ATHLETICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 351, 15 April 1897, Page 11

ATHLETICS

□By

Vigilant. ]

, The Wanganuiites seem likely to raise the necessary sum (including outside ast sistance) to send Holder to the July championships in England. Much as I ■ would like to see the Wanganui chamT pion sent Home for July I should prefer ’ to see our friends down below fall in with the suggestion mooted, and keep him . back until 1898, when there will be a 1 prospect of a representative Australasian 3 team going Home. It is hardly possible that he could be at his best in England ‘ this year with such a short time at his i disposal. b The Hawke’s Club holds its Autumn Meeting at Napier on the 24th inst. The card contains fourteen events, exclusive of heats, the majority of which are open , to members of any club affiliated with the association. [ “ Vaulter,” in the Referee, is still ham- . mering away at the “ betting evil ” which Mr Grierson reported to exist in Auckland. He says he wants to see that the executive of the A.A.C. has set on foot an enquiry into the general charge that has been brought against Auckland amateurs of betting. There is some talk of a cinder track being laid at Potter’s Paddock, Epsom. Mr Kidd (manager of the Auckland Tramway Co.) has been seriously considering the matter for some time past, and will approach the Rugby Union on the matter shortly, to ascertain if that body has any objection to the carrying out of the proposal. If put into effect the track will be a 440yds one, and will encircle the No. 1 football ground in front of the stand. The football ground would have to be torn up and levelled off, at a cost of about £3OO all told. The track would be used both for pedestrianism and cycling. Now that G. B. Bowser has turned professional and gone away the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club is without a really first-class sprinter to represent it at the forthcoming Australasian Championship Meeting at Sydney in October, should it be decided to send a team across. An Australian contemporary, in picking out a team to send to England next year, mentions the name of Hori Eruera, the native pole-jumper, who it will be remembered did lift at the recent Auckland meeting. I am extremely sorry to find that A. Brady has forfeited his amateur status, as I was looking forward to his being sent across to Sydney in October to measure strides with A. O. Barrett. Carroll, who went to England with a view to a match with Bacon, stands very flittle chance of arranging a meeting, as the latter will not consider anything of the kind until after his ten-mile race with Crossland in May, and, as after that event he is due to meet Mullen in June, the American looks like having nothing to do. Shortly after his fight with George Dixon, the ex-Aucklander, Billy Murphy was beaten by McMahon in six rounds at Philadelphia. A recent cablegram states that ‘ ‘ Fitzsimmons has announced his retirement from the ring.” Peter Maher and Sharkey have claimed the championship, and a challenge from the latter has been accepted by the Irishman. A correspondent, writing in an American paper, points out that the match between Corbett and Fitzsimmons could not be for the championship of the world on account of Peter Jackson being the undisputed champion of England and Australia. The only men, he maintained, who could fight for the championship were Corbett and Jackson. The question of amateurs and amateurism is one that is at present exercising the minds of athletic writers throughout the universe, and we find that in this democratic age the tendency is to prefer a cash consideration, at least in most quarters. This is, I take it, hardly due in most cases to a greed for money, but rather because the bulk of the runners and cyclists of to-day cannot actually afford the monetary outlay and time for -) preparation, and reap nothing?beyond a , trophy — something purely ornamental.

To meet this the athletic authority of the Sydney Referee (“ Prodigal”), suggests that the amateur athletic bodies should divide their ranks into two factions, the one to run for the trophy and honour and glory as at present, and the other for tne cash consideration. The idea is a decidedly good one, though I fear it will meet with strenuous opposition in many quarters. Some time ago we heard a good deal of a proposal to hold a Pan-Britannic Olympiad in England (the scheme emanating from Mr J. Astley Cooper), but of late the affair appeared to have passed out of sight. Apparently from the following article in the London Sporting Life adherents of Mr Cooper’s idea are still at work. Says the writer: —“What are we going to’do about celebrating the longest reign ? This is a question which fairly concerns all sportsmen just now. In June next all our colonial premiers, together with other representatives of British blood from the uttermost parts of the earth, will assemble in London to do honour to our beloved Queen, and to celebrate her unparalleled reign. Every corner of the earth where the British flag flies will be represented. Advantage will be taken of this unique gathering to hold a great Pan-Britannic Conference, ' and discuss matters of Imperial interest. Now’s our chance. Perhaps never again will sportsmen have such a glorious opportunity of discussing the International aspect of sport with their confreres from across the sea. Certainly not in our generation, at any rate. Now’s the time, I say, to ‘take opportunity by the head,’ and see whether a Pan-Britannic sporting festival cannot be arranged upon the lines suggested by that keenest of sportsmen, Mr J. Astley Cooper. His idea is a grand one, and no longer is it looked upon as purely Utopian, impossible of consummation, as was the case years ago. That being so, the next thing is to consider the best means of formulating Mr Astley Cooper’s idea, and rendering it workable. And when or where a more fitting time or place than the Pan-Britannic Conference in question ? I . know and appreciate how long and hard he has worked towards the desired end for the pure love of sport only. He has spent time and money freely already. But I sincerely hope that, now his reward is in sight, fie will set about redoubled action right away.” The Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club held their autumn meeting on Saturday last, when H. De Maus won the three sprint events, viz., the 100yds (from 9yds) in lOsec, 200yds (from 17yds) in 20 2-ssec, 300yds (from 26yds) in 33sec, and also ran second in the 600yds. Quite a day out I