ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9611, 8 September 1894, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL. AUCKLAND V. WAIROA. Owing to several players who had been included in the Auckland team to play against Northern Wairoa not notifying the committee until the eleventh hour of their inability to accompany the team, some difficulty was experienced yesterday morning in getting others to fill the vacancies at such a short notice. However, a team was got away yesterday morning, but if Northern .Wairoa are as strong *as reported, the country team should score an easy win. The following composed the Auckland team Full-back, A. Freeman; three-quarters, W. Rhodes. J. Warnock, T. Roberts; halves, H. Stevenson C. Freeman; forwards, I. Mills, H. Donald, C. Brady, C. Stone, H. Valentine, J. Cole, H. Speight, J. Heffernan, and R. VV. Hallamore. Newton supplies seven men, City three, North Shore two, Grafton two, and Suburbs one. Masefield, Braund, and Ramsay, of Ponsonby, were unable to go, and the Parnellite3 preferred to remain at home for the purpose of having a practice match together in preparation for their contest against the crack Taranaki club, Stars, which eventuates on Saturday next. Mr. F. W. Edwards accompanied the Auckland team to Dargaville yesterday, on behalf of the Auckland Rugby Union. The Parnell Football Club will play a match at Epsom between the senior team selected to play against the Star Club, of New Plymouth, on "the ISfch inst, and the second fifteen of the club. The teams are :—Seniors : Hedges, Fitchett, Kissling, Simpson, Elliott, Edmonds, Wright, Geard, Anderson, Clarke, Lawford, Speight, Evitt, Murphy, Beamish. Juniors: Crozier, R. Brodie, Mitchell, W. Brodie, Pearce, Kay, Hodgson, Whitley, Gallaher, Campbell, Tapper, Peachey, Mellis, Conolly, Movie, Taylor. Ponsonby 11. will play a team of Allcomers. The team will be picked from the following : —Masefield, Trevarthan, Heaps, Symons, Katterns, Kellv, Wright, Patterson, Brabant, Drummond, Downey, Tait, Greeuhough, Graham, Beecroft, Merritt, Woods, Horton, Robertson, Carlaw. Much interest is centred in the football match to be played at Ngaruawahia to-day between Hamilton and Huutly. The rivalry between the two clubs has always been great, and a stubborn contest should result. The following players represent Huntly county : Gleesou, Absolum, Lovell (2), Harris, Johnson, Clout, McMillan, Cullen, Tate, Matuion, Campbell, Atwell (2), Welsh. The annual match between employees of the Star and Herald offices takes place this afternoon at Ellerslie. The brakes will laave the Herald office at 2 p.m. sharp. The following will represent their respective teams Star: F. Drum, W. Boulton, T. Ryan, G. Kirkham, R. Wilson, H. White, H. Lyman, A. Francis, J. Scott, D. Kirk, H. Chatwin, A. Webster, J. Poolev, F. Poole, J. Whelan; emergencies, M. Grace, P. Harvey, A. Buckley, A. Sims. Herald : Horsepool, Blewden, Erett, Wilkinson, Mackie, Currie, Rotherharn, Horton (2), Graham (2), Archer, Brannigau, Loggie, Hoare; emergencies, Mills, Stone, Wilson. Teams representing Law and Insurance played an interesting football match at Potter's Paddock on Wednesday afternoon, which ended in a win for the former by 15 poiuts to 3. The game was interesting, but considerably in. favour of the legal side, owing to their forwards being much heavier. For the winners, tries were secured by Hackett. Goldwater, and G. Pilkiiigton, one of which was converted by Langsford, and Holland kicked a goal from the field; while Holland, Hackett, Cantley, Goldwater, Langsford, and Wynyard all played good games. The scorer for the losing side was Palmer, wlio secured the ball from a strong run by Wilson. For Insurance, those who distinguished themselves were Pilkington, Somerfield, Heather, and Shortt of the backs, and Ronayne and Croker among the forwards. Mr. Ronayne gave every satisfaction with the whistle.

Last Saturday's match between Wellington and Auckland was so fully dealt with on Monday last that little remains to be said. The day was not a tit one to play football, the game being contested in the midst of heavy showers <>f rain and hail, whilst the ground was in a fearful condition. The Wellington men showed their superiority in all branches of the game, their backs especially playing a splendid game. . The Auckland forwards played a good game in the first spell, but in the second, when Wellington had the wind, they seemed to lose heart, and were altogether unable to resist the strong attacks that the visitors' vanguard made on their line, the local men being compelled to save no less than five times in ten minutes. Excuse has been made for the Auckland backs on account of them having to handle the leather with their bare hands, whilst their opponents had mittens; but this was not much of an advantage, for the visitors used their arms more than their hands in taking the ball, and seemed to have studied the art of catching the slippery oval. They no doubt had the advantage of being able to play in " Wellington weather," but I think the result would have been the same if the day had been fine. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. The Association Tournament is over, and Canterbury are the holders of the challenge shield. This has now being wop by Wellington, Otago, and Canterbury, and in the fitness of tilings it should be Auckland's turn next year. The Christchurch men must have wonderfully improved since 1892, when Wellington easily defeated them by 7 goals to nil. They are, however, lucky in having Mr. Rhodes as their president, and this victory will give the game a great impetus in the " City ot the Plains." The season iu Sydney has just closed, the curtain being dropped with the final of the Gardiner Shield between Pyrmont Rangers and Parkgrove. There was an attendance of 10,000, the Rangers eventually winning by 7 goals to 2. The game has gone ahead rapidly in New South Wales, and the matches played on the Sydney Cricket Ground have done much to popularise it. The way also in which the juniors are taking up the game is very encouraging, as over Pyrmont way one sees the round ball kicked everywhere. It makes Association men think that the day is not far distant when it will take as big a hold of the public fancy as the Rugby game is doing, and there is surely plenty of room for both games to flourish here as they do in the old country. CRICKET. " With the month of September at hand, cricketers are commencing to bestir themselves in getting material in order, and are already talking of the date of their annual meetings. The cricket season promises to be an unusually busy one, several visiting teams having already signified their intention of visiting us. It is to be hoped that cricketers will fare better in the matter of fine afternoons this year than they did in the past one. The ruin of cricket (says a Loudon paper) as witness the present condition of Notts, is the stonewaller playing for a draw. Cricket loses all its sport when the drawmaking element is introduced, and to deliberately avail oneself of the rain to bring about a draw can only be characterised as a shabby trick calculated to degrade the summer pastime in the eyes of all true cricket enthusiasts. A world of good would be done if in cases such as these it were left to the discretion of the umpires whether an almost finished game should be played out or not. The averagehunter spoils cricket just as much as the pothunter spoils the sport of cycling. An English colt named T. A. Curtis, played for Clifton College against Clifton, scored 228 not out in four hours. In his score were a 10 including overthrows, an 8, 2 sixes, and 5 fives. Hirst took 10 wickets for 53 runs playing for Yorkshire recently against Somerset, and also scored 31 not out. His bowling average for the first innings was 5 wickets for 9 runs.

Major Wardill, secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, has received a letter from Mr. A. E. Stoddart, informing him that the extra places in the English team will be filled up from Hewitt, Jackson, Gunu, and Brock well. Gay and Phillipaon are said to be keeping wickets very well, and Brockwell is in first-class batting form. A recent cablegram informed us that Brockwell has been definitely selected to fill one of the Pl The following are the leading English batting and bowling averages up to the middle of Julyßatting: Brockwell, 45; Abel, 38*52; Grace, 37*21; Newham, 36*47; Mordaunt. 36*77; Stoddart, 33*73; Bainbridge, 31*13; Jackson, 31; Chatterton, 30*84;' Key, 30*43; Fry, '26. Bowling: Richardson, 916; Pougher, 9*91; Pallett, 10*86; J. T. Hearne, 11*08; Martin, 11*50; W. Hearne, 11*98; Wainwright, 1272 Mold, 12 80. Lady Harris, the wife of the Governor of Bombay, is an ardent cricketer. In a recent match she was captain of the winning eleven. The Duchess of Westminster is also a cricket enthusiast. To Eaton Sail she occasionally invites ladies to play with her. On one occasion she bowled five ladies in four overs. Sutton-in-Ashfield, in Nottinghamshire, has given birth to more famous cricketers than any other town in England. More than twenty professionals leave that little hosiery town at the beginning of every cricket season. Sir Richard Webster is aa enthusiastic cricketer. At his beautiful Surrey home he regularly plays on the lawn in front of his house. At college he was a noted sprinter, and although he is now a stout, stalwart, country-looking gentleman, he is seldom run out. Though W. G. Grace played his first match at Lord's thirty years ago, his recent

score of 196 runs against Cambridge University was the highest innings he has ever played on the St. John's Wood Ground. W. Brockwell, the Surrey professional, who was top of the batting averages when the last mail lqft, and A. C. M'Laren, a Lancashire amateur, have joined Stoddart's team for Australia. Abel, of Surrey, declined to make the journey. In a recent match in England between Mr. A. B. Norman's Eleven v. Oakham School, A. B. Norman scored 104 not out, while for the school his son, G. B. Norman, replied with 112 not out. A meeting of the New South Wales Cricket Association was held on 27th ult. The business of the meeting was to deal with the proposed new rules and by-laws of the Association. Rules 6 and 7 were agreed to without alteration, as follows "6. Every club applying for admission to the Association must be the lessee or possessor of a cricket ground." "7. No club shall be admitted to representation in the Association unless it is in possession of an annual revenue from subscription of members of 20 guineas, nor unless it has 20 fully paid-up members; provided always the condition of rule 6 be complied with." Rule 8 reads: "Clubs shall be represented as follows, provided the members thereof have paid an annual subscription of half-a-guinea or more: From 20 to 40 members, one representative : 41 to 60 members, two representatives; 61 members, three representatives." Several amendments were dealt with, but as a two-thirds majority was required, and could not be obtained, neither the rule nor the amendments could be carried. The rule 8, therefore, stands as follows Each club shall be represented as follows: From 20 to 40 members, one representative; 41 to 63 members, two re presentatives; from 61 members, three representatives." Dr. E. M. Grace has been interviewed by a representative of the Cricket Field, and he tolls a story of how he became a bowler of " lobs." He said he never dreamt of bowling such things in a match until playing against Soath Wilts in 1861. "We couldn't get the South Wilts men out," said he ; "and at last the captain came up to me and said ' Do you think you could manage to bowl a few lobs?' I said, ' Oh, yes; it's all the same to me.' So I went on, and a good deal to my surprise took seven wickets in each innings. After that I thought they might be worth cultivating." The lobs, however, nearly got him into trouble on one occasion when playing for eighteen of Surrey Club and Ground against the United All-England eleven. He Bays:—'"l had been bowling round-arm at one end, and I. D. Walker was on with lobs at the other. We could not get Jupp out. At last Walker said to me, 'Do you think you could get him out if you tried lobs?' I said I believed I could with high tosses. So I gave him one which must have gone up fifteen yards, and Jupp hit it for two. The next ball was even higher, and Jupp turned from it, thinking it would go over the wicket. But it didn't, for it just dropped nicely on the top of the middle stump. Then there was a tremendous roar. The crowd broke in, and howled, and hissed, and hooted ; and, in self-defence, I took up one of the stumps and walked into the pavilion for fea.r of accidents. It was threequarters of an hour before we could go on with the game." CYCLING.

A sports meeting held conjointly by the Redfera Bicycle Club and Sydney Harriers was brought off at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Saturday week, and proved to be a most successful affair. About 4000 people were present. The great event was the Onemile Bicycle Championship of New South Wales, in which Kerr, Alphonso Brown, Simpson, and J. C. Cameron were competitors. When Simpson beat Kerr at Brisbane recently much speculation followed as to what would be the result of their next meeting, while in the coming race the merits of Alphonso Brown as a fast and rapidly improving rider were also duly considered. Cameron simply came into the race by virtue of having won the Redtern Club's championship ; but when the field was started for the championship event he set the pace, and to a considerable extent forced the others to ride a fast race also. There were the usual exchanges between Simpson and Kerr, but coming to the last lap Kerr dashed to the front, on the inside, and, drawing gradually away, won practically unchallenged in the last 150 yards with 10 yards to spare. The real race was for second place, and Brown, coming with a splendid spurt at the finish, cut Simpson down a few yards from home, and got second place by about 18 inches. The time was 2m. 32 4 ss, an d stands sis the grass record, Kerr's previous best being 2m. 333. in the mile championship last year. He has also a record of 2m. 31s. for the first mile in a two mile race at the Suburban Sports last year. Kerr's win was well received, and deservedly so, as he rode a determined race with good judgment, and he was heartily cheered on returning to the pavilion. Brown's finish quite justified what has been said of the improved form he is showing, but it is probable that Simpson was not seen at his best. He rode a good honest race, but did not seem to be quite up to concert pitch, an impression that , was strengthened by his somewhat laboured riding when he came out for another race later on. The one mile championship of the Redfern Club brought out afieid of eight. J. C. Cameron took the lead in the second lap, and held first place for the rest of the journey, winning from A. Griffith by a couple of yards, with A. Wearing third. The open half-mile was won by A. Wearing, off the 75yards mark, in lm 10 2-sth s., after a great finish with A. Griffith, whom he only beat by a few inches. Wearing also won the open three-mile event, with the comfortable start of 420 yards, but he had nothing to spare from E. Griffith, who was on the same mark. Jones, the New Zealand champion, failed to make his mark this time, but he will do better next Saturday. On Wednesday evening, July 4th, on the Manchester Athletic Club track, C. W. Schafer, Anfield 8.C., successfully lowered the path record for 50 miles, 2hr. 15inin. 35sec., which has stood to the credit of J. Reilly, Manchester Wheelers, since June, 1893, by accomplishing the distance in 2hr. 6min. 40sec. Schafer rode throughout with good judgment, and his time was remarkably even, the distance covered in the first hour being 23 miles 1315 yards, or 844 yards better than the previous Northern hour's record, the time for 50 miles being some Bmin. 55sec. better than the previous record. A late number of Cycling says " Harry R. Carter, who up to the last hour of the Putney ' twenty-four' looked like smothering Shorland's record, is a slim, lightly-made strip of humanity, brimful of pluck and go. He looks at you through a pair of spectacles, generally with a pensive, most serious gaze, but when roused to or by mirth, seriousness is cast aside, and he smiles refreshingly. Saturday's event is the first 'twenty-four' Carter has been through, so that his performance is all the more meritorious. It will be remembered that he ran second to Lucas in a twelve hours' contest at Manchester, and in the North Road ' twentyfour' of '92, he kept with Shorland for twelve hours, then discontinuing the race. In the Putney contest Carter rode under circumstances that could hardly be called satisfactory. A big thunderstorm was raging at the start, and during the day the wind was boisterous and troublesome. His performance was a grand one, and that, with better surroundings, he can do a lot better is a certainty." Those cyclers who are tender-skinned and suffer from foot-soreness when riding long distances, should prevent the evil from arising by applying a mixture of saiicylic and mutton suet. It has the effect of hardening the most tender epidermis. Take Captain Cuttle's advice, and "when found make a note of," for the season of touring is at hand.

A plough must be a, nice sort of thing to collide with in the dark. A cyclist recently had the experience, and a very close shave. The plough was left on the road by a careless agriculturist. The cyclist claimed £6, damages to the machine, and the defence apparently amounted to an insinuation that the cyclist tried to kill himself, just to annoy the man of toil. The magistrate did not take this extreme view, but only awarded a part of the claim.

An unexpected competitor has turned up for the Sydney Club's race meeting which takes place to-day in the arrival from Noumea of C. Du Bois, a rider of first-class ability. It is understood that long-distance events are his specialty, and the i'en Miles Championship of Australasia will be more lively still with this competitor amongst our own and the New Zealand and Queensland men.

A Dunedin writer says the Dunedin Cycling Club had 114 members on their roll last season and only received £25 for subscriptions. A cyclist named Thomas Edwards, aged 27, ran into a spring cart at Bendigo on the 24th ultimo, and received injuries which caused his death. The cart was being driven without lights. The arrangements for the Bordeaux to Paris race were vecy complete. A special train followed up the competitors all the way to pick up exhausted pacemakers, and retired competitors; rather a temptation to " chuck it," perhaps. The value of physical exercise, and cycling in particular, was proven by a physician recently, who asserted that if 20 minutes a , day were spent in this manner, as an adjunct to mental education, most people might live to 70 without a day's illness, and perhaps prolong their lives to 100 years. Rather a large order, but it certainly contains an element of feasibility. SWIMMING. Swimmers held high carnival-at th« West India Dock, exponents of > the natatory art ; being present from all parts of Europe. The i big event of the day was the Mile Championi hip, in which Tyers, the best amateur

swimmer in all England, was opposed by Fritz Kniese,' the champion of Ear ope, and Oscar M. Pollack, of Hamburg, as well as 11 other swimmers of equally famous renown. But; Tyers made short work of them. He led from the start, and was never in danger of being approached. His first 220 yards was covered in 3m. 135.; 440 yards in 6m. 335.; 660 yards in 10m. 455.; 880 yards in 13m. 425.; 1100 yards in 19m. 225.; 1320 yards in 20m. 46s • 1540 yards in 24m. 315.; and the full distance in 27m. 51 l-sth s. - His nearest opponent was A. A. Green, of the Otter Club, who finished in 29m. 4s. Jarvis, of Leicester, as plucky a swimmer as ever breathed, was third in 29m. 135.; and Kniese, the German champion, who from start to finish . swam in stern, bull-dog fashion, was fourth in 31m. ss. The visitor, who is undoubtedly a good swimmer, but has a bad arm and body action, although his leg kick is remarkably good, was heartily applauded by the crowd. When he finished he jumped oh to the starting bo ird and warmly shook the victor's hand. I am informed that Professor Beaumont has recently, in a private trial at Melbourne, stayed under water 4m. 503. This is a big performance, but the Professor feels equal to 5m., and when my last advices left New South Wales was preparing for another trial. It is probable that the proposed match between Beaumont and' the Australian pearl diver, Edward Trimm, will still come off, despite the ■ immense amount of paper talk which has been indulged inAQUATICS. St. Ignatius College regatta committee announce an additional race for October 13. This is a senior pair-oar race in clinker-built tub pairs. No entrance fee will be charged, but there will be handsome gold medals for prizes. The boats must not be of a better class than those now in use as practice boats. It is doubtful if doing away with the usual entrance fee is a wise thing, as bona fide. crews will always pay iees- When there have been no fees we have found crews entering who have had no intention of competing. It is expected that very few scullers will enter for the amateur champion sculls of Victoria. Powell is the only certain starter. Ainley has definitely retired. The New South Wales champion (Lambert) may go over if he can spare the time. _ He would be very proud to add the Victorian champion- | ship to his local honours, and it is said that on his present form he could win. S. Emtnett, who has recently shown good work on the Thames, has been matched against T. Campbell for £100 a side, to row over the Thames championship course, September 17. Campbell is a new man, who is regarded as likely to turn out well. Emmett has already performed very well, and he should win. Harding is still without a match. He evidently is a real good man, and will yet be matched against some of the first-class scullers. The Wellington yacht Girola was offered at auction last week. The highest bid was £105, and she was passed in at that amount.

OUR YACHT BUILDING. We are glad to notice that yet another new industry has been started in Auckland by the well-known firm of Messrs. Seagar Brothers, boilermakers, Lower Hobsonstreet, who are at present constructing a new class of yacht for cruising in the Auckland and neighbouring waters, to the order of Mr. R. Masefield, engineer, of this city; and by the general appearance and outline of the little craft now in frame at the works, she presents every quality of being one which will give entire satisfaction to Mr. Masefield, and reflect great credit upon the builders who are entrusted with her construction. The yacht was designed by Mr. William Seagar, the senior member of the firm, and will be a five-rater built of steel, which latter fact, I hare no doubt, will make it very interesting to all local yachtsmen, insomuch as this is the first vessel of that description that has ever been built in Auckland. Her dimensions are 31 feet 1.w.1., 44 feet over-all, 8 feet 8 inches beam, and having a draught of six _ feet. The most noticeable feature of the little vessel is her keel plate, which extends two feet below the bottom of the boat, and is five-eighths-inch thick steel, and on the bottom of this keel plate will be affixed her lead ballast in bulb shape, which fact, . I have no doubt, will give her a great advantage in power and displacement. The framing is of one and aquarter inches steel angle, and the hull of one-eighth steel plate, with the exception of the garboard streak, which will be of threesixteenths steel plate.

THE SINKING OP THE VALKVRIE. The following account of the sinking of the Valkyrie is from the Field " The opening day of the Mudhook Regatta will be memorable in yachting story. At the outset a deplorable collision occurred between the Satanita and Valkyrie, which resulted in the sinking of the latter nine minutes afterwards, and at the close of the day the most exciting finish imaginable resulted in the victory of the Prince of Wales' cutter Britannia-over the valorous American champion, the Vigilant. It was something really inscrutable that nothing worse than injuring a man happened, seeing that the Satanita ran stem on' into the broadside of the Valkyrie when tearing along with a tremendous head of speed on. The Greta, which was flagship, was lying just clear of the fleet at anchor, and, immediately before the start, the Valkyrie was earning on starboard tack with a clear line to skim close to the flagship and secure the highest weather berth possible. The Satanita, which was reaching in on port tack with Britaunia in her wake, was bent on standing on until she could stay on Valkyrie's weather quarter. A small craft, however, with four men in her, blocked Satanita's course, and in common humanity the helm was eased to clear them ; this was Dareiy accomplished as the bow wave of Satanita washed one of the men overboard, and the boat was no sooner cleared than Satanita's amateur helmsman found it physically impossible to get the vessel off. The skipper of Satanita, helping at the tiller, could not avoid the inevitable, and she smashed stem on into the Valkyrie, cutting in two her port side between rigging and runners to below the water line about 6 feet into the deck. Satanita's bowsprit broke off and came back in board, and the force of the collision drove Valkyrie right round until she gybfed one way and Satanita the other, and ultimately drove Valkyrie broadside on to the Vanduara steam yacht, with the result that a lot of bulwarks of the latter were carried away, and her large steam launch smashed up. At the time of the collision a number of Valkyrie's men jumped overboard, fearing the probable falling of gear, while others got on Satanita. The vessels remained locked, and Satanita thus kept the Valkyrie up, but when she blew back clear, the Valkyrie at once began to take a port list, and directly after the stern rose in the air and the Valkyrie went down head first. Lord Dunraven, who had guests on board, including ' two ladies, was late in leaving the vessel, bat with so many yachts near, there was plenty of help at hand. Neither owner nor crew were able to save anything, and a good many valuables went down with the Valkyrie. It may be said that just as she was settling down the topmast broke off, and at low water she was showing her masthead some ten feet. A diver, however, undertook to go down. Satanita's damage is a great gaping chasm, coming from about ten inches above the copper upwards, and back to about six frames on one side, and three the other, while several deck beams are broken. Satanita lost no other spars than bowsprit, but her topmast was at one time bent like a bow _ through some of the Valkyrie's gear hooking the backstays. It was 355. before the starting gun that the collision occurred, and the match between Britannia and Vigilant commenced unperceived by many. ■ Lynx. C THE NEW SOUTH WALES FOOTBALLERS. [BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Friday. The official reception to the New South Wales football team was largely attended by the public, including the Mayor, City Councillors, several members of Parliament, leading citizens, and representatives of all branches of sport. Owing to the late hour at which the House rose this morning no member of the Government was present. The Mayor, Captain Russell, Mr. H. D. Bell (president of the local Union), and Mr. E. D. Hoben (secretary New Zealand Union), spoke, extending a hearty welcome. The manager for the visitors, in reply, attributed their (noii-success to the superior back play of the New Zealand men. The following have been picked to represent Wellington Fullback, Davidson ; threequarters, Wynyard, Gage, Duncan; halves, Bennett, rudney; forwards, Kelly, MacKenzie, Young, Jack, Swmdley, Campbell, 1 Maber, Pringle, Bishop; emergency, Dacre. . .• • v, m,< v.;.-, New South Wales will be represented as follows : —Fullback, Cobb ; threequarters, Dibbs, Lusk, Surman; halves, Riley, Galloway ; forwards, Lane, Henlon, Hanna, Carson, Alcock, Lohan, Wiburd, Scott, Edwards. Mr. G. C. Facht will act as referee toi morrow.