LONDON SPORTING NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 17193, 12 November 1912, Page 9

LONDON SPORTING NOTES

AN EXGLISII SWIMMING CHAMPION'. (From Oiir Own Correspondent.) i,oNi)o\, September 27. For many years the Australian swimming authorities and writers upon the sport in both the I'ommuu weal Ui and New Zealand have broil urging the Amalour Swimming Association to solid out someone from Horn ■ to try conclusions with the Antipodean cracks in their own waters. Hitherto either parsimony or the honest bell'd' that England did not possess any swimmers worth sending out has caused the A.S.A. to turn a deal ear to Au.-dralasia's pleadings, hut if your swimmers still want a visit from Home, now is certainly the time 10 press the mailer upon the parent body attain. We have-not exactly a weal til of the highest class swimming talent at llome Just yet. hut there are seores of highly promising youngsters coining rapidly to liand, ami in young .1. <l. Ilatlield tiie Old Goiiutry lias a youth who will. I fancy, “ drown ” most of our existing records from the furlong to the mile. I Lis form at .Stockholm was distinctly tine, hut lie lias shown considerable Improvement since then, and with ordinary luck iu the mallei' of health we have threat holies of him proving a world heater ere another year has sped. Hatfield's latest performance, that of lowering the world's 400 metres record, stumps him as Icing something very much out of tlio common, even though it was done in a 44 yard hath and in a handicap. it was at the Anlahy Club's gala at the Shorditch baths last night that Hatfield challenged the record of 5 min. 24 4-sth secs., put up by the Canadian amateur Hodgson in the 400 metres race.

Hatfield almost touched record at Croydon a few weeks ago, for, although unplaced, he was, only 2 secs, outside Hodgson’s figures. Last night he was assisted by a limited handicap, in which tie gave 30 secs, to H. E. Ann!son (of Croydon), and 48 secs to F P. Giles (of tlio City Police.) Such “pacing” would not he allowed a man going for English records, for they are allowed only for scratch races and unpaced performances. but under the International Federation handicap attempts on records are permissible. Hatfield swam in brilliant form, and reduced Hodgson's figures by no less than 24-.7 th secs., his time being 5 mins. 21 4-iilh secs. The handicap, framed by Mr Alfred Hudson, was for f, min. 20 secs., and proved n groat success, for Hatfield and Annison appeared to touch together, and so interested was everybody in Hatfield's final hurst that no ono could say whether it was a deadbeat or not. Some of Hatfield's intermediate figures may interest your readers. 100 yards, 03 3-3 tn secs. 200 yards. 2 min. 20 secs. , 400 yards, 4 min. 4lt 2-.71h secs. 400 yards, 4 min. f>s secs 147.1 yards (400 metres), 7. min. 21 4-,7tli secs. Hatfield is a peculiarly graceful swimmer. and stays " like a top." He is still in his teens, and in die ordinary course of tilings ought to lie,able to show further improvement. At tho present lime, however, he is quite good enough at all distances, bar perhaps the 100 yards., to put against anybody. It is high time someone was sent to the Antipodes to return ’the compliments Australasia has paid the Old Country in the form of annexing championships and “ lifting cups, and Hatfield seems just the man to send. THE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Ponding a chance to meet Matt AVelis again in tlio ring, Hugh Meliegan he lias had offers of backing from Australia to a four figure tune for a return bout witli tlio holder of the Lonsdale Belt has been " timing" with Johnny Summers, but It is to ho feared that no “engagement” will result. Mehogan's backers were prepared to let Hugh meet Summers at 10 stone, providing the latter would make that weight at ringside, but Johnny, though willing to make a match at 10 stone, insists that the weighing ceremony shall take place at 2 o'clock in tlio afternoon. To tins demand Meliegan has turned a deaf ear. He knows what Summers is, and admits that the Londoner is far too good a man for him to concede pounds to. In Australia, of course, lie met Summers twice, earning a defeat and u draw, and men a good many pounds heavier than Johnny, hut, as lie says, lie had either to take them on or go without a light, as the legitimate lightweights would have nothing to do witli him. In England and America lie has made up Ids mind to steer clear as far ns possible of propositions pounds over tlio lightweight limit, which is 9st Jibs here and 9sl 7lhs in America, and lie thinks that lie will be able lo get all the tights he wants. Of course, if he comes across a welterweight whose money looks very leiniding. ilugli may change His mind, hut, when tlie other fellow isi ot tlio class ot Summers tlie Australian will not Ho looking for trouble. He expresses his willingness lo tackle anything on two legs up to’ 9sl lOlbs. and particularly wants to try conclusions with Freddy Welsh. The latter, however,. 1 will probably fix up first with tlie Danish lightweight Holherg, after which he and Matt AVelis will probably meet at the N.K.C. for tiic English Ugh (.weight Championship and hell, which Freddy is most, anxious to reclaim. Meanwhile Wells is training 'or a light with .Jock Ward, of Gloucester, who is supposed to lie well in the running for major honours at Ids weig ii I. if V, ard wins, or is only nariowl-,’ beaten. lie will no doubt tie able to find hacking against Meliegan. Hut if Wells puts him away fairly easily 1 doubt whether anybody could he found to “ stand him “ against the Australian, or whether any promoter would care lo make a hid for a contest between them. The same remarks will apply to Holherg aiso. Beyond tlie four men mentioned I do not si e wind we have here at lightweight poundage to put up against Meliegan witli a chance til' sueeess unless it is O'Neill. Ho is a very good lad, hut it is doubtful whether lie could find any considerable hacking against such a tough proposition as Mehogan’s fight aiwii'in,-,.’■*,, —Tnr-y i - 1 —■■

with AVelis makes him out to he. So far, then, it looks as though, if Meliegan decides to sftvy in this country, he will, have to wait for a light till Welsh, Wells, Holherg, and AA'ard have settled their differences, and then go for the ultimate winner. TEST MATCH FINANCE. The financial results of tlie triangular lest suggests that Sid Gregory s prophecy UuK such a tournament would not he held again will prove correct. The series of nine matches produced only £12,164 Is 2d and £44.78 His 2d from stands and enclosures. out of which the Australians teak £2984 as their share of Hie gale money rather less than £209 per playing member of the team and file youth Africans a beggarly £IB iS, winch is onlv about £l2O per man for a tour that absorbed practically seven months of :i year, taking tlie voyages out and inane into account. Of course Uie visitors made money out of oilier matches, hut on tlie whole the gates tiiroughonl the‘season have been vi ry poor, and by the lime the expenses til ihc learns have been deducted Jroiu tlie gross receipts the gilt left on the gingerbread will ho conspicuous by absence. After (laying out tho Australians ami tlie South Africans the M.C.C. had £114,7 His 2d lo divide between itself, tlie HI first-class comities, and IS second-class cohnties. The first named received 60 per cent, or £157 12s 4d each, the clubs on whose grounds the Tests were played 40 per cent, and the remaining 10 per cent gave £24 16s 4d each to the minor counties. The M.C.C. came off best over the grounds spoils, receiving £487, Surrey got £.74.7. Lancashire £2 14, and Yorkshire and Notts £l2l each from this source. Of the metropolitan Tests by far tlie most profitable was England v. Australia at Lord's, which produced £4129. England v. Australia at tlie Oval realised £2714, and England V. South At idea at Lord's £1490. Tiie least attractive Test was that, between Australia and South At idea, commenced at Nottingham on August Hank Holiday. The sums received this year compare very unfavourably with those of tiie Australian tour in 190!'. Then five test matches produced £14,487. This year four more games produced, roughly speaking, £ 1000 less. In 1909 the Australians took £.75 11 12s as their share. £2455 more than this year.