ATHLETICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 456, 20 April 1899, Page 6

ATHLETICS

LBV

Vigilant,]

The adjourned meeting of professional athletes ' was held in Foley’s Shakespeare Hotel on Friday evening, when there was a large and enthusiastic attendance. It was decided to call the organisation the New Zealand Athletic League, the object being to foster professional athletics in all branches of sport. Messsrs G. Donaldson and T. Foley were elected hon. secretary and hon. treasurer respectively, the remaining officers and committee to be elected at the next meeting. It is intended to register all active members in the books of the league, the business to be carried on by an executive consisting of the president, two vice-presidents, hon. secretary, hon. treasurer, and nine committeemen. The feature of the league will probably be that no one shall be -eligible to act on the executive who is, or is likely to be, a competitor, the opinion of the meeting being that the members would be better served and the league beget more confidence it the management.was left entirely to supporters and well-wishers. It is not the object of the league to clash in any way with societies, such as the

Caledonian, Friendly, Hibernian, Eight Hours, etc., etc.—in fact, quite the contrary, as the fact of the leading athletes of the colony being banded together and registered will naturally tend to cause increased entries, create better sport, and prevent cases of false and misleading entries being made. Over thirty me bers were enrolled, and rules were passed for the carrying on of the league in the meantime, and the meeting was. then adjourned for the election of the remaining officers and executive. Of the talf-mile Professional Championship race between Bredin and Tincler, the London L. V. Gazette says :—On the appearance of the men they were very much criticised, and two grander trained athletes it is impossible to conceive, experts considering them trained to the minute. Bredin, as usual, was attired in white, whilst Tincler sported green drawers and vest, with shamrock embroidered on it. Bredin won the toss for choice of stations, but in a sportsmanlike manner gave up the inside berth to his opponent, who much appreciated the concession. Holes were then dug by the repective trainers, and the men got set in the presence of about 6000 spectators. At the first time of asking the pistol missfired, and the men were called back. But Hepplethwaite made no mistake the second time. “ Bang! ” went the pistol, the men left the mark together, and the great race had started. Tincler, favored by the inside berth, make the pace a cracker, and his free-and-easy stride compared most favorably to Bredin’s, who appeared tied up. The Irishman gained two yards in the first fifty, and gradually widening the gap, at the end of a quarter of a mile was ten yards in front; time, 55 2 ssec. Entering the last circuit Tincler was still going great guns, and at 700yds it looked a guinea to a cocoanut on one, and that was not Bredin ; hut the exquisite judgment of the Londoner was then ihown. Inch by inch he drew, up, amidst greet excitement, and forty yards from home got level, and after a stride or two was a couple of yards in front. It looked all over, but Tincler, running most gamely, came again, and got within half a yard of Bredin ; but

the champion made- another grand effort, and landed home by one yard, in Imin 56 l-ssec. A large number of American athletes will make the trip to Paris for the exposition sports. In addition to the All-American team Boston wishes to send over a little lot of its own. The “ hub of the universe” could send a very formidable combination, including Wefers the champion sprinter, Burke the 440yds flyer, Curtis the hurdler, Ellery Clarke the all round man, Connolly the long jumper, Blake the distance runner, and Hoyt the pole jumper. The above men would take a deal of beating by themselves, and with the addition of other cracks America will hold a very strong hand at the big athletic gathering next year. The athletes at Oxford University are not a bad lot this year. At the University sports I see that C. R. Thomas won the 100yds in lOsec dead. He had rather an easy win or he might have broken even time. The 120yds hurdles was won by H. R. Parkes in 16 l-ssec. The half-mile furnished a very good race and eventually T. Smith of Magdalen won in 2min 1.3-ssee, C. F. IV. Struben was second, and F. R. D. Munro third, four yards only between first and third man. In the high jump E. V. J. Brooke was first with a jump of sft. Bin. _ Our Dunedin correspondent writes : —“ Mr Oliver Bainbridge, who is touring the world on foot, writing and illustrating a work upon his travels, is at present in this colony and is making northwards. He delivers lectures here and there upon his way, which are spoken of very highly indeed. The Otago Daily Times speaks in very complimentary terms of his lecture in Dunedin. Mr Bainbridge is a novelist, artist, and composer, he composed ‘ I’ll Remember Thee ’ and ‘,l Love Thee.’ As an artist, he has gained a reputation, but not so high as that of an orator, he is spoken of as bright, eloquent, and wonderfully humoious, and his lectures are full of thrilling adventures and romantic episodes, intermingled with spark- - ling humour. He is the most romantic and picturesque traveller that has greeted our shores ; his costume is that of the Bulgarians, and with his long wavy brown hair, he reminds one of ‘ Ye men of ye olden time.’ Notwithstanding his peculiar attire, he is wonderfully popular, and wherever he stays he cheerfully welcomes the numerous callers that throng to speak to one

of the most travelled men of the day. Mr Bainbridge, up to his arrival in Dunedin, claims to have walked over >49,000 miles. Referring to the late L. E. Myers the Boston Police News says: —The suddenness of Myers’s death caused great surprise among those who had seen him within a few days, apparently in in good health. In athletic circles up town it was the uppermost topic, and the personal popularity of the athlete was painted large by the expressions of regret uttered and the kindly reminiscences related. Myers never was married, and bis father is the only one of his parents living. His death was due to heart failure, following a relapse from an attack of pneumonia, which he thought he had conquered. Had he lived until February 16 he would have been fortyone years old. As a runner Myers could Be justly considered a champion of champions .He belonged to that classed exemplified by Sullivan in pugilism and Zimmerman in cycling. He was ever ready to compete, and although his record, like that of o her champions, was not one entirely unbroken by defeat, he vanquished time and again the men accounted swiftest in America, England, Australia, and Canada. His record is phenomenal in its scope. He was great at any distance from 100yds to one mile, and was accounted the best man from a quarter to a half mile that ever trod the cinder path.