AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20760, 31 December 1930, Page 15

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

MEETING AT WHATAWHATA

PROSPECTS OF AUCKLANDERS

ROSE IN SOLID TRAINING.

Since the inter-club contest at New Lynn things have boon quiet, in athletic circles in Auckland and only a few runners have been doing any training at the Domain. To-morrow's meeting at Whatawhata, however, will start the ball rolling again and some very close racing should result as the handicapping has made practically every event very open. The 100 yds. is an exception, as R. L. Dai ley, off 16yds., looks a certainty, while Kerr-Taylor, on 12yds., should fill second place, with third place going to .T. E. Mills, the Hamilton crack. The 220 yds. is more open. Henry and Mills, on 10yds., will bo hard to beat, while Speake, of Hamilton, on 21yds., is sure to be close up at the finish.

The back-markers will have a hard task in tlie 440 yds.. as getting through a big field is very difficult on tho Whatawhala course with its sharp bends. Savidan, if ho starts, will bo very hard to beat off 16yds., and J. Dolan, on 28yds., appears to havo tho best chance of the front men. Tho quarter milo is perhaps Mills' best distance, and off syds. lie should beat both Henry and Meredith. In the 880 yds., Shaw, of Hamilton, is very liberally treated with 55yds., and with Goodwin, now of Taumarunui, on 75yds., ho should fight out the finish. The scratch men do not appear to have much chance, although Mills, oil 10yds., is sure to be close up at the finish. Tho two distance events, the 1000 yds. and the mile, are very open, and both should bo great races. In each race the limit men are on big marks. In the shorter ovent, Shaw, 70yds.; Goodwin, 120 yds.; and G. Piatt, on 70yds., will be hard to catch, while J. Cram, on 40yds., and Cooper, on 14yds., may do the best of the others. The same runners all have a chance in the mile, but Savidan will be harder to beat over the extra distance, and A. B. Browne, on 30yds., is very well treated, as this is his best distance.

The contest for the points cup should be very close, although last year's winner, J. E. Mills, appears likely to again score, providing surprises from unknown runners on good marks do not upset calculations. Barker is well back in each event and will have to produce his best form to gain any places. Reports from tho South state that R. A. Rose is in solid training on his farm in Wanganui and should bo in great form by the time tho Americans are here. D. Evans, the New Zealand half and one mile champion, recently ran lm. 58 l-ss. for 880 yds. in his first start of the season and his trainer considers he will easily do lm. 555. if he specialises in this distance.

W. Bayne and G. Willis, a newcomer from Queensland this year, are tho leading distance men in Wellington this season, although Cecil McCarthy, the young runner who did so well in tho cross-coun-try championship, is rapidly improving and may soon displaco tho other two on the scratch mark.

VERSATILE SWIMMER.

ENGLISH LADY CHAMPION.

PERFORMANCES IN AMERICA.

Mss Joyce Cooper, English swimming champion, gave an impressive display of speed and versatility during a brief competitive visit to the United States recently. Within two weeks she engaged in four free stylo and two backstroke matches again a pair <?f leading American lady swimmers. She scored three victories and her American rivals had to clip world's record time to defeat her in two of tho other contests.

Particularly noteworthy was Miss Cooper's final race, in which she not only defeated, over 150 yards backstroke, Miss E. Holm, the American recordholder, hut put up a new world's record of lm 55 4-ss.

COURAGEOUS ATHLETE.

RUNS WITH BROKEN KNEECAP In winning the second heat of the women's 90 yards hurdles at a recent meeting at tho Sydney Sports Ground, Miss Clarice Kennedy (Western Suburbs) established a new Australian and State record. However, she ha'd started against medical advice, suffering from an injured knee, which, .in the race, was actually heard to crack as she landed over the fifth hurdle.

That she finished at all is truly remarkable, but tho fact that she broke the record ranks her performance as one of tho most courageous in the history of athletics, irrespective of sex. Her leg gave way completely after the race and she had to bo assisted from the ground. On examination it was found she had fractured her right kneecap and she was admitted to hospital, where she is expected to remain some time.

STRANGE CRICKET RULING.

SOUTH AFRICAN DECISION.

News has been received in England that some weeks ago tho South African Board of Control, which had boon asked for an opinion on tho point, passed a resolution declaring that tho match between England and The Reef, played in Docember, 1909, was not a first-class match. As many as four days wero set apart for the match, in which six of Tho Reef men can be recalled as test cricketers, and all the other five as Currio Cup players. On the strength of this very belated action it is seriously suggested that tho first-class averages of the 1909 tour should bo revised, if only because there should bo unanimity as to the number of runs mado by Ho'bbs in first-class cricket! The whole affair is descried by English writers as Gilbortian and they do not hesitate in saying that tho South African ruling will not bo accepted.

LINDRUM'S BILLIARDS.

SECRET OF CANNON PLAY.

Notwithstanding his vast superiority of skill, Walter Lindrum has learnt a lot in the past few years from professional intercourse with the world's best billiards players. Long hours of daily practice, combined with parental advice, led to perfection of stroke play, and tho development of ball-control; but Lindrum, being intensely observant, extended his knowlodgo by watching other artists at the table.

For instance, it was from Claude Falkinor that ho picked up the "stun" stroke, as applied to nursery cannons. Lindrum had been in the habit of making cannons by working them along the cushion on the "tap, tap" system. Watching Falkincr in action, ho discovered the advantago of stunning tho first qbject ball, and retaining position for numberless cannons by keeping it against the cushion.