THE PLAYGROUND.

Southland Times, Issue 19223, 19 April 1924, Page 12

THE PLAYGROUND.

Sports and Pastimes.

A match, jiu jitsu versus boxing, ended jtaally at Buenos Ayres recently. Luis Taki, Japanese jiu-jitsu competitor, was killed by a blow on the solar plexus from Francisco Guipponi, heavy-weight Argentine boxer. The blow was delivered in the fifth round of what was to have been a 12-rounds bout. Guipponi user six-ounce gloves. Here's a tip for starters in athletic events. James Lynch, of England, who is likely to be nominated as a starter at the Olympic Games, when ordering competitors to their marks, advances with them, almost as though he intends to get down. Ordering the “set.” he place? himself very much in the “ready'’ position adopted by oldtnnera. He believes that his stance enables him to control himself as well as his men —a very important consideration —and a wonderful record bears out the theory and practice. M P. Adams, well known Australian athletic starter, and traveller, used to work the same stunt in Melbourne. He Was a high roler with the gun. The largest trout caught in the Tonfßriro River for some years was landed by W. Branson, the other day, after a struggle cf an hour and five minutes. The fish weighed 211 b 10o«, and was 34in in length. Boxer Harry Stone, who is continually Up to some veird advertising stunt, nowwants to take on Tommy Fairhall and Havel ah Uren one after another in one evening, according to a little note he sent along to the Christchurch Sun’s sports writer. It is unlikely that any association would stand for the stunt proposed by the irrepressible Henn; whose only condition is that 20 minutes spell be given between each bout. It will, no doubt, have been noted that Seaman Corrington has had another try in London at Tom Burrows’ club-swinging record, but had to give up at 98 hours, several hours short of best figures. From all accounts the later stages of Corrington’s attempt on the record was not very pleasant, jnd this brings up the question of whether these endurance stunte should not be discouraged as far as possible. o n It will be learned with regret that S. G. Smith, the Auckland and New Zealand representative cricketer, who strained a sinew while batting for Auckland against New South Wales, has probably played his last game, says the New Zealand Herald. The injury was originally sustained in the second test match at Wellington, and extra strain in the Auckland match caused fur ther trouble. Smith’s health, too, has not been as satisfactory as he could wish, and in the circumstances he thinks it advisable to rest for a time at least. In winning the running hop, stop and jtunp at the NB.W. track and field championships three weeks ago. A. W. Winter cleared 48ft Ijin. He should stand a big chance of being returned a winner at this year's Olympic Games. At the Seventh Olympiad in 1920, the triple leap was won at 47ft 6in.

The opening of the salmon-angling season on some of the South of England rivers, reminds anglers that the Thames was once a salmon river. Now, however, the king of fishes seems to have deserted those waters, probably owing to the pollution of the river in the vicinity of London. The contention is that there is insufficient oxyp*n in the Pool of London for a fish to Sve. and only eels and flounders seem to be able to get through to the upper reaches of the river. The last Thames salmon, a fine fish of 2111 b, is believed to have been caught in 1821. but another fish was noticed at Maidenhead in 1832. It is on record that a 70ib salmon was captured at Saleham in 1789.

Arthur Mann, an American athlete writer, thus refers to Marathon running:—‘Marathening is a queer game and an unpopular one —unpopular in the sense that everyone knows that the participant is doing himself bodily harm. Completing a marathon, which is 36 miles 385 yards, is not an exhibition. but rather a demonstration —a proof. It takes on the semblance of an exhibition only when the race is run on a circular track, with the runners constantly in view. In such a case, however, the race eeases to be a imitation of the feat of the ancient Greek messenger, who ran the distance across the plains of Marathon to announce the victory of the Athenian arms, and especially since the original marthoner dropped dead at the end of his journey.” A GREAT SWIMMER. Of all the girl swimmers in the United States, Gertrude Elderle is regarded as the nation's best hope at the Olympic Games, says an exchange. Gertrude was born in the heart of New York, which, to a great extent, disproves the theory that a girl —or a youth, for that matter —who lives so far from the pure air does not possess much chance of developing into a champion athlete. She is credited with having become a record holder through her own aspiration and enthusiasm. Like many boys and girls in Sydney who have watched Charlton in action, Miss Ederie gained a great deal of practical knowledge by studying young champions in the Lower Bay at Atlantic Highlands. Her adaptability and the undeniable attraction the water had for her were mainly responsible for her quick ascendancy. Mls Ederie is referred to as follows by the American sporting writer Tom Thorp:— 'This remarkable girl has achieved the unheard-of feats of setting no less than »ix and seven world’s records in a single afteroon. “A Honolulu, a year ago, she broke every world’s record, from 300 yards to 500 yards, most of them by more than 20 seconds. She has just finished a successful invasion of Miami. Florida. While in the south she created no less than seven world’s records. "Gertrude is the first girl swimmer to master the six-beat crawl—the powerful stroke that has made Johnny Weissmuller famous. 'Tn spite of ihe athletic ability of Miss Ederie, she is quite girlish. She stands sft 6.n and weighs about 135 pounds. Whether in competition or not she is just & typical 17-year-old American girl.”