastern, or Richmond side. This gave him the advantage of the wind, but involved about a dozen yards of up-hill work at the finish. They had their preliminary trial, Harris going in his long sweeping stride, and Hewitt in the high stepping style, which he affects when not putting himself forth in earnest. The Australian looked the -more powerful, as he was the taller man of the two. All that Hewitt had about him was what he required for running purposes alone. The race was soon over. Harris got away with a start of half a yard, increased it to three yards by the time they were half way, and won by about two — both going at full speed all the way, and Harris, only slackening the merest trifle when he found himself close to home. Time 15 J seconds — very good, considering there was some up hill running. There was great cheering over the result, and the multitude gave vent to their excitement in various odd ways. The race was so splendidly run that they could not fail to cheer both men. About an hour and a quarter afterwards they came out to run the 200 yards race. This time the opposite direction was chosen. To obtain the extra fifty yards in the straight course, the men had to go beyond the chain fence at both sides. A 1 lane just wide enough for their purpose was accordingly fenced off at each end of the course. The niceties of the start and finish were, from the line of spectators having to be cut through twice, lost to the majority present, but as it turned out the loss was small. Though the starter savs the men started dead level, yet when the pair came out of the lane, Hewitt had an undoubted lead. For 30 yards the distance between them— a little more than a yard—did not alter, and ifc looked as if there was going to be a turning of the tables, biit Harris's stronger running brought him alongside the champion by the time they were half way. They then went side by side for a second or two, and after that Harris left his opponent j inch by inch. At 30 yards from home he had a clear lead, and he won by three yards. Time, 20| seconds. Hewitt said as he entered the pavilion reserve, "There is no doubt about it; he has beaten me fairly on my own merits." And so thought every one else. There remained the 300 yards race, which had to be run up on a curve. Hewitt got the advantage of inside position, and the further advantage of the lead as soon as the two were in motion. They pushed off at a grand pace, Harris a little behind for some distance, but soon putting forth a determined effort to get on a level with Hewitt. By the time they had turned their faces in the direction of the pavilion reserve, which would be a little under half way, Harris had got quite close to his man. They came on towards the tape almost abreast, Hewitt still having something of a lead, aud Harris doing his very best to get in front of him. They ran very close together, Hewitt's right arm being in front of his opponent's left, and half way across his chest. The splendid struggle was kept up to the very finish, when the result was left in doubt. Mr. H. C. Harrison, umpire for Hewitt, gave it a dead heat; Mr. Wallace, umpire for Harris, gave the race to Harris, and amid great excitement, and a rush on the part of every one of the vast multitude, over ropes and chains, to the pavilion gate, the referee, Mr. George Watson, was appealed to. Ho said " A dead heat," and the fact being notified on the board, there was again great cheering. Immediately after the race a protest was lodged by Hams, who complained of having been jostled towards the close of the race. This caused some more confusion, during which the protest was warmly supported by numbers of the spectators, though it was a question upon which very few were, from their position, qualified to jive a decided opinion. The time by Mr. Harrison's watch was 33J seconds ; unfortunately, in the excitement, the official time was not taken exactly. Each of the competitors was subsequently called out and cheered, and then the crowd gradually dispersed. Subsequently the protest was considered and disallowed.