NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 62

NOTES BY AMATEUR.

The team of world's champions were reported at the Bluff in the best of health on Tuesday morning, and before this is in print will have arrived at Dunedin. DtifFey, Widmer, and Wheatley can rely on, a warm welcome to Dunedin, and, given a fin© day on Saturday, will have the pleasure of showing theii prowess before the largest attendance yet seen at a sporte meeting in Dunedin.

The visitors -will stay at Waiu's Hotel, where every attention will -be shown them. It is intended to entertain them at a smoke concert at the Carlton Dining Rooms on Friday night, and on Sunday they will bo taken a drive to Waitati, and given an. opportunity of seeing; some of Dunedin's best scenery. Mr Harry Thompson ha? kindly consented to trair the visitors during their stay in Dunedin. Mr Thompson is an experienced trainer, having put Ca\ill and Creaghe through their preliminaries, besides having had in hand some of our best cracks at one time or another. Mr Thompson will probably be assisted by Mr A. E. Clarke, who has kindly volunteered for this duty. The hopes of those connected with the management were raised temporarilly on Monday, when it was rumoured that Shrubb had left with the team. This proved incorrect, so that the only hope left is that he may come by Sydney and arrive in time for Saturday's fixture.

Th© latest performance of Duffey and Widmer when pitted against one another in Melbourne gives every promise of a magnificent struggle between the pair at CarisbroolL Giving Wiflmer iyd in the 100 yds Duffev just got home 2in in front of him in 10 3-10 sec. Duffey is apparently on the improve, while Widmer is in rare. nick, having this year -put up 10 l-lO^ec for a hundred. Saturday's race between this pair -will make history in amateur athletics in New Zealand.

Whoatley will throw down the gauntlet to our own man, Hector Burk, m tho mile, and this struggle will be another memorable event. Everyone knows Burk's recent brilliant performances over the mile, and Wlheatley is Australia's champion representative over the dist-a.ticp. The next best item to the appearance of these cracks will be the Relay 1 Race for teams representing clubs. The Dunedfn Amateur Athletic Club claim for their No. 1 team the distinction of being the best four quarter -milers ever seen out in a Relay Race. And certainly when one reads the names this tirlo seems fair. Imagine Burk, O'Xane, Hamann. and Hoare, each a topnotohev ovfv Hip- rli^tancc. competing in or.c train! The Goix team is lopuird to he

a hot quartet, and tho Civil Service are quietly confident that they can reoeat thtir performance put up at the evening meeting- this >cai.

A no-el feature will be the team race for fire brigades, each man to run in uniform. A larg« entry is as-sured, and a good race will eventuate. The race- for school boys under -16 ha^, attracted a good entry, and the small boys will give a good exhibition. The crack Dunedin Band has been engaged, and will play a special programme, besides a march.

The team for the championship meeting at Christchurch will leave by the first express on Thursday, the 16th. Anyone desirous of making the trio with the team should communicate with H. Mackintosh, hon. secretary of the centre, at once. The Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club held th^s final of their evening meetings on Friday when tho tpnth of the series was mn off. There was one of the best; attendances of tlie season, and ihe tiaek was, despite the recent rain, in fair order. Proceedings opened with the 440 Hurdles, in which there were three, starters, and O'Kane had no difficulty in accounting for this event, although Halligan showed promise of better things when more experienced over the sticks. O'lvanc's performance is welcome, seeing that he will represent Otago in the Championship event run over this distance. The 600 yds Handicap proved a gift for Heitor Burfc, who again showed what a fine runner he is. Elxcept Brown, no one made a race of it, and the Otago champion ran home in lmin 17sec.

It was dark when the Two-mile came up for consideration, and the race was robbed of a deal of interest by the withdrawal of the backmarkers. Dowland made every post a winning post, and although Bonnin, running barefoot, made a great effort in the last lap, and got within striking distance, the limit man won fairly easily, the time given being 9min 51 4-ssec.

The D.A.A.C. are to be complimented on the success of those fixtures, -which have done incalculable good in kc-cpinjr intercut alive in the sport. The club will, I believe, come out on tho right side of tie ledger over the meerings — the first time since the evening gatherings were inaug'.ilated. The club are indebted to all the other clubs for their support, to the Gore Club for sending a relay team, and to the Civil Service Club for tho largie measure cf support accorded throughout the whole season. To those g-entlem-en -who turned! out every evening, wet or dry, to act as officials, the club is under a deep debt of gratitude, while the services of Mr W. M'Dcnald as handicapper and starter have been invaluable. Mr A. Hoare has proved a splendid secretary, and in this capacity las received valuable assistance- from Mr W. L. M'Curdy.

Melville, who is picked to represent Otago at Christchurch, ha* been slightly off-colour the last few days. I hope this promising distance runner will be. fit enough to ably second Burk's efforts at the meeting.

M'Lachlai, Otago's representative over the High and Pole Jump, will be a competitor on Saturday at the Shrubb-Duffey meeting.

The Secretary of the N.Z.A.A.A. reported at the* last meeting of the council the receipt of cablegrams from the secretary of the Victorian Association, stating that A. F. Duffey, G. A. Widmer, and G. A. Wheatley had left Melbourne on Wednesday for Dunedin. A. H. Shrubb had been prevented by illness from travelling with them, but would probably be able to-Jeave a week later. Telegrams from the Otago Centre in reference to the matter were read, the Centre asking whether Shrubb could reach Dunedin in time for the sports meeting to b v held there on Saturday, March 11. It was agreed thai the Otago Centre should be informed' that Shrubb would probably be unable to compete at Dunedin, but it ■was suggested tha. the Australian representatives, Messrs Widmer and Wheatley, should be invited to compete instead. The secretary was instructed to communicate with the Auckland, Wellington, and Otago Centres, asking them to include scratch races for the visitors in the piogrammes of ibeir meetings.

The Wdikare, with Arthu'- Duffey, the American sprinter and lOOyds' world's record holder on board, together with Wheaticy and Widmer, the Australian runners who are to competa in New Zealand, arrived at the Bluff yesterday. The athletes will arrive in Dunedin this (Wednesday) morning.

Palmer, the "University athlete, who has made such a favjurable impression this eeaeon on the tradk, has departed for London, where, I understand!, he will pursue his medical studies. Palmer, is a fine stamp of young colonial, and' will, I am sure, be heard of ere long on the tracks in England. The team to represent Otago at the forthcoming eha iipionships at Ohristchurch will consist of H. Burk, A. Melville, and T. Harrison, distance runners; E. B. Fraser, W. J. O'Kane, A. Hoare, sprint events ; J. M'Lachlan and J. Casey, field event? ; and R. E. Brown and A. Greig-, walks. In addition A. Halligan. a very premising- high and long 1 jumper, will make- the trip, and should he prove successful his points will -be a welcome addition to the tally. The team may be considered a fairly strong oue, and should score a goodly number of points. Its weakness lies in the field event men, Juriss and Dr Buck not being available this year.

Of thy individual members Burk stands head and' shoulders over anyone else, and in whatever race he starts can be depended on to give a good exhibition. I understand he is entered in the quarter, half, mile, and three miles. Ec should win. the mile outright, will probably win the quarter if he- starts, but is an unlikely starte-r in ihe half-mile. The three mile- will prove interesting- if he starts. Melville, is not at present in the best of condition, but, if well, will run into a place- in either the nJle or three-mil© ; while Harrison, who is a new runner with a taking style, should run into a* place in th© mile. Among tho sprinters, Fraser, of Oamaru, should do well, and his meeting with Hartlend in the 220 yds, in ihe light of the great struggle betAveen the pair over tbat distance in Dunedin. should provide a grand race. Fraser will also run in the 100 yds, in which G'Kane should be more than his equal. O'Kane is another star performer, and' in his own Jine — hurdling — should register points for his team. Hoare has been unable to train consistently this season, but only requires to como back to his fprm of a yean ago to be with the best of them. j. M'Lachlan, of Clinton, is expected to do well in the high and pole jumps, while he may jiut u& a, respectable.. JMrfgxmange

over the -tick-. Cas°y has not bc<-n at his best this '-.eason, but 15 row training fis-iduously, and if tho opiosilion is not too strong will gain points in the shot putting.

In the walks Otago has a worthy representative in Bz-own, whcoo present form suggests great possibilities. His style is absolutely fair, and his opponents will have to hurry to shake off the Otago man at the business end of each race. CJreig, a walker of reputation, who has been absent from the track for some time, is training, and expects to do well in the three miles. It is possible one or two others may make th? trip. Halligan has so far done nothing worthy of championship form, but his style suggests that he will be a topnotcher in the jump?. Ho is quite a young fellow, and has just taken up athletics seriously. The team will probably leave Dunedin on Thursday, the 16th.

The following letter speaks for itself: — Dear "Amateur," — Regarding the action of the N.Z.A.A.A. in paying the expenses of two Australians to compete in New Zealand with Shrubb and Duffey, perhaps it may interest you to know that your remarks o i the matter are endorsed by many of tho rank and file of athletes in Canterbury. : The general idea seems to be that we have j just as good men of our own to compete ag-ainst the world's champions, and that even regarding the Australians merely as a draw card, the expenditure of £50 (or more) is not justified. To my mind, the most noteworthy thing about the council's action is the utter contrast between its precipitate eagerness fo spend money now and its extreme niggardliness and apathy Oji previous occasions, whon the true inteie.sts of sport wire at stake. I instance the way it "squelched" tho New Zealand Cross-country Championship, a fixture which would have survived without its financial assistance if it had not gone out of its way to throw cold water on it. If tht council had been alive to the tme interests of amateur sport it would, instead of trying to kill cross-country running, have fostered and encouraged it, to the effect that we might now have had such doughty opponents for Shrubb that there would be no need to buy an expensive additional interest to the meetings by importing an Australian to compete against him.— l am. etc., P. Malthits. Timaru, February 28.

The following team has been selected to represent. Canterbury at the amateur athletic championship meeting to be held at Lancaster Park on March 17 and 18: — Sprints— P. H. Hartland, W. Anderson, H. Si Williams, and W. H. Moyos ; distances — W. F. Simpson, W. C. Flewellyn, H. A. Murray, and B. Culverhouse; walks— P. H. Stubberfield and R. Twyneham ; hurdles — R J. Dansey. F. S. Harley. and M. Rosingrave : -high iump—C L. Orbell, C. F. D. Cook, and M. Rosingrave ; long jumn — R. J. Dansey, F. H. Francis, and E. Fraser ; pole jump, M Rosingrave ; putting the weight, S. Baird and O. E. M'Cormack ; throwing hammer— S. Baird, O. E. M'Cormack, and G. P. Anderson.

The sub-committee of the Otago Centre that has the matter in hand of entertaining the visiting athletes at the Otsgo Centre's meeting on March 11, has decided to give a dinner in honour of the visitois on the evening of the sports, at which the prizes will of the sports, at which the prizes will be presented, and on tho following day it has been suggested to take thorn a drive to one of Dunedin's bsauty spots.

As an old harrier (being one of the Sydney Harriers' champions eight years ago) I take great interest in all the Witness says about Shrubb and Duffey (writes a Sydney correspondent), so shall try and send 3'ou something about Rowley (the only man likely to hustle Duffey here) and Barker, although the latter won't trouble, the visitor much if Duffey is in form. When I was running we had a champion long-distance man named Biggs, who. if here and fit, would take Shrubb along "quick and lively"; but we havenT: a long distance runner now worthy of the name. Can you lend us one? Where, oh, where are tho Dalrymples, Corners, Morpeths, Biggs, etc.? How the sport, has languished — outside of the clubs hardly anyone seems to know whether there arc any such people as harriers nowadays.

The Wellington Athletic Club has selected the following representatives to represent the Welington Centre at the New Zealand championship m-eetins. Wellington reOTesentatives. : — One and Three-mile Walks, F. Ross; One and Three-mile Flat. J. H. Prenderville : Quarter, Half, and ' Mile, W. H. Pollock: Half and 1 Mile, M. Burnett ; 100 yds. 220 yds. and Quarter-mile. T. Stu-bbs and L. B. Webster; 120 yds and 440 yds Hurdles, Jumps, and Weights, M. Pvosingrave; Weight and Hammer, G. Murdoch. Wanganui representative :—22oyds: — 220 yds Flat, ard 120 yds and 440vds Hurdles aud Jumps, T. Craig. Masterton representatives: — Half-mile, Mile, and Three-mile Flat, J. Bradbury; lOOyde, 220 yds, and Quarter-mile, A. E. Wilton.

At the meeting- of tho Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association on Friday night a lettei was received from one of the centres objecting to the action of the council im inviting a certain Airs- i tralian athlete to compete with Shrubb and ! Dutrey during- their New Zealand tour. Mr G. Mason, a member of the council, pointed out that all centres were represented by deles'ates, and that whatever the council docided on should be binding upoiiTihe various '• centre*. j

Arthur Duffev is described as a stockilybuilt runner, who is all pace and no action in particular. He digs a bi<? hole in the ground, whilst the kn-ep of thp back leg is on the prround, and tbo. VvancU are. dot?n I too. At the word "set"' he bring* the knee and hands off the ground, and f-e-l? poised forward over hie, mark. At pistol fir« he bounds forward, and is at top speed in no time. SM-übb is a Ho-htlv-lniilt man, standing about sft 4m, i* 25 years of aq-d, and scale? 9&t 9'b in rminins oonrli- • tion. He took io the path five y-eavs aftO, and within the last two v<?ars hp« bpfiton J Q\ r ery record he attempted. Starting: from I 2000vds and ending at the srveaWt distzmoe ever run in an hc^r — viz., 11 mile 1 ? 1137vds — bnating the amateur record created and held by the r&dotibtn,M« W. G. C4eorpre ' for so many years. Shrubb. by r-ea=on of his great performances, mu&t be accounted the best distance runner tliat ever put { fcoe. |

on a s

A.S the N«>w ZealancT championship lveetinfr, at wfiioh Shruhb and Duffey will comt>f*te, is tlvs year to ■extond ovor two <?ay#i (JSlirch 17 and 13. at Lancaster Pa,vk. ChristchuroW , sevornl handicap events have been placed on the tiroavaivrnie. also +lie amate.\ii' Ovcle championshio events. The

with the strndaid and New Zealand record times, arc t'S under — Fir»t day (March 17) : Athletic championships — 100 yds Flat (heats), standard 10 l-s^ec, N.Z. record 9 4-ssec; 440 yds F.at, standard 52-sce. N.Z. record 50 2-s=os ; Three-mils Flat, standard 15min 30sec, N.Z. locoid 14mm 49sec ; 120 yds Hurdles, standard 16 3 ssec, N.Z. record 15 l-ssoc ; Three-milo Walk, standard 23min 20-pc, N-Z. record 21mjn 37scc; Long Jump, standard 20ft 6in, N.Z. record 21ft 6in; Putting 161b Weight (7ft circle), standard 38ft 6in, N.Z. record 44ft 3in. Amaetur cyce championships — Half-mile and Three-mile. Second day (March 18) • Athletic championships- — 100 yds Flat (final). standard 10 l-ssec, N.Z. record 9 4-ssec : 220 yds Flat, standard 22 4-ssec, N.Z. record 22 3-ssec; 880 yds Flat, standard 2min 2see, N.Z. record lmin 59 l-s«ee ; One-mile Fiat, standard 4min 32sec N.Z. record 4min 28 2-ssec ; On-mile T\ <T . standard 7min, N.Z. record 6min 27 2-ssec; 440 yds Hurdles, standard 63sec, N.Z. record 58 4-ssec; High Jump, standard sft 7in. JST-Z. record sft 9 l-Bin ; Pole Jump, standard 10ft, N.Z. record lift Oiin; Throwing 161b Hammer (9ft circle), standard 130 ft. N.Z. record 136 ft 4iin. Amateur cycle championships — One-mile and Five-mile.

There was a good deal of disappointment expressed over the poor attendance at the first meeting in Melbourne at which the world's champions, Shrubb and Duffey, made their first appearance. One paper estimates the attendance at a couple of thousand, of which a goodly portion were "dead heads." A comparison is made between the attendance to-day and that of 20 years ago, when athletics attracted its 15.000. Commenting or this "Harrier" says: — Well, the Amateur Association has existed 14 years without the aid of the public or of betting, and can quite well continue without them, but it will not be likely again to risk the expense of bringing out world's champions from America or England while ths interest in athletics remains about equal to that taken in club cricket. "Compared with horse-racing and cycling, the speed of the runner seems so very slow," say same apologists ; but the speed of the swimmer is far slower, and yet at the recent Australasian swimming championships the baths were packed with spectators. To a really" sporting community the presence of the world's best in almost any branch woul<* be an inevitable draw, and it was reasonable to anticipate better public attendance "to see men of the fame of A. Shrubb and A. F. Duffey.

Harry Pearce, of Australia, and Arthur Skinner, of Auckland, will complete the wrestling match commenced some months ago-, on Saturday next at Alexandra Park (wires my Auckland correspondent), where those who wish to witness the contest in the deciding style (Cornish), will be admitted free of charge. Acting on behalf of A. A. Cameron, the famous Scottish, athlete, Mr R. Smith has issued a challenge to Arthur Skinner, of Auckland, for an all round match, including wrestling, hammer and weight throwing, and putting and caber tossing, for any s*ake up to £100, the winner to take '75 and the loser 25 per cent, of the gate money ; the match to be decided not later than April. As Cameron is a man of Herculean proportions compared with the Auckland constable, ifc is not expected should Skinner be prepared to make a match, that he will agree to the conditions suggested for wrestling, which, provide fo- catch-as-catch-can and GraecoRoman forming two of the three styles. Theso styles are very similar, and with his great strength and knowledge of cateh-as-catch-can and Graeeo-Roman. Cameron would undoubtedly have all the best of the deal. Further, it may be mentioned that the police regulations prevent members of the fores competing in such matches for a monetary consideration. A wrestling match has been arranged between G. H. Johnston, the Scottish athlete now touring the colony with A. A. Cam-cron, and Constable Arthur Skinner, of Auckland, andi will take place in connection with the St. Patrick's Day celebrations on the Doma-n Cricket Ground, on March 17. The style will be catch-as-.catch-can ; best of three falls to decide the winner. Steps are being taken in Auckland to form an amateurwrestling association, and the sport should become very popular under proper management.

I received a letter from the popu.ar young New Plymouth sprinter, L. B. Webster, during the week (wires my Auckland corespondent) in which he stated that he had accepted an appointment in Sydney, and v/as then in the act of preparing for his departure for Australia. Webster's services will therefore not be at the disposal of the Wellington Centre for the New Zealand championship meeting. Professional runner W. M'Manus recently met wirh a painful accident. He was scaling a fence, when one of his arms slipped, and he fell sidewa3 r s on to a- picket, lacerating his side. A doctor put six stitches into the wound. M'Manus was net expected' to reappear on the track for afc least a month.

Commenting on the first appearance cf tho world's champions, Shrubb and Duffey, in Victoria, "Harrier" says: — The first hoafc of the 100 yds was won by Mueller by 2yds from H. E. Jones, with if. L. Stodart third. For some time past it had been put about; that the Bendigonian was a much -improved runner, aud but little, if at all, inferior to H. H. Hunter, and, after this display, interest in his- meeting with Duffey was at once arousccl. The American won his heat in the same time (10 3-iosec), and apparently with a bit in hand. In tho final all fivo got away together, and, contrary to anticipations, Mueller led at 50 by nearly a yard. Here the Yankee put on all lus pace, but, though he was gainng slightly, Mueller lasted it out, and won a grand race b5 r a foot, with .Ton-^s over a yard away. The excitement and cheering was great, and some enthusiasts chaired the winner, whom Duffey at once went up to and sLook hands with. The American ran with less lifa than ho had 1 shown in his heat, and it 13 probable fliat he over-estimat?d his condition. He had been beating pcor-quality runners easily in training, but ten day si after a long sea voyage, is insufficient time* to got fil to meet first-class runners, and Duffey will do better things shortly. E\ou the extra week's training msy ha\c its result, and the- meeting of the two mon this afternoon should be full of interest. In tho 75yds Handicap Duffoy got a splendid starr, but could not get up. which is by no means surprising- if the times are to be relied tipon. "World's record is 7 2 s*ec. and Morgan tied this in hib hoat. while Trinmck a vpiy sma:t sprinter, did 7 l-sscc m tho final.

The Imitation Scratch Rare pioved Shrubb in fine form. Making tha pace all

the* way, he cut out the first quarter in 58 i-ssee y - with Burrowes, Ferguson, Blake, *nd Wheatley- close Behind. At the halfmile (2min 5 l-ssec) Blake had moved up second, 10yds ahead of the others. At three-quarters"^ (omin 16 3-s£eo) - Blake was still at the champion's heels, and the spectators cheered enthusiastically. Half round, Shrnbb-at last, with a determined spurb, got away and finished the mile (4-min 29 4-ssec, Isee- better thaii Victorian record) 12yds to the good. This gap he steadily widened, and, finishing strongly, won by 70yds, in 7min 3* 2-ssec, which is only 15sec slower than Hi 3 record. Blake ran remarkably •well, his mile only occupying 4-min 33sec. and full, distance 7min 15 4~55e0 ; and his plucky effort merited the applause with which he ■was greeted. Thte styles of the two men •were utterly dissimilar, Blake's high, bouncing; action contrasting strongly with Shrubb' s low- striding, in which the- knee hardly seems to rise. Burrowes was 50yds off, third, but Wheatley's display was very disappointing. In the Two-mile Handicap Shrubb was overweighted: The starts ran up to 360 yds. lergneon^ olf- 130 yds, being nearest the champion, who cut out the first quarter m 60 4"-ssec, half in 2min 10 2-ssec, and mile in 4-min 4Tsee. Entering the eixth lap he was 1 still' nearly 100 yds behind Blake and over 150 yds from Riddell, and half-way round he retired. Steele and R'iddell (both on 230 yds) were together right up ' to the last sgrint, but- the, latter; had most in Him, and won- toy 4-yds, Blake, 40yds away. The- time, 9minV23 t "2-ssec, makes- Riddell' s^ tud equal to. about- lOmin- 6sec~all the way". "WhileAllbwing i&r the limited training 1 our-•visitors'have-had; it looks as though we- have underestimated' the' quality of our own men, thought Shrubb' could certainly have beaten the. fields -Irai?" the* three placed men. His fiv? laps' took: 3mm 1 574 sec, and- he would prdbafcly^Ksve finished is aßout 9min 54see. As W: &. Simpson (NIZ.) has broken down in training, Shrubb is probably having his strongest opposition at tihe start of the tour, «nd' Duffeys will have his at the in Sydney.