GENERAL ATHLETICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14773, 12 October 1921, Page 9

GENERAL ATHLETICS.

(By "The Scout.") Ethelda Bleibtrey has made a new 200 yards swimming record of 2mm. 36 l-sscc. Latest news from the United States is to the effect that Charles Paddocii. the fastest amateur sprinter in the world, has sprung a tendon. The report lacks confirmation, but uf there is any truth in the matter,. Paddock's sprinting days are nearly over, as veryfew men ever come back from a mishap of this'kind. Two frogs fell into' a churn of milk. The churn was closed and despatched to town by the farmer. One of the frogs said, "There is no hope," turneil up his toes, and sank. But the other frog exclaimed: "Never say die!" and kept afloat by swimming round the top as fast as*it could. When Ihe milkman in town opened the churn he found Hi-2 frog sitting calmly and coolly on a uat of butter—so the story goes. According to the decisiion of an English High Court, no responsibility attaches to the owner of a tree which, without his knowledge, has been blown across a road and causes damage through being run (into. Motorists and other users of the road wlil wish to se C ibis legal block swept away—root and branch. William T. i'ilden, world champion tennis player, describes Norton, of South Africa, the racquet expert who gave him such a close call at Wimbledon, as a "player without a weakness.'' Norton is overflowing with dynamic energy, although suffering from effects of heart strain as an army flyer. , He has a remarkable personality, and plays a brilliant and versatile game for a youth of 21. At 13 years of age he won a runntins championship in South Africa, and is proficient in several sports. Billy Shades, the American middleweight boxer, who did so well in Australia recently, is in New York, seeking big matches. With him are his brothers George (also a middleweight) and Dave (a welter-weight) and their father.

W. A. Rash, a former amateur champion wrestler, of Sydney, died at Ballarat last month, aged 36, after a lengthy illness caused by spinal paralysis sustained through an accident on the railway. Rash won several championships 'in his lime as lightweight. If the Canterbury Centre uf the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association is still anx;ous to secure an "overseas" attraction for the new season, what about its entering 'into negotiations with a man in Aylesbury, England, who has trained his chickens to swim, and who is throwing about challenges broadcast. Southland Tfimcs.

They were killing lime in the lobbv of the House the other night during the Address-in-Roply debate, and the sporting circle was commcnling on speed records. Mnttson, the Swede', 5 12* miles 'in lhr, 52rnin. 29sec. had been duly enlarged on nnd the mathematical expert was proving that the new aviation record of 206 miles an hour by 1c Comptc would mean Hint Mr Massey would soon he .journeying to England and back as a week-end jaunt. Then the scientific member chipped in: "After all," he said, "what, is velocity?" "Well." drawled the man from I lie backblocks, "up >ur way we call it the tiling with which We let go of a wasp.—Dominlion. Lord JcllicoO doesn't waste any lime in making lengthy public speeches. He doesn't "hold with il." Speaking at the opening of the Wellington rowing season, from the balcony of the Star Boaling Club's sheds, he declared his pleasure in opening I lie year's sport. He only wished that the prospects for the day had been a little belter than they were, for he would have liked to have seen a little rowing,'but thai was out of the question. It was not an occasion for making a speech, and tie would conclude by wishing the association a. successful season. The whalc-hoat.s were then brought forth, and crews from the S)ar and Pelonc Rowing Clubs rowed a scratch race of about ;i quarter of a mile. Petone won. 'in accounl of the roughness of the water the day was a. social one rather than athletic. Writing from Milwaukee, a visitor stales thai Larry Brown, captain uf the Pennsylvania University track team, set. a new world's record for the 1000 yards' run when he covered die distance in 2rnin. I? l-osec. just l-.,sec bolter than Melvin Shrppnrd's mark made mi July I ",. I!'|n. Tim rmwrnark was made at the track ineel held in Philadelphia, .Mine I I. With the remarkable growl h of lentiis there is ~ Breal need tor lennis lirislruclors. The professional golfer liar brought the game within reach of Ihe beginner, and il is surprising what rapid advaneemenl the new player can make under a brief period of proper schooling. The yarn,, of lawn letini-i is in need of more professionals, and when more expert insl ruction is available |jie quality uf play in the future

i Two French planters in Ihe New Hebrides quarrelled, and there weie challenges, fine of them declined a duel with either pistol, sword, or sua. "We shall do the box a la Carpcnlier," he replied. Then lie sprang upon his opponent's hack, grabbed him by the ha'ir, pulled him violently about the room, and delivered the knock-out with a kick in the ear! He had evidently | |ef|, France before Carpenfior's day ! a" 1 the alterations in the rules.

! Coveled eyes are apparently being I cast by Hie various secondary school*. jon the lleaUieute W.lliams Crick •! Shield, al present held by Ihe Palmerslon North Hoy,' High School. All evidem f llm desire to be lirst iuio the pad., again; I Ihe holders was given at the meeting of tie- management committee of Ihe N'-w /• '< ml i.ric.% 'I Council. The secretary Mr .1. ''■ Peakc) suited thai on., day last wclc an (individual called on him and - .id. •Tm going to disturb you 10-ni,-h: " "What's the game." asked Mr Peake. "Well, al midnight I'm going to lodge a challenge on behalf of Napier Boys' High School for the shield." "Oh, cut that out," lie was advised. "Coin.' in the mornlmg." Mr Peake said the insistent one duly arrived at 7.30 a.m. next day, and later in tin: morning a challenge was received from Christchurch Boys' High School. Napier was given priority, members of the committee remarking on the keenness of the lads. Too old at 60? A Northumberland Inn-keeper, J. Cunningham, arose recently to show that at G2 years of age h c was not too old to win the. King's Prize at Bislcy. A little man. hc was a homely figure in his green sports coal, duck trousers, flannel shirt without a collar, and wldc-briimmcd hat decorated with a sprig of heather. His rifle was hired from the National Rifle Association, for the meeting, at a shilling a day. His victory was an exciting one, for at, the finish he had to score a bull's-eye to win. Between his shots he ate, two plums, took a long look at the target wlitli the telescope, cuddled his rifle to his cheek, and lay as if frozen to the ground. Then he twice altered his wind gauge, and gave another imitation of a frozen man. At last he pulled the trigger—-and scored his bull's eye I JACK DONALDSON TALKS. OLD CHAMPION ON BAD OLD DAYS. (By F. F. Wentmorc in Sunday World, New York.) The bad old days! These times look back at other times, and see them 1 aloed with charm and wickedness. With a visiting Australian sprint champion comes a bouquet of pleasant, rascally legends of yore. Jack Donaldson is a hero of the Southern Ocean Continent. Out n Australia they shout over professional foot racing (of which there is little or none in our States), and .lack Donaldson is the professional running champion of the Antipodes for 100 to 000 yards. He holds all world's records for his distances. Hc is now in New York coaching runners for the 23rd Regiment. He is thin, dark, and weather-marked, after years of running and trench warfare. He came into I lie Sunday World office, sat down, lighted a long, black cigar, and related: — "Professional track running m Australia has Ihe status "of horse-racing. Huge crowds go to the meets, the first of which is the annual Stawell Gift. Great sums of money are wagered, and the excitement is spectacular. The system 'is well organised throughout the six colonies, much as horse-racing Is in flic United States, and to-day dishonest play is guarded against sternly. It was not so 20 years ago. Then the sport was as popular as now, and the betting as large, but races were loosely conducted and rascalities abounded." This sounds like familiar history, here no less than in Australia. Sport was marred by roaring crookory, drugged racehorses, brass knuckles in boxing gloves, and hollow dumbbells for weight-lifting. Now these flagrant things are suppressed, and this is a better day—although in baseball the World's Series went wild year before last.

Then Donaldson broke into yarning.

Blank was one of the best runners in Australia years ago, but he essayed a bit of trickery in a race and met with misadventure.

"A Mg meeting was announced Blank resolved to run, and saw a chance to fill his pockets with monev. If he were to run as the renowned Blank the belting odds would be on him, and competitors of inferior reputation would get handicaps against him, while if he were to run as an unknown the odds would be long against him, he could bet on himself to advantage, and he would receive instead c.f give a handicap. With liberal start on the best of his rivals he could win with ccrt.alinty.

"But Blank's face was familiar all over Australia, and his hair was of such a colour that a near sighted man could have recognised him at five hundred yards. So he dyed Wis hair black and put on a large black moustache. "The race was run on a heavy, cloudy day, and a great shout, was raised as the spectators massed along Ihe sides of the track saw the blackheaded, black-moustached unknown lead the field. Then big drops of rain began to splash. A dozen landed on Blank's inky hair, and a dozen more. Streaks of black started to run down his face. The spectators began to yell. Blank took this as a hymn to bis victory, and made a great spurt'. When he crossed the goal-line panting with exertion and the thought of the money he would win, his face was as black as Ethiopia, and his rinsed hair gleamea like flame. 'lie lost all his money, was lined, and just escaped a sentence. "Bribing runners and drugging Hum, dishonest handiicapping, and all other tricks, were practised, but the device most likely to lead to complications was running under a false name, as Blank ran.

"Cypher, fairly well known by name but not by slight, since he was a famous runner come from across the seas," Donaldson went on, "entered himself in a race under two names, his own arid a false one, so I hat when handicaps and (iriils should be reporter] he might choose the most advantageous. These were given to his false flame, under which he ran. lie was leading when n spectator re co grills eel him and raised an outcry. "The attendant police leaped over the fence and chased Cypher. Spectators joined them. The trailing runners, apprised by the shouts, led ill" pursuit down the lield. Cypher sprinted well ahead, passer! the goal a winner, and kepi right on. After n erosscountr> run he heal tiis pursuers so far Ilia! he lust I hem. lie got away, less his mmicy and his clothes. Is probahly cunning yet.

"liul, Ihe epic of nil these tales ciimes in the exploit of a runner who entered a race under a false name, won it, collected hiis bcls and returned (~ his hotel.- Then somebody began

thinking hard, remembered hr.'in.seen him fun before, and prolcslO' 1 . Two constables were senl to apprehend him. "The runner saw them corning up Ihe sialics, lie stationed himself at the lop. and as Ihev cone up, one behind the other, lie planted a powerful kick in the stomach of the first, and sent them hol.li rolling to the bottom. Vaulting Ihe banister he landed on 'tie floor below and ran out, hurried to I 1 "' stable, threw a halter over the first horse lie saw, leaped astride U and galloped across the country, "lie rode frantically until well into Ihe night, and then pul up at a country linl.r 1, placing the horse in Ihe stable. In the morning he went to the stable.

l and found I lie horse dead. An hour I later the police, wilh telegraphed ! orders, came ami arrested him. "It would have been a melancholy I llhiig for liim, with his dishonest ru:i- ---; nin:/, assault upon the policemen, 'md lioi'Ve-stealing. bill admiration for h:S I: .-••cciuloiis ride got him oil wilh a eoliple of weeks ill gaol."