ATHLETIC NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 56

ATHLETIC NOTES

(By “Advance. • Among the yisdtons to Wellington last week were Messrs E. Nor don, Secretary af the League, of Wheelmen,, Mr T. ■Duncan, Secretary of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society, Air T. Keating, Secretary of the Marlborough Hibernian Society, and Mr W. A,. Oathro, Secretary of the Eltliam Caledonian Society. The Blenheim. St. George’s Day Sports T»re held on the 20th inst, although that holiday falls on the 23rd inst, Several North Islanders entered at the Ineating bait none of them put in an apperanoe. G.. Kinsey won, ■ the three distances of i&s St George’s Handicap, T. Burke the half-mile, A. Draper the ppen 100 yards, and 11. Mears the Forced Handicap. H. McCabe won the one and two miles Bicycle Handicaps from scratch. The objection . lodged against A. Radkeville, winner of the half-mile at the Blenheim Hibernian Sports, has ibt?©n upheld and the stakes awarded to T. O’Leary:, who finished second. The ground otf the objection was that Baskeville ran a lap short. iL. C. MdLaoblan was in Wellington Just week on, Jiis return from the South fend returned to Napier on Monday last. The champion informed me that he did not take the times he -was credited with doing at Southland seriously. The men he met at Cromwell and Clyde are only third-raters. He did a trial at Dunedin and was satisfied he was not running within four or five yards of his best form of two seasons back. He may journey to Sydney in a few weeks and put in the winter there. The first meeting -of the Koponga Athletic Club was held on the 21st inst. J W. Paterson appears to have got back to his best form. He won the 220 yards and 4.40 yards events from Scratch. In the furlong event he was followed home by Everiss (6yds) and Oathro (Iyd). In the quarter event Everiss (12yds) and Fischer (15yds) were plaoed. Oathro won the 100 yards from scratch with Richardson (syds) and Everiss (4yds) placed. Cathro also won the 150 yards Forced Handicap. M. Murphy (20yds) won the mile with H. R aynor (scr) and A. Whiting (30'yds) in the places. W. Hughes (syds behind) Scored in the 120 yards hurdles. H. O. Belcher (owes 7yds) and Morgan (scratch) dead heated for- second place. JMurphy (30yds) also won the half-anile With Allen (35yds) second. Says “Harrier” in the “Australasian”: The latest amateurs to join the professional ranks, are G. Blake (Melbourne Harriers), the ten miles recordholder, and a cross-country champion ; G. W. Sweetland (Clifton and NorthOote H.) another capable distance runper; and V. Steet CEssendon H), with Whom that club expected this year to win the novice race. I am told that George Blake’s foot will no (longer stand the cross-country or 'distance work, and that is the reason given for ihis secession, but as he is certain ly no sprinter, and amateurs are well provided for in the matter of middle distance races, it strikes me as no reason at all. George Blake is one of the last I should have expected to go over, but though I think he is making a mistake,. I wish him every luck. The professional mile race p.t the Eight-hours’ sports is well sprinkled with ex-amateurs, including R. C. feynas, scratch; G. Blake, 30yds; H. E. Obambers, R. O. Trevan, 60yds; A. Fiddyanent, 00yds; W. ... E. O’Hara, 05yds; G. W. Sweetland, 100yds. . Air Mark Williams evidently takes a very ifliffereiif view of the relative merits/ of Blake and Sweetland to that Ojt’ssctained by the amateur handk jpapper, who would pi! ace them nearly { OH a par, and would certainly give them

more than 30 yards from Sutton or Wheatley. With a “boom” in professional athletics it iis only natural (writes “Prodigal” in the “Sydney Referee,”)that a larger than usual number of men who have been in the “trophy” class should go over to the “cash” —in other -words, forfeit their amateur status and join the professional ranks. It is something we look for, and, far from finding fault with the seceders, they must bo commended. It is not with the man who straightforwardly states that he hopes to make money out of his athletic ability that amateurism has 'to beware; it is the man who makes money'by betting, fixing up heats, and “working” athletics for all there is in it by various methods, all the time managing to keep in the amateur class. The quasi amateur is a thousand times more harmful to amateurism £han the straight-out pro.