Athletics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 412, 16 June 1898, Page 6

Athletics

I_By

Vigilant.]

- Our Sydney correspondent writes us that there is just a chance that the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club could arrange a visit to the next meeting of Roseingrave, the crack hurdle, with a view to a trial over sticks with Smith. This would prove a great draw. The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at a recent meeting threw out Mr Frost’s motion suggesting severance of that body from the Cyclists’ Alliance. On April 16, L. Hurst made an attempt to beat Crossland’s record of Ihr. 51min. 54sec. for running 30 miles at Burn Paak track, but, although he created new figures for sixteen and seventeen miles, he was then troubled with a stitch and took llir. 55min. 33sec. to complete the distance in.

An attempt is being made on the other side to bring about a revival in professioh.il running. The Referee, in dealing with the matter, says : — “ All this leads up to the question of the possibility of a revival in this city, and as the public have had a surfeit of pony racing (which took the place of pedestrianism), and are seemingly beginning to loose interest in bicycle racing, a good pedestrian handicap would probably prove a payable spec, if properly conducted . . . . In England professional running went so , much out of favour some time ago that all the principal grounds closed up. Last year, however, saw a genuine revival, and it still continues on the upgrade, £lOO handicaps again being quite common, while there is no difficulty about backing a runner for £lOOO There’s no doubt this desirable state of affairs was in a great measure brought about by the matches which took place between the ex amateur Downer and other good men. Another thing that gave it a fillip was the handicap sweepstakes which were instituted, and in the event to attempt to revive the sport here it would probably be a good idea to go in for something on similar lines. An early revival is by no means an impossibility here either, as a gentleman called in at this office recently to discuss the matter, and stated that there would be no difficulty about finding the money for a £75 or £lOO handicap provided he could get suitable grounds. In this respect he favoured “ Botany.” When I was in Sydney in October last, the grounds at Botany were in a very dilapidated condition, and had, indeed, gone to waste —very different to the time when the late Frank Smith was running the Sheffield Handicaps. The news that J. H. Tyers had turned professional (states the London L. V. Gazette) would come as no great surprise to followers of swimming, for since recent misunder-rtandings the secret has been an open one. The offer which has induced him to join the professional ranks

is £25 per week for three months’ season at the Blackpool Tower this summer. As Tyers has practically “ farmed” the amateur championship for several years a little more interest should be taken in the issue of the championships. On the other hand, the contest between the ex-amateur champion and Joey Nuttall should be a feature of the future.