The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1911. SPORTS AND THE MAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14388, 2 January 1911, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1911. SPORTS AND THE MAN.

The athletic and bonsff which an to take place in Timaru to-day should be attended >y »ll who have an kdmiratioa for honest, manly apart. There U no need to apeak in praise, *» amateur athletic*!, The ancient sports of running, jumping, wrestling, *♦ pitching, the bar,'* and other exercise* of their WM have played no email part *.n the development of the British nation from the earliest times. Though the good fame of boxing has not been so unchequered, yet wherever, as in Bouth Canterbury, » has been controlled by Wise and careful management, the physical and moral value, as well as the attractiveness of the sport, must have been obvious to all spectators. "A boxing match,', it has been well -said—and by a very shy, retiring man of letters, the late . Frederick LockerLampson—" is a voluntary exhibition of pluck and endurance? there is no malice; nnd it proves to the uttermost the stuff, of which a man is made. The ; brutalities of the old days of the , prise ring ore passed away, ' though there is a remarkable con- < sensus of testimony that even j the rough training of the prise ring'produced, in its best days, 1 men of wonderful modesty, aim- 1 plicity, and uprightness, who could pommel one another almost 1 to a jolly mid take no lasting hurt from it,' either in body or in dis- 1 position. It is to William Has- 1 litt, who began life a* a Um- 1 tarian pastor, that we owe the i best description ot a prise fight ' that was ever written. LockerLnmpson's delicate refinement \ did not prevent his taking pride ; nnd pleasure in the fight between Tom Sayers and Heenan. "Savers • was the first/' he wrote, \ to j make an appearance in the ring, , but when his opponent, Heenan, , threw his hat within the ropes, , followed it, and stripped, there was a murmur of admiration. He was at once recognised as the ' most magnificent athlete that had ever been seen in such a place. He was five inches taller than [ Sayers—who, strictly speaking, I was onlr a mlllfllfc™* 1 ' V"--'

two or llireo stone heavier. wfJ ■■ (no Mtinll matter) ho wa» «Mffjt yeur» younger; While big !«>*» of reach was remarkable for •*** i ao tall a man. Then, ahall I ever forget the look «f-<pfttf»ot , #ttf-po««e)Mion and wlm o»Ur»*% ralnilcd with eutiwity, .*W» which Suyew feoad, t iMM #»f,J, and emiled at. hif, taytllnk anU» Mmiat. „ Ho UlMt Mt <M on kirn Wow. Jwin*lo*tt*. toe., ha ww » b TOj»>*E the 'lower ground;* B«t there ho «MnJa# »» j& ••*♦ ftjfe ?•» kno^tndMyWPa^ iTbpll* hour*, i>i^t^UMHp|^r| He y "fuif3ed to W tt'«BlSi2t ! Lity'a ' faoera ot DeWfotifWr' ttodo •* *o ' IWnr it nnjr wonder \tikfMlpk men; eepeciallr *hen MMI«o|M' < virtnea coincided. witk,tM3JKM<> . cat. ahouU> fcfcfcmWi ■ hifk end lew, MSH 1 ;' or tint ' > * •hottld kave beon iMN' ,wiMr, , - ajdjaow fondly t - ;