PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7220, 8 January 1885, Page 5

PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

WOODS v. PICKERING,

The foot race of 125 yards between FWoods, of Dunedin, and J. .Pickering, of Auckland for the championship and a stake of £25 aßide came off on the Domain cricket ground yesterday afternoon, and ended in a Complete fiasco as far as an exhibition of the running powers of the competitors was concerned. By four o'clock, half an hour after the fixed time, there was an attendance of quite 500, there being a full muster of bookmakers present. Some difficult} was experienced in procuring a starter, and at length the popular athlete, Mr. W. M. Carrolla, kindly consented to officiate. While waiting for the men to make an appearance at the post some ugly rumours ' were in currency, and the betting which had been in Wood's favour at 2 to 1 changed to the same odds ou Pickering. Indeed when the men were ready to start the public were so confident that all was not "straight" that bets were declared off. After numerous attempts to get them away the starter uiadeuse of a splendid opportunity and pulled the trigger. Both men jumped off, but Woods Went no further than the first spring, being then, it is asserted, incommoded by the crowd, and immediately made his way to one side through the spectators, while Pickering finished the race alone, covering the distance, it is said, in 14£<ec3. Woods has issued a challenge, as will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, to run Pickering or any other man in New Zealand any distances between 100 yards and 440 yards, the best three out of five or two out of three distances, for the championship of New Zealand and a stake of £200 a-side.