ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 54

ATHLETICS.

KOTES BY AMATEUR At the Michigan University sports, held at Ann Arbor, Michigan, on May 23, for the purpose of selecting the team to represent the institution at tho Intercollegiate Championship a week later. J. E Bond was timed to cover the 220yds in 20 4-ssec —a world’s record if correct. Seward won the 100yds by inches from Bond in 9 4-sscc. A Press wire from New York going the rounds of the American Press is as follows:—“It developed here recently that Hannes Kolehmainen, the wonderful dis'.tance runner, who sailed the other day for Finland, where we will spend the summer, cannot get any life insurance. He - has been rejected on tho ground that ho has a weak heart. Other crack athletes who were advised at different times ro quit running if they did not wish to shorten their lives are Mel Sheppard and John Paul Jones.” As an instance of how keenly some of the athletic coaches are trying to ‘‘spot’ likely men, it was related tho other evening to a writer on the Manchester AthleticNews, by one immediately concerned, that a certain young man who had hitherto had pretensions to shine as a walker, appeared at Herne Hill for his usual training trial. The coach, who had never seen tho athlete before, watched the heel-and-toe exponent for a while, end then invited him to retire to the dressing-room, thorp to put on a pair of running pumps. With considerable reluctance the -athlete obeyed, and, to orders, ran a half-mile against the watch. The result was surprising. Previously the young man had no fancy for running. He has now come to a different way of thinking, and the cracks will have to look out for squalls. There are no doubt many athletes who, without expert advice, have not yet discovered in which branch they arc most likely to excel. They have to be “spotted” and educated by those who have now to make it their business to build up the athletic manhood and make world-beaters of them Both tho Wellington and Canterbury Centres have now applied for permission to ' hold the 1914 cross-country championship—which event seemed some time back to be runing a risk of going abeggmg; though Otago Centre was waiting in the broach to see if any of tho other centres desired the control of this important race. The New Zealand Association has awarded the race to Canterbury, and it will probably eventuate some time in September. The second syllabuses of tho Dunedin, Anglican, the Caversham, and the Pacific Harrier Clubs have duly come to hand, and . are acknowledged with thanks. I understand that there is very little probability that the Otago Centro will send a competitor to Australia to compete for the individual championship in the Australasian teams cross-country run, to be decided on September 26. The Otago Centro has in hand a scheme whereby it may be enabled to place its finances once more on a satisfactory footing. The centre at the present time has a debit balance of about £65, the result primarily of the visit of the American athletic team to Dunedin. For that visit the centre had to guarantee a sum of £SO, and in addition a loss was made at tho meeting at which the Americans ran. This latter loss and incidentals ran into £lO or £l2. The Otago Centre has definitely decided that it will send a team to compete in the New Zealand Cross-country Teams Championship, to be decided in Christchurch about the middle of September. The Otago Teams Championship will take place at Wingafui on August 3, the Port Chalmcrs-Dunedin road race on September 5, and a combined harrier sports meeting will eventuate at tho Caledonian Ground on September 19. The orders for tho trophies won by the Dunedin runners, Caddie and Andrews, at Timaru on New Year’s Day, have at last ■ come to hand. It appears that this lengthy delay in sending on the prizes was caused by the secretary of tho Timaru body holding up tho orders. Tho position was that, after Caddie and Andrews had entered for tho Timaru meeting, they competed successfully in Dunedin, but did not send on their fresh performances- to tho Timaru secretary. These performances, however, were in the knowledge of tho Timaru handioappor, who framed his handicaps for the two Dunedin men accordingly. The Timaru secretary maintained, and, no doubt, with a certain amount of justice, that a notification of tho fresh performances should have been sent to him direct. However, the dispute has now been satisfactorily concluded. At tho last meeting of tho Canterbury Centro Mr Anderson produced a report, published in a Dunedin paper, of a meeting of the Otago Centre, at which Mr Breen, secretary of the southern centre, had made a statement to the- effect that tho Canterbury Centro had not held a meeting for four months, and amateur athletics seemed to bo dead in Christchurch. The report also stated that the Canterbury Centre had a big deficit to face as a result of the visit of tho American athletes, and tho opinion was expressed that they wore afraid to hold a meeting to find out whe"e they stood. Members of the committee cook decided exception to Mr Breen’s remarks, which wore wholly inaccurate, and were not in the best interests of tho sport. It was resolved to forward a letter to the Otago Centro to tins effect. Fortune smiled on the Dunedin Anglican Harriers For Vieir -excursion down *Jne harbour to Broad Bay, from which place they h~ld their run. One of the best musters of the season set off from the boat without paper, and climbing tho Peninsula, followed the ton along a short distance, and then ducked down the ocean side, towards Sandymount, passing round the back of Harbour Cone. Here tho Peninsula was rccrosscd to Portobello School, tho road being then followed to the boat. A good number of those running indulged in a' most invigorating dip in the briny, and almost immediately the return journey to town was commenced. It was an ideal afternoon for such an outing, and all seemed to have enjoyed it. On returning to town tho members adiourned to the Arcadia Tea Rooms as guests of Mr A. R. Elder. During the course of the evening Mr Reid {captain) referred to the fact that the club was losing ono of its best and most valuable members owing to the removal from Dunedin of Mr W. Tweedy, who had boon one of tho club deputy captains and a representative on the centre, and all wished him every success. Tho Civil Service and Mosgicl Harriers held a combined run from Mosgiel. There was a good muster of both clubs, and tho trail traversed ideal country of grass, plough, and road. The parties under .Captains Melville and Frew followed the trail laid by Swanson (C.5.11.J and Frew (M.) from Gordon read, passing the factory ' through the Taieri Racecourse to Jancfield,

crossing- tho Silverstream by Callender 3 bridge, and across to the foothills of Wairongoa ; then along the North Taieri road, and across the paddocks to Gordon road, a fast run home ending a perfect run. Town clubs can always be sure of a welcome from tho Mosgicl Harriers, and a visit will always help tho country club along. The Y.M.C.A. Harriers ran from the Scout Hall. Green Island, 18 members being present. An ideal trail was laid by G. E. Tapp and W. Stewart, who took tho paper over some new country. Several bogs and pniiddy roads wore safely negotiated. After passing Abbotsford the trail struck across country to Fairfield and Saddle Hill. The pack then had a good run over a number of pad-docks, coining eventually upon the Brighton road near tho bridge. To let tho members have some training. Captain Beniamin lot tho pack go, and several members who showed excellent form ran right to the destination

The St. Joseph’s Harriers held their run from Mornington as guests of Mr Bourko, District road. Tho pack, under Captain Butcher, had -a good run leading past the Roslyu Mills, through Brockville, across country to the reservoir, where a turn was made towards lower Kaikorai, on to the Valley road home." Afterwards the harriers were entertained by the hostess to a hot dinner and a musical evening. Mr O'Farroll. deputy captain, spoke expressing gratitude on behalf of the guests, and tho singing of tho usual social songs concluded an cnjovablo outing. The Cargill Road Methodist Harriers ran from the Mornington Methodist Schoolroom as the guests of the Young Women’s Guild. G. Tuckhurst and E. Whyte had charge of tho paper, the. trail leading along Elgin road, down Elgin street, through into Burnside, up round the reservoir, then across country, coming out on the lower Kaikorai road. From ho’re a steady pace was maintained. finishing with a fast sprint downhill. After tho run members sat down to an excellent tea provided by the young ladies, and an enjoyable social evening was spent. The following are requested to go into training for the inter-olub raco on August 1: — G: Kitchen, G. Luckhurst, V. Stephens, C. Botting, A. Simpson, E. Whyte, M. Beadle, J. Sims, G. Slater, M. Clarkson, R. Cameron. T. Fraser, H. Kitchen, P. Blackburn.

The South Dunedin Presbyterian Harriers, owing to various circumstances, had only a fair attendance for their run from the George Street School, so paper was dispensed with. The road was followed to the Woodhaugh Paper. Mills, whore a path on the left leading to the reservoir was taken. Then a course was followed ove* the hills to Nicholls’s Falls, and, on doubling back to the left, ideal harrier country was traversed, a fast run homo concluding a pleasant run. The club’s thanks are due to the School Committee and to the janitor for the use of one of the school rooms.

The Pacific Club, mustering 22, ran from the residence of Mr W. Seal, Surrey street, Caversham. The hares (Bond, Blackwood, and Driscoll) laid a splendid trail leading up over the corporation quarry, past the golf links, down past Hamilton’s and circling the old five-mile cross-country course. The trail was very confusing, owing to other clubs being over practically the - same ground. The fast pack lost the paper entirely. However, all voted the run first class. Mr Seal had evidently taken great pains in preparing such a banquet as was partaken of. After tea the club were entertained by their host with music, song, and story. Captain Henderson thanked Mr Seal for his kind invitation, and deputycaptain Perkins also spoke, the evening ending harmoniously. The Pacific Junior Club ran from the St. Clair Baths. The hares laid the paper along the beach to Tomahawk over to the lagoon and homo by Anderson Bay. This section of the Pacific Club is showing groat promise, and some of the members should be heard of ,on some future date.