ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 861, 6 September 1906, Page 10

ATHLETICS.

Mr. Ulic Shannon, the well-known Wellington pressman, is to make the handicaps for the championship meeting of the N.Z. Athletic Union.

A tremendous sensation was caused at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, on Wednesday night, July 4, when Mclnerney, a well-known wrestler, offered to stand up against Hackenschmidt, who was engaged to wrestle exhibition bouts, for ten minutes, for a wager of £lO. After some hesitation upon the part of Hackenschmidt’s party, the wager was accepted, and the pair engaged in a terrific struggle. The Russian employed all his wiles, but still the Irishman held out, and at last, amid a scene of tremendous excitement, time was called with McInerney still undefeated. Hackenschmidt then offered to go on, but the Irishman, remarking that he had done what he professed to be able to do pocketed his, .£lO, and left the stage ’

James Godfrey, the clever featherweight boxer, has been earning golden opinions lately for his brilliant exhibition. His record should be of general interest. He started boxing in 1901, his first performance being in an Bst 41b competition, when he had to beat four men for a gold watch in November, 1901. In the same month he won the gold medal for a contest of six rounds. Next he won Bst 61b competition, gold watch, December, 1901; won four-round contest, silver medal gold centre, January, 1902; won 9st competition, gold watch, February, 1902; won 9st competition, silver cup, February, 1902; won Bst 81b competition, gold watch, March, 1902; won six-round contest, gold medal, April, 1902; won 9st competition, marble clock, November, 1902; won 9st competition, Pair Vases, December, 1902; won six-round contest, silver cruet, January, 1903; won Bst 121 b competition, silver, cup; won six-round contest, gold medal, February, 1903; won 9st competition, liquor stand, March, 1903; and 9st Polytechnic championship, silver flower bowl, March, 1903 (in one week); won fourround contest, silver medal gold centre, April, 1903; won featherweight championship of England, April, 1903. Godfrey came to New Zealand on December 20, 1905 —Won six-round contest, silver cup, April, 1906; won Auckland championship, gold medal, July, 1906; won featherweight championship of New Zealand, gold medal, August, 1906. Godfrey has also won several prizes at rowing and skating (ice), including the championship of Walthamstow, London, January, 1904.

There is to be a boxing carnival at the Federal Hall on Friday and Saturday next. On Friday the chief item will be between Gault and McGovern. This is to be a six-round go for the featherweight championship of New Zealand. Both are clever boxers, McGovern being Murphy’s star pupil. On Saturday there will be a ten rounds contest between Fred Batchelor, of New South Wales, and J. Cripps, of America. Batchelor, whose portrait appears in this issue, last year won the amateur championship of Otago and Canterbury. On turning professional he beat Jim Goode in five rounds in Sydney, following this up with a victory over Mick Ryan in four rounds, and then defeated Ike Stewart in four rounds and Doyle in four rounds. Cripps has put up some very clever exhibitions in America, and is a clever boxer, so that the contest should be a very even one.