ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 19, 7 May 1892, Page 468

ATHLETICS.

PROFESSIONAL Athletics do not seem to catch on in New Zealand. A determined effort to put things on a better basis was made some time ago by the Northern Athletic Club, an organisation of professionals, who were anxious for some share of the patronage lavished so liberally on the amateurs. Their first meeting was fixed for St. Patrick's Day, but Providence seemed against them, and the rain came down in sheets. A postponement, of course, took place, but when the function Hid come off there was no specially manifested desire on the part of the public to travel to Potter's Paddock to participate therein. Notwithstanding these things, and that amongst the runners themselves there were growls auent the percentage of prize money paid, the committee of the Northern Athletic Club attempted and carried out a good programme of sports on Saturday last, the venue being the Auckland Domain. That section of the public who throng in their thousands to the amateur carnivals was, sad to relate, conspicuous by its absence, but there was a fair attendance of the sporting classes. Ladies were so much in the minoiity as to be practically invisible to the naked eye. On the principal of ‘ not good enough ’ several well-known men who ought to have been en evidence did not enter, and several important events had to be abandoned owing to insufficient entries. Those events that did come off were, so far as could be judged, well contested. Some of the times were excellent

—so excellent, in fact, that one feels inclined to take salt with one or two of them. fn the heats for the hundred yards handicap Pearson is credited with negotiating the distance in lOsec., and in the final won by two yards in 10 l-sth secs. ; and when it is remembered that he was put back a yard for this race, the performance was indeed excellent. Even more wonderful was his winning the 200 yards easily by considerably over a yard in 20 secs, a penalty yard also militating against him in this event. Donelly won the mile without any trouble in 4min 41sec., a performance which speaks for itself when it is remembered that he romped in 8 yards ahead of the field, and was not pressed at any time.

Says my Dunedin correspondent :—• The match between the Masterton and Alhambra Clubs, a report of which I wired you, has been the chief topic of conversation in football circles this week, and the play of the latter club is everywhere the theme of admiration. The only departuie in which the club did not appear to advantage was in regard to their wing three-quarter backs. Noel and Crawshaw both plajed streakily, and had the Alhambra been pressed at all the consequences might have been serious. What the club wants is the services of two good defensive wing three-quarters—not necessarily scoring men, but men who can be relied upon to defend when called upon. The forwards and halfbacks can be trusted to do the scoring, seeing that the passing game is the chief plank of the club’s play. I consider with the form I have indicated the Alhambra Club’s fifteen would successfully represent the province in representative matches against the Rugby Union teams of other provinces. • The Masterton Club were on Thursday without the services of Bannister (one of their best forwards) and D'Arcy (one of their best

backs), but had these men been playing, I am sure the result of the game would not have been different. Their play was disappointing, to say the least of it. Their forwards with their great weight should have cariied the scrummages, but the local men quite held their own here. The visitors did not back smartly, and with not much system. It was not, as I had almost expected to see, a race as to who should be first man up to the scrummage. Their combination was also poor. Often throughout the game one of their men would get away with the ball, but he was invariably unsupported, and the advantage gained thus lost. In one respect the Masterton team excelled their opponents, and that was in collar-

ing. In this branch of football North Island players are superior to their South Island brethren. I really think the Taranaki men beat all others in this respect. Their victory over the Englishmen in 1888 was almost entirely due to their skill in this direction.

•Speaking of this reminds me that the Taranaki Rugby Union are trying to arrange a match with our representatives. I hope this can be done, as it will be the first visit of the Taranakwnen to Dunedin, and I am sure they will be welcomed.

‘ The matches played on Saturday were mostly uninteresting, and hardly worth recording. The inter-club matches start on Saturday 7th May, when the Pirates and Alhambra Clubs meet.’

The St. George’s Rowing Club was established in 1883, and the boat-house was then in St. George’s Bay, the captain being F. J. Sanderson, and hon. sec. and treas. H. W. Hudson. In 1886 the boat-house was burnt, and the new site was fixed in Judge’s Bay, where a small shed was built. In 1888 the present boat house was built, and is now the largest and most commodious in Auckland.

The present membership of the club is about seventy, Mr F. Jervis being captain, Mr T. Kilfoyle, hon. sec., and Mr A. S. Bankart, hon. treas. Mr J. H. B. Coates holds the position of Commodore of the club.

The club has come rather prominently before the public in racing during the last two years, and its success in this line is mainly due to the untiring efforts of Mr C. F. Thomas, an ex-Victorian intercolonial oarsman.

ST. GEORGE S. ROWING CLUB—MAIDEN CREW.

The subject of our engraving is the club’s maiden crew, which has been the most successful crew in Auckland this season. This crew’s record is as follows:—At A.R.A. Regatta on December 12th, 1891, won maiden inrigged gigs, beating five crews; second, junior inrigged gigs won by Ponsonby Rowing Club by one and a-half lengths. At Judge’s Bay Regatta on 23rd January, 1892, won maiden whaleboats, beating three crews; won maiden inrigged gigs, beating three crews. At Auckland Annual Regatta 29th January, 1892, won maiden inrigged gigs, beating two crews; second, maiden whaleboats, won by North Shore Rowing Club by two lengths. A.R. A. Regatta, 9th April, 1892, won maiden inrigged gigs, beating three crews ; won junior inrigged gigs, beating three crews.

ONE of the great social events of each winter is the St. George’s dance, and it is expected that the next one will be held during May. Judging from the success of past efforts, we hope to see it, as before, the ball of the season.

It may possibly be thought odd that the Graphic should give the picture of a maiden crew before that of some of the seniors, or even juniors, who have distinguished themselves of late. The explanation is simple. The St. George’s people took the trouble to let me know about the photo and sent me particulars thereon. Photographs of other teams from all over the colony will be inserted in this paper if their position justified their inclusion.

I AM glad to hear that there is a proposal on foot to secure a new football ground at Petone. Newtown Park has always been very unsatisfactory, as no legal charge can be made for entrance, and there are other disadvantages.

On Saturday last the cricket match, Wellington Club v. Pho-nix Club, was continued from the previous Saturday, and finished under rather peculiar circumstances. The Phoenix on the previous Saturday had eight wickets down for 63, and on resuming last Saturday they finished their first innings for 73, this being 10 behind the Wellington’s first innings. The Wellingtons then went in and scored 109, and were, by the way, only batting 10 men. This left the Phrenix 120 to get to win, but at 5 o’clock the Phcenix men c&lled out * time ’ on the ground that the light was getting bad. The umpires, however, ordered the game to proceed, but Harris, who was captaining the Pho-nix, called his men from the wickets shortly after their second innings had started. The Wellington captain, E. Izard, thereupon claimed the game, and it was, of course, awarded him. In the Wellington’s second innings there was some fine batting, Izard, with 36, heading the score. Crawshaw made 27, and Longden 17. Doughty was absent.

The Midland v. Rivals also continued their match on the same day, the result being an easy win for the former by an innings and 27 runs. Several of the Rival men played well, but the others made a sorry show. Reid put up 18 in the second innings, Ramsay, 20 (not out), Lynch and Dryden 10. In the first innings Ramsay also scored 20, Lynch 16, and Read 11, the other men not doing anything worth mention.

Says my London correspondent : — • Aston Villa in the old country appears to be going in desperately for a record in the way of cup collecting, and the more sanguine of their supporters are already talking of five cups falling to the share of the Perry Bar Club. Already they have reached the final stage in three competitions, namely, the English Cup, the Staffordshire Cup, and the Foresters’ Cup—the latter, I believe, a purely local trophy. They had to meet St. George’s in the semi-final for the Staffordshire “ piece of plate,” and it is no exaggeration of the ease with which the Villa romped home to say that their opponents never had a single chance of winning from start to finish. The match was played in bitterly cold weather, but there was a remarkably good attendance for such a game, and just at the present time there can be little doubt that the Villa team, as a whole, are as popular as at any time in their career.’

Oxford and Cambridge now meet at rowing, cricket, football, golf, chess, rackets, billiards, tennis, athletic sports, and a few other trifles. We hope confidently that Inter ’Varsity contests will be added at whist, nap 100, baccarat, coddam, shove-halfpenny, glove fighting (with an ‘out’), snooker, bumble puppy, and other national forms of sport. We see no reason why they shouldn’t, and a good Inter-’Varsity glove-fight would be good business. Anyhow, the multiplication of these things must already have convinced everybody that, as centres of intellectual education, the two universities have long been given up as hopeless and useless (which they are), and that

their only mission in life is to provide places where young men can learn the mysteries of sport, and get their first glimpse into the arcana of financial difficulties. Up to date we have heard of an Inter-’Varsity contest in Latin verse, Greek particles, higher mathematics, or the ethical theories of ancient and modern philosophers.

It seems a wonderful feat on the part of a man 56 years of age next June to cover twenty miles in 2hrs. 35min. ssec. as C. M. Callow did recently at Stamford Bridge, London, and on a day cold enough to stop any ordinary mortal. It is quite possible that this feat may bring down the curtain on Mr Callow’s athletic career, which commenced as long ago as 1854, and has consequently lasted over the lengthy period of thirty-eight years. Mr Callow is a speaking example of what an elderly man may do if he takes plenty of active exercise. We are all of us too fond of taking • our ease at our inn,’ a by no means unpleasant relaxation, and which may be indulged with impunity if one works off the

effects thereof afterwards. I honestly believe that there are plenty of colonials of Mr Callow’s age who could accomplish a similar feat to his, provided always they were sound in wind and limb, if they would only keep their weight down by plenty of walking exercise. Most of us are too lazy, that’s the truth on’t.

Interest in the premier international seems to be on the increase at Home, if we may judge from the enormous crowd—a record one for a Rugby game—which visited the classic ground of the Academicals at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, to witness the nineteenth meeting between England and Scotland. A good deal has been written and said about past players and past results, so there is no good going into this part of the question. Suffice it to say that the teams turned out with one exception on either side as selected by the respective unions. Robinson, of Blackheath, could not play for England, and Yiend took his place ; while on the Scottish side, Leggatt of the Watsonians, to everybody’s regret, owing to a bad knee, bad to forego his chance of playing in the premier match of the season. W. A. M’Donald, the old Edinburgh High School boy and Glasgow University, filled the vacancy. Ihe weather was splendid, and the ground in capital condition. Punctual to time both teams appeared on the field, and were received with loud cheers. England defended the south goal, while Scotland played up the hill. Scotland had the best of the opening stages, and got early within the English twentyfive. England got over the centre line, but Stevenson, with a smart bit of play, dropped the ball back almost to the corner flag. England again relieved their lines, and play raged for a few minutes on neutral lines. Aiderson next gained a lot of ground by a useful punt; Boswell, however, retaliated. Evershed and Woods rushed the ball so the Scottish twenty five, the ball eventually going into touch near goal. After the kick out,

the Scottish forwards came away in grand style, but Lockwood saved. Lockwood next tried to break away, but was finely tackled. A minute or so later he was more successful, and dropped almost to the home twenty-five, and then Varley took England to the touch-line. The ball was eventually rushed over ; but Scotland gained the touch. A free kick was next obtained by England, and Woods made a good shot at goal. Campbell was now prominent, and a free kick fell to Scotland. M’Ewan, who took the kick made a splendid attempt to place a goal, the ball just grazing the post.

The Scottish forwards were now playing much better, and got within the English twenty-five. Lockwood, however, with the best run of the day so far, relieved, and had reached the Scottish twenty-five flag before he was brought down, Scotland having to touch down almost.immediately after. Inter changes between the back divisions followed, and play still close to the Scottish line. Excitement was now at its height, and Briggs tried to get through the maul. Play raged in front of the Scottish goal, and Burnet, getting possession, got behind just outside the posts. Alderson took the kick, and was successful in scoring a goal. After the kick from the centre, England was quickly again busy in Scotland’s territory. Half-time was almost immediately called, with the score: England, one goal ; Scotland, nil.

After the start of the ball in the second half, M’Ewan and Boswell, for Scotland, broke away in grand style, the ball being only saved on the touch line. The ball was eventually passed out to Clauss, who essayed a drop, and the ball was kicked dead. Dyson was next prominent in giving relief to his side, but Stevenson got in his drop, and Scotland w’as again looking dangerous ; but Briggs, however, was again to the fore, and the English lines were once more out of danger. After a break away by the Scottish forwards, Lockwood ran right through them and dropped into touch at the Scottish twenty-five, and M’Millan and Neilson gained a lot of ground for Scotland. Alderson at this point got winded, but a drop of * Scotch ’ soon brought him round, and Campbell brought play to the English twenty five. Lockwood, and then J. Orr, made their marks, but nothing was gained by either of them. Neilson next broke away, but he was grandly tackled. England gained a lot of ground by the ball being passed back, but Stevenson was to the fore again, and pointed finely into touch. The best bit of passing of the day now took place, between J- Orr, Neilson, and Campbell, which brought the Scotchmen down the field. With a few minutes to play, and Scotland close on the English line, excitement was intense, but the Englishmen, playing well together, got the ball away, and, Varley again being prominent, play was transferred to Scottish ground. The whistle almost immediately sounded, and the nineteenth international between England and Scotland finished with the score—England, one goal (5 points); Scotland, nil.'

The match fell below expectation and very seldom was the standard of play above the average. For the most part

it was contested by the forwards, the backs putting in very little meritorious work. The forward nature of the game gave the halves very few chances to pass out to the three quarters, who, being all on their own hook, had to make the most of any chances they might obtain for themselves. The Scotch forwards were the best, M’Millan, M’Ewen, and Millar, playing very well. D’Arcy Anderson at half got two black eyes by accident, and he played very bard. Both he and Orr were overshadowed by Briggs and X arley. The losing three quarters were poor, Campbell being the best. H. J. Stevenson, at back, was the most conspicuous player on the field, and he wrought brilliantly throughout. Coop, his vis a vis, was fairly good. Aiderson played a rare individual game, but passing was scarcely ever attempted by him. The halves, as stated, were excellent. At forward, Woods, Nichol, Bromet, and Bullough were the best.

Lovers of horses must have often felt how great a pity it is that horse-racing, which might be as innocent a recreation and amusement as any other form of sport, has been degraded into a mere medium for gambling. Racing has been called the sport of kings, and if it were possible to get rid of the betting nuisance, would undoubtedly well deserve the title, but at present’tis often, more’s the pity, the sport of knaves. The polo sports, of which we gave an account last week, were an admirable instance of horse racing freed from all its obnoxious and evil attendants. The excitement was keen, thesport good, and the afternoon in every way enjoyable, and yet the totalisator was non cst. The ponies enjoyed the fun as much as their riders, and the rascally element usual at any meeting in which horses take part, was conspicuous by its absence. We give this week a picture of Rangiora, winner of the Polo Cup and Ladies’ Bracelet, and one of the

smartest ponies in the north. Rangiora is a bay mare, the property of Mr Ivon Wansbrougb, bred by Messrs Spencer Bros., Tauranga, by Gillie Callum (imported) out of Mr Thorpe’s steeplechase mare Ruby.

A New Zealand athlete who recently went to ’Frisco, but who still finds time to think of New Zealand, home, beauty and the Graphic, sends me the following account of the great 72 hours’ race recently held in ’Frisco, when Ashinger beat Lamb, the English long distance rider, by only two feet in a distance of 1,022 miles 7 laps. The last day’s racing was started at eleven o’clock in the morning, instead of one o’clock in the afternoon. Lumsden’s fall while the men were racing on their last mile of Friday’s work practically threw him out of the race for first prize. He went back to fifth place, where he stayed to the end.

Lumsden’s fall was a bad one. The management had offered a special prize to the man who finished first the greatest number of times in the last mile each night during the week. All the men were spurting, with Ashinger first, Lamb second, Reading third and Lumsden lapping him on the outside. Just as the riders passed the trainers’ tables Lumsden without any warning swerved and struck Reading’s wheel. Both men fell. Reading was up and off’ in a minute, but poor Lumsden, who was regarded by many as the winner of the race, struck one of the tables, cut his face, broke his nose and lay bleeding and senseless on the floor. This settled all chance of his winning, as four men were well ahead of him before he recovered.

The final hours of the race were full of excitement, and the four thousand or more spectators were wrought up to a high pitch of enthusiasm when Lamb or Ashinger spurted for the lead, which they did every few moments. Lamb completed the I,oooth mile first in 70h. 15m. 30s. They had been exactly even for twelve hours and the gain of one lap would probably mean the race.

The finish was quite exciting. When the pistol was fired for the last mile Ashinger was leading, but Lamb was close on his wheel. They began their final brush at a terrible pace and there was hardly two feet lietween them in all those ten desperate laps. When Ashinger finally won the race by two feet the crowd cheered itself hoarse. At twenty minntes past ten o’clock p.m. Ashinger was presented with an American flag, which he carried around the track two or three times, amid great enthusiasm. The men finished in the following order : —

Ashinger won by only two feet. The men were all behind Prince s record of miles under the same conditions. The race has not been a success financially, and it is said that the management has lost .$B,OOO on its venture. The following amounts will go to the first seven men

Ashinger $l,OOO ; Lamb, $5OO ; Martin, $350 ; Reading, $250 ; Lumsden, $150; Schock, $125, and Stage, $lOO. Willy Wood, the English short distance rider, was ejected from the building yesterday for using foul and abusive language to the referee.

Miles. Laps. Charles XV . Ashinger. America, first .... 1.022 7 XV illiam Lamb. England, second.... .... 1.022 7 XX illiam Martin. Ireland, third 1,022 6 Edward Reading, America, fourth 1.022 5 J. I). Lumsden, Scotland, fifth 954 2 Albert Schock, America, sixth.. 940 1 William Stage, Scotland, seventh 900 0