ATHLETICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19878, 20 February 1920, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

ODDS AND ENDS OF SPORT.

NOTES FROM ALL QUARTERS.

(By QUIDNUNC). BOXING.

Peter Cook and Frank O’Neil hare been matched by the Greymouth Association for tho light-weight championship. ,

W. Oliver, the Auckland featherweight. was unable to meet L. Robinson for the championship at Hamilton on February 7, owing to having met with an accident, According to a report that has reached me Oliver will not he seen again in tho ring. W. F. Corbett, in the Sydney “ Releree,” issues tho following warning to New Zealand associations to which it is to be hoped they will pay attention There is a boxing boom ni tho land of the Maori and the Moa just now, which bids fair to develop big. In arranging such alleged matches as Uren v. Meekin the clubs will very soon knock a large hole in the bottom of tho boom. Against a man of bis own class Moekin would put up a good battle. The goose that lays golden eggs for boxers and boxing promoters often dies hard, but she can occasionally be killed very easily. Jack Green, the champion bantam of Australia, and Digger Evans, recently returned from tho front, met at tho Sydney Stadium on 7, between 14,000 and 15,000 spectators being present. On weighing Evans was found to SQale Bst 121b, only 21b below, tho feather-weight, consequently the title was not at stake, but Evans forfeited £SO for exceeding the bantinn limit. _ Green could have refused to enter the ring, but sooner than disappoint the management and tho spectators he consented to see the contest through. According to reports it was a great contest, with the honours constantly fluctuating. At the conclusion of the twenty founds Evans secured the decision. The Stadium Management lias decided to import the best bantams that can bo secured from England and America to meet Green. The veteran Frank. Thorn had another flutter at the Sydney Stadium on January 31, his opponent being Jamito, tho Filipino. Thorn put it all over his young and vigorous opponent, but he met with bad luck in the tenth round, when a mix-up ended in his being heavily thrown. Being slow in rising ho was counted out. The “Referee” is of opinion that instead of Thorn being counted out Jamito should have been .disqualified for throwing, even though the act may have been. quite accidental. A, London cable mentions that on January 24 Bombardier Wells knocked opt Harry Reeve in the fourth round.

A cable message states that Jimmy "Wilde will meet F. Mahon at Toledo, Ohio, for the fly-weight championship.

AQUATIC.

In the course of an interview with the representative of the London “Evening News” Ernest Barry stated that, while making no excuses for his defeat by Felton on the Thames, in fairness to himself he was compelled to say that his boat was full of water before the start and that he had much the worst of the positions. Under the circumstances he could not admit that the race was a fair test of the respective merits of himself and Felton, and he therefore was desirous' of meeting the Australian under conditions which would enable such a test to lie made. If-he were, beaten on the Parramatta he "would cheerfully admit his defeat, aiid he felt sure that if lie proved successful Felton would be the first to congratulate him.

ATHLETIC.

At the Australasian Union Conference in Sydney Mr E. S. Marks, honorary, secretary of the union, was accorded a vote of thanks for his services, extending over a period of twenty-three years, during which time he liad-at-tended every Australasian conference and championship meeting hold, "hricl' at bis own expense. In conveying the unanimous expression of the views of the delegates to Mr Marks the,,.chairman eulogised his untiring work ori.behalf of amateur sport, and dwelt on his sound judgment and unvarying tact and courtesy. An Amateur Athletic Association has been organised throughout China as a result of the countrv-wide sports programme of the Y.M.C.A. An increased in athletics is reported in the Chinese army. General Chen, head of s °uthern forces, recently sent for a Red. Triangle man to go to Changchow to run Off a big sports meeting for his .olioa 8, P eisor >ally spent more than £4OO on the “ show,” and is now planning a bigger and better gathering. At Amoy plans are being prepared for a huge athletic field adjoining a modern gymnasium. At the far Eastern Olympio Games at Manila last year Chinese athletes held, or more than held, their own_ against the Japaneso competitorsRacial rivalry and the desire to maintain their position partly explains the popularity of athletics in China to.

SWIMMING.

Tie rafling at Auckland in connection with the New Zealand championships proves■beyond any question that the Nonunion swimmers of both sexes are making rapid progress in speed swimming. The 100 yds ladies’ championship was swum, in Imin 11 4-ssec. similar time to that put up in Sydney on Februaiv 7 in the Australian championship by Mina Wylie when she defeated D l ur;ik ; Iheu again in the men’s lOQyds championship Patterson, of Wellington, knocked 4-oscc off the record doing 60sec; Batchelor, of Christ’ chtirch, won the 220jds bovs’ infer. , mediate championship in 2min 41 3-d sec, which is about lOsec better than the record; Miss Walrond. of Auckland, won the 100 yds girls’ intermediate championship m Imin 11 2-osec. the fastest time recorded in New Zealand by a representative of the sex. All this is extremely satisfactory. We. have still a long way to go, it is true, before we can expect to bold our own with the champions of other countries but we are making excellent progress More opportunities and better facilities ate beginning to produce results.