ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 741, 19 May 1904, Page 14

ATHLETICS.

Mr H. E. Kerr writes me as follows :— “ I see by yodrs of ‘the 28th inst. that. James Wray still pretends to be anxious for a match, and as previous correspondence was broken off by himself, I think it would only be courtesy on his part to have given me an opportunity of meeting him. I have previously endeavoured to arrange matches with Wray, Garner, of New South Wales, and Winthrup, of Dunedin. I would suggest a sweepstake of say twenty-five (£25) pounds per man, distance two (2) miles. This would give all the would-be champions a chance. I make this suggestion as 1 have found it impossible to arrange a match. In conclusion I may state that I am willing walk any man in Australasia one mile or two for a substantial amount, man and money to be found at Tariki, Taranaki.— H. E. KERR, Champion Professional Walker of Australasia.”

Mr Wray writes in reference to the above as follows “I am very sorry to have to state in connection with Mr Harry Kerr’s letter, that I cannot come to terms, as I would like to see what comes of my recent challenge to Mr Brady. As I was up at Dargaville on Saturday, I made it my business to see him. He is prepared to accept my condition, and I think a match will le arranged. His backer was to have written me cn Wednesday, but sO far has net done so. If the match comes o . well and gped. I will give Mr Kerr satisfaction with a •match after m. present engagement with Mr Brady.”

Wray has frequently expressed himself as being ready to make a match with Kerr, and as the latter’s terms seem very reasonable it is probable that something may come of the affair. The question of a referee would possibly prove a difficult matter to arrange, because so much would depend upon this gentleman’s ability. Should the match take place in Auckland there are ' several gentlemen fully qualified to act in this capacity. It is to be hoped that the match may be arranged, for beyond question it would give rise to a great deal of interest.

Billy Muirphv tells me th,at he lias received a letter from the National Sporting Club, Sydney, offering to make a match with him against Hegarty for a purse of £IOO. The veteran has cabled to say that he is willing i to fight, and he will accordingly leave for Sydney by +' Zealandia on May 23. The battle is to take place on June 14, and Aucklanders will wish Billy every success. As Hegarty

giving away a stone in weight, nearly twenty years in age, while his famous right hand, which was formerly broken, may possibly go back on him if used too much. It will be readily seen that he is set a very stiff task, but Murphy is ve

confident that he will succeed in his mission.

Considerable interest was evinced in the second annual In'Lernational Crosscountry Race over an 8| miles course (there or thereabouts) held on March 26 at Haydock Park. When the event took place at Hamilton Park, Glasgow, last year, England won by 53 points from Ireland, who in* turn beat Scotland and Wales, whose order of finishing was as indicated. The strong Eng lish team on that occasion included Alfred Shrubb (the first man home), T. Edwards, who was second, then running for England —but his name was included in the Welsh team for this year’s race — J. J. Daley (Ireland), and A. Aldridge (England). England again’ won with a score of 27 points, whilst premier individual honours once more fell to A. Shrubb, who finished first in 47min 58sec, Aldridge being second in 48min 26sec, G. Pearce (England) third in 49min 38sec. Wales finished second, Scotland third, and Ireland fourth, but England’s win was a verv easy one, as her six men were included in the first nine runners to reach the tape.

Accoding to the Sydney “Referee,” a magnificent specimen of the powerful athlete, in the person of Mourzourk, a Tunisian, presented himself at the “Referee” office the other dayl bent upon arranging a match with any man in Australia at Graeco-Roman styfe for from £3OO to £lOOO aside, and lodged £2O as earnest of his bona-fides. Mourzourk is 24 years of age, a fine, intelli-gent-looking fellow, as black as the ace of spades, and standing over 6ft high with a chest measurement that must be all out 58 inches, and probably 18 or 19 stone of weight. He is accompanied by Mr Victor Sabese, himself an uncommonly good sample of muscular humanity, as manager and friend, and both ■are very earnest in their mission. Mourzourk has just come from India, and he purposes going to America, thence to England. The Algerian states that he beat the great Russian (Hackenschmidt) now astonishing London, at Riga, his native town, 3-i years ago. He has also defeated Paul Pons, the famous Frenchman ; Beauvers and Constant Le Boucher, at Belgium ; and Petersen, in Denmark.