Door Sports

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1092, 2 December 1899, Page 11

Door Sports

The Auckland Amateur A. and C. Olnb were blessed with beautiful weather for the Spring Carnival on Saturday, bat the attendance (about 3000) waa scarcely so large as was anticipated. As usnal, the general conduct of the meeting was excellent. And in this connection, secretary Oblson— and, in fact, all the officials immediately concerned in the carrying out of the programme — are entitled to considerable credit. Taken on the whole, the racing was perhaps hardly np to the standard of Borne previous meetings, but there were, nevertheless, a number of interesting finishes, and, taking all in all, the gathering was a most enjoyable one.

The North ShcrePonsonby match (first grade) was continued on Saturday on an excellent wicket, and ended in a decisive victory for the thirteen by 11 wickets The Shoreites, who were in a minority of 184 runs on the first innings, made a stubborn fight in their second eßsay, which resulted in a total of 192, and thns narrowly averted a one innings defeat. The scores were North Shore 71 and 192, Ponsonby 255 and 12 for one wicket.

Thomson, of Christchurch, and Coates, of Hamilton, were both palpably out of form, and the former did not seem to be at home on the track.

It was unlucky for Sanford that he fell and hurt himself in the first race. Otherwise, I do not think Ewen would have had it so much his own way aa he had.

One of the most interesting events of the day waa the 100 Yards School Championship, won by C. A. Ilbert of the Grammar School, in the excellent time of 10 4 sth eecs.

Some one or two of the racing costumes worn by cyclists on Saturday were not quite what they should be. Doubtless, this did not escape the notice of the committee.

Poor Waller was very badly treated indeed, and did not have the least chance of winning anything. Let us hope Mr Eyre will deal more kindly with him next time.

A. R. D. Watson was the most successful competitor in the flat races, winning the 100 and 440 yards handicap. He finished in most determined fashion in the quarter, and got home by dint of sheer gameness. The One Mile Bicycle Handicap for school boys resulted in a race between the two limit boys, Usher and Hart. The others were hopelessly out of it, and if they had all been on scratch it would have been better.

The boy element was largely in evidence at the Domain on Saturday Daring the cycle races a large number oi them lay in a line, face-downwarde, on the ground at the back of the track, about five yards from its inner boundary, and were a source of danger not only to themselves bat to the riders. Young Cooper rode capitally, and won the One-mile Handicap in good style. It was, however, lncky for him that Ewen — to whom he was giving start — fell in his heat. Cooper is a mnch-improved rider, bat has developed a very bad habit of looking round, which on this occasion nearly lost him the race. Madill failed in the attempt to beat his own record of 130 ft 2in with the hammer, hia best throw being 127 ft 6in. Probably the fact that having come without his boots, he was compelled to throw in - bare feet, would account for the failure, j aa he has done very much better in practice. i E. Sutherland (30yds) ran a good , race in the mile flat, bnt was beaten pretty easily at the finish by F. Goldie (85yds). ■ The winner is a new rnriner who promises ; well. Kelly, who finished third, also shaped well, and possesses a very taking style, bat failed to stay the distance quite 1 out. 1 The police were not remarkable for energy at Saturday's Bports. One ! particular constable struck many graceful attitudes during the afternoon, and allowed the public to walk round and admire him, but did nothing else. He seemed to be in a state of wonderment as to what he was there for, -and probably iB yet in search of enlightenment. Brook rode well, but no one rxpected he could give the starts allotted in the handicap events. It waß a real treat to see the way he wore Walter PilkiEgton down in the Two-mile Championship — and snoh a contrast they made, too, the biggest and the smallest rider on the field. . Walter, however, had his revenge by beating him for a place in the Five Mile. Although, presumably, one of the features of the programme on Saturday, only a very small proportion of the onlookers were afforded an opportunity of witnessing the long-jump. On one side the view was blocked by the encroachment upon the ground of a crowd of boya and i young men, and on the other by "a long I line of interested officials. I was altogether surprised and pleased at Walter Pilkington'B riding. The rest seems to have improved him, for I do Dot think he ever-cycled better in his life. The fact of the track Bloping ont at the Hospital bend seemed to be against him, however, as he BloweS perceptibly every time he came to it. He had hard luck in not getting second place in the two mile championship. How he came to fall just at the winning post I have not heard. Much to the disappointment of the spectators, neither D. Wilson nor Frank Creamer competed in the walks, both of which were annexed pretty easily by Dickey, starting from the 40 and 130 yds marks respectively. McAffer (15yds and 50yds) was disqualified in the one mile for 'lifting, 1 but walked in Fplendid style in the 3 mile, being beaten by about 20 yarda. Personally, I thought Dickey's style of progression very doubtfal, particularly in the longer event. Freddy Ewen was the most successful ridtr at the meeting. He won the Half-mile, Two-mile Ladies' Bracelet, and Five Miles, and would have won the One Mile also if he had not been knocked down in his heat, bnt he was very leniently handicapped indeed, and reoeived starts I from men to whom he ought to have been conceding them. The way he stole a march on his field in the last lap of the Five Mile was worthy of an older and more experienced rider. Brownlee, the long and high jump champion of New Zealand, hardly performed up to his reputation. The former event he won with a leap of 20 feet 2 inches, but in the high jump he was beaten (independently of the handicap) by E. C. Laurie, who cleared 5 feet 8 inches, Brownlee getting over 5 feet 7 inches only The bar was afterwards raised to 5 feet 9$ inches, to give Laurie an opportunity of breaking the record, but he failed to negotiate if, as also did Brownlee. Afternoon tea was, as usual, provided ' for the ladies ' at the Domain on Saturday, bnt when it was ready the tables were rushed by a crowd of small boys and men who had no business to be there, and who ought, in common decency, to have remained away They consumed all the cake, so that when the ladies did arrive there was nothing for them bat biscuits. Afternoon tea is, amongst the lady patrons of the club, one of the most cherished institutions at the Sports Meetings, but it should not be allowed to degenerate into a scramble for all and sundry on the first-come-first-served principle.

Oucksey, like Brook, was giving too much start, but I do not think he rode as well as usual. He was either out of condition or he wants heart, for he would never finish. In the Two-mile Champion he caved in immediately he was challenged by Walter Pilkington. G-. Smith (owing 12 yards) won the 120 yards hurdles easily from T. Roberta and W. H Martin, each owing 7 yards, these being the only starters ; time, 17 4-sth sees. Smith also annexed the 250 yards handicap from scratch, after a great finish with Watson (17 yards). The Domain track was in very good order on Saturday, but it appeared to me to slope outwards a bit at the Hospital bend, and as a result the cyclists had to clow up considerably there to prevent their machines from Bkidding- It was surprising that no accident happened, and I noticed that Pilkington, especially, had to assume all sorts of positions on his machine to keep it from slanting over too much.

Ponsonby 's fielding was scarcely so good as in tne first innings. Buddie played a fine sound innings for 31. He is a greatly improved bat. Porter (17), Ball (17), Mills (16), and Denby (12), all shaped well for their rnna. Poiisonby's extra men in the field Beamed to pnzzle the batsmen a good deal. Langsford, who secured 6 Shore wickets for 26 in the Brat innings, finished up with 6 for 67. Wynyard was top score for the Shore with 40, compiled without a single chance Beok (39) also batted well, bnt had a brace of lives. Lundon was undoubtedly the pick of the Ponsonby bowlers. On Saturday his analysis read 21 overs, 7 maidens, 24 runs, 5 wickets. Trnly a fine perform&noe. A fact worthy of record is that Ponsonby primarily own their victory over > North Shore to the sportsmanlike action of the latter team. On the first day Ponsonby only mnstered seven men, and Shore, winning the toss, generously took first innings and lent their opponents four fieldsmen. Wynyard made one beautiful hit low-down to square leg on Saturday, which would have been a boundary had the umpire (Mr Lankham) been able to shift quick enough. As it was, he (the umpire) received the ball full force just above the ankle. Both the striker and struck were subjects for sympathy.

Nicholls, the crack three-quarter of the English footbail team, whom, it was reported, had Bettled in Sydney, is now on his way back to England. The Auckland Amateur Athletic Cycle Clnb hold a social afternoon ran on Saturday next, leaving Ponsonby Eeßervoir at 2.15 p.m. for One Tree Hill, Afternoon tea will be provided, and a large attendance of ladies and gentlemen is expected. Daring the afternoon an impromptu gympkana will be gone through.