OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 9, 13 November 1880, Page 73

OUT DOOR SPORTS

The Grand Flaneur of the silent Highway. — Laycock.

Mr. Bindon, the new owner of the Toy is having a boatshed erected at St. George's Bay.

The well-known yacht, Annie Ogle, was wrecked at Sumner, near Christcliurch, last week.

The open sailing boat built by C. Bailey for Mr. J. Beck, has been named the " Eunice."

Underwood Avon the Birthday Handicap at the Ellerslie Sports on Tuesday.

Twice eleven— 22, just the wins of the Australian team. Their losses were four, and their draws eleven.

Australia is to be the fore again. Laycock has beaten Hosiner the Canadian and Kiley iv separate sculling matches.

The pupils of City West No. 2 school, intend to hold their annual athletic suorts on the Domain Cricket Ground next Tuesday.

The footrace la-t Saturday between Daly and Cliiplin for £200 a side, was won easily by the former. A protest on the ground of jostling was not allowed.

It is not improbable that the Australian cricketers will come across to New Zealand, and play matches in the principal towns of the colony.

"Pendragon," in the London "Referee," considers that Tricketfc has not the slightest chance of winning the match against Hanlon.

The Ponsonby Hegatta Committee have decided not to adopt the rule for the measurement of open boats used by the Auckland Club.

The cricket matches announced to take place last Saturday, were again posponed in consequence of the inclemency of the weather.

H. B. Morton has puchased an open sailing boat from Logan of the North Shore, and calls her the " Sardine."

The United Friendly Societies intend to hold another series of athletic sports in the Domain next Regatta Day.

The open sailing boat U.P. has had her name changed to the Maggie 3lny. She was out for the first time this season last Saturday.

The yacht Sabrina (Stodarf s) was fitted up for the season last week by J. Bell, and moored in her old position oft Ponspnby, on Saturday last.

The annual sports in connection with the Auckland College and Grammar School, will be held in the Domain, on Friday next. The boys take very considerable interest in the affair, and a good day is anticipated.

I see that a cricket match, with " broomsticks," is on the programme of the West End Club. This is a novelty in Auckland, and 0:1 that account it should be doubly interesting.

The champion schooner. Transit, leaves for the Islands next week, and it is considered most improbable that she will return to Auckland in time for the next regatta.

The ■well-known open sailing boat Sis, lias been purchased by Tom Brassy from Messrs. "Wright and Htirrop for ±20. She is 2io-.v being fitted up at Bailey's yard.

A lett- r received by a gentleman in Melbourne, from one of the Australian teaiu, stated that Palmer was offered an engagement as a professional bowler to the Sussex County by a well-to-do gentleman of that district, but he declined to accept it.

The first prize for yachts under 15 tons at the approaching Melbourne Intercolonial Eegatta will be £100, and for yachts under seven tons, £100. It is a pity that the Lala, Jessie Logan, or some other smaller yacht cannot be sent over to represent Auckland in this class.

The recent sculling match at Rocky Mouth, was won by Pearce,with W.Tricket second.andilcDonald third. Trickett accused Pearce of wilfully fouling his boat, thereby spoiling his chance of winning, and with using threatening- language to him.

Brett, who won the two miles walking match at Ellerslie.was in splendid form, and gave the spectators a good idea of his abilities in this direction. 1i c iinished with considerably more than the amount of his handicap to spare.

The sculling match between Trickett and Haulan for the championship of the world, takes place on Monday, and no doubt the result of the contest will be received in Auckland on the following morning. Considerable interest is manifested here regarding it, and there has been a good deal of betting.

The art -union drawing for the yacht Jessie Logan, was to have taken place at the AVrdteinata Hotel last Monday evening, but owing to the fact that there were still forty tickets not disposed of it was decided that the raffle should be postponed until to-morrow (Saturday) . The Jessie Logan is now haiiled up at the North Shore.

Rev. Mr. Cole, a Yorkshire clergyman, writing to the Yorkshire '"Post" in reference to the Scarborough match said that the Australians were beaten unfairly, and that the umpire should have no-balled Franks in the first innings, as, in his opinion, his bowling was nothing but throwing. The same opinion was expressed on the groiuid by many good judges of the game.

Trickett's new boat, by Jewett, of Dunstan-on-Tyne, weighs 291 b, is very strong, and gives him great satisfaction. Trickett's weight, however, is something like 12st 41b, but the form of the rugged Australian is not fancied in aquatic circles on the Thames. After November 15th they may, however, understand the merits of his "points" a little better.

Hnnlau is on the road (says Eobin Hood in the " Australasian), and brings a boat 30ft Gin long, 5-iin deep, and weighing only, it is said, 24ilb. Trickett's physique when stripped in his dressing-room the other day, rather disappointed me, but I was thunderstruck to hear what he can accomplish with the 71b dumb bells, and where he stores such strength is, to those who look at him, a puzzle.

An Australian writing from England in. reference to Edward Trickett's chances in the champion race says :— " I cannot conceive why he is held so cheap, and I think he will go a long time before he will find anyone capable of taking the belt from him. My opinion is, that Walter Ross is the next best man to Edward Trickett, and my tip for the Hop Bitter contest is, Trickett first ; Ross second, and it will be between Laycock and Boyd for third place.

There was a good attendance at the FUerslie Sports on Tuesday, but the unsatisfactory arrangements militated considerably against the success of the meeting. The course was not roped off, and consequently the conrpetitors suffered considerable inconvenience, through the spectators crowding on the track. It would be advisable that these and other matters of similar importance should be attended to on future occasions.

"Square-leg," in the "Sydney Mail," says " the Australian eleven which has been playing in England is by no means the strongest the colony could raise. No team would represent the full strength of Australia without including Evans, (the crack bowler of New South. Wales), to say nothing of C. Bannerman, D. Gregory, Massie, Garrett, and Tindall (of New South Wales), and other sterling cricketers in the neighbouring colonies."

The following are the complete averages of the Australian team in England up to and inclusive of tlie representative match.— in all 31 matches :— Murdoch 237; M'Donnell 22-30; Blackhain 1822; Banuennan 17-20; Bonner 16-30; Groube 14-16; Boyle 13-13 ; Spoflorth 13-2; Slight 12-16; Alexander 11-14; Moule 9.5; Jarvis 6-20 ; Palmer 6-10. In the bowling Spotforth's average is 5-1 runs per wicket; Boyle 6 - 2 ; Palmer 72; Alexander 9-3 j Bannerman 135 ; Moule 131 ; M'Donnell 181.

The cricketers' pavilion in the Domain is now fairly begun, and will be finished in about five weeks from the present time. It contains one large room in the centre, 35 by 18 feet, and four smaller rooms, 12 by 12 feet. When completed the pavilion will be a great convenience to both players and visitors and an ornament to the cricket ground. It is being built from a sketch given by Mr. Mumford some time since. # This gentleman also started the pavilion fund, by getting the promise of half the requisite timber, free of cost, from that fine old cricketer, C. A. Harris, Esq. Really, it is time that the subscribers to the fund for securing the representation of Auckland at the approaching champion intercolonial outrigger race called a meeting and appointed a new committee. Beyond the ordering of a boat, the officers already elected have done very little indeed, and much valuable time is being lost through their vacillation and procrastination, or their titter incompetency. Applications for persons willing to row were invited some time ago, and althongh more than a month has elapsed since then, the fifteen applicants have not received the slightest intimation from the committee on the subject. Indeed prominent members of the committee appear not to know who the applicants are, and subscribers interested have tried to ascertain the names without success. It is reported now that the committee have ignored the applicants altogether and are secretly arranging for an outside crew. The matter is one in which the public are interested, and they should certainly take some steps to prevent the attempt to make up a good Auckland crew from falling through altogether. If the committee already appointed find the task too great for them, they should stand aside and let others who possess more energy perform the work over which they have been bungling so long. The race takes place ten weeks hence, and something should be done at once.