ITEMS OF SPORT

New Zealand Tablet, 12 September 1912, Page 31

ITEMS OF SPORT

* *»— --■ (From our Correspondents and Elsewhere.) ' GENERAL. The eleventh annual road race from Port Chalmers to Dunedin was held on Saturday afternoon, under the auspices of,the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Thirty-five runners participated, as against 32 in 1911. Mr. C. Collins, of St. Joseph’s Harriers, secured second place. .. : It is stated that Hannes Kolehmainen (Finland) and Jean Bouin (France) are probably the greatest' distance runners the world has produced. As Kolehmainen just beat Bouin in the 5000 metres at Stockholm , in 14min 36 3-ssec, one can well believe it. If they ran three miles and 188 yards in 14min 36 3-ssec, what did they do to the three miles record? The Wellington drivers’ tug-of-war team, which will represent New Zealand in Mr. Mclntosh’s international tug-of-war in the Sydney Stadium on the 26th inst., has thrown out a challenge to pull any team in Wellington. Great interest is being centred in the team which is to uphold the athletic reputation of the Dominion, and there is every probability of its being seen in action before crossing to the Commonwealth. Christchurch is at present (writes our local correspondent) experiencing an invasion of girl hockey players, representative teams from all parts of the Dominion being engaged in championship ■' matches on . ‘ various sports grounds of the city and suburbs. Hockey girls numbered more than half of the total number of passengers who arrived at Lyttelton on Friday morning by the Mararoa from Wellington. The . vessel brought 192 passengers, of whom 101 were members of ladies’ hockey teams. The defeat of both Leander and New College in the Grand was an eye-opener to most people (says a writer in Sporting Life). Englishmen (or a large proportion of them) have long since looked upon the wearers of the cerise colors —well, invincible. Even when the Australians easily beat New College the ay arose: ‘Ah ! but they have to meet Leander yet.’ Only after the issue of Saturday’s memorable race did the majority realise the stern fact that Leander had indeed been whopped. Some excuses were promptly made, but emphatically not by the Leander oarsmen themselves. They were the first to congratulate their doughty rivals. Like the proverbial parrot, however, they, doubtless ‘thought the more.’ Mr. Jas. E. Sullivan, the United States Commissioner at the Olympic Games, has published a statement replying to the charges in ; the English newspapers against the American athletes. He characterises the charges as lies, insulting every member of the American team. After the King’s garden party Commissioner Sullivan gave a special interview to the International News Service. He said; ‘The opening ceremonies to- '■ day were the most impressive ever seen in the world of athletes. We do not do it that way in America, therefore I will never forget it. I talked with the King and Queen and found our boys have made a great impression. The Queen specially asked many questions about them and all about our ship. The idea of sending so large a team upon a chartered ocean liner they took as a great compliment to their country. The King expressed his thanks to our nation, which I am glad to convey through your papers.’ : FOOTBALL. Auckland B defeated a Goldfields team by 27 points to 10 at Auckland on Saturday., On Thursday afternoon (writes our Timaru correspondent) the Celtic Football Club, after a gallant struggle, were defeated by the Zingari team for this year’s senior championship by 5 points to nil. The Otago Goldfields team met a South Otago fifteen at Balclutha on Saturday, and after a hard and exciting game achieved victory by 13 points to nil, thus making the record of the tour one of unbroken success.

In Dunedin on Saturday the four leading teams in the Association Cup competition played off for the Charity Banner. Ravensbourne defeated Kaitangata, the scores being 2 goals 8 corners, to 2 goals 7 corners. Northern beat Mornington by 3 goals to 1. The final between Ravensbourne and Northern will take place, on Saturday at Culling Park.

The Rugby Union’s annual seven-aside tournament was played at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon before a fair crowd of spectators. The competing teams were Alhambra, Southern, University, Kaikorai, Union, Pirates, Dunedin. The final was between University and Alhambra, the former winning the match by 16 points to nil, and also the tournament. ; r

The first football match under League rules was played on the Show Grounds (writes our Christchurch correspondent) on last Saturday between representatives of Canterbury and Wellington, the novelty of the game attracting several thousand spectators.- Fast, close, and interesting play was the order of the game, Wellington eventually winning by 5 points to 4.

•" Canterbury met Wellington on Saturday on the Athletic Park, Wellington, before an attendance numbering about 5000. The playing area was in excellent condition. The local side were superior to the visitors in all departments, their backs especially outplaying the southern contingent, who showed to better advantage in the second spell than in the first. The game resulted in the home team scoring 16 points to the visitors’ 9. ;

The final challenge game for the Ranfurly Shield was played on Saturday at Auckland, when Auckland met Otago. A drawn game resulted, both sides scoring 5 points. The game throughout was of a very exciting nature, the good display of the visitors being due in a great measure to the finq display of their forwards. The Otago vanguard played with rare vigor and dash, and both in the open and scrum-work were quite the equals of the Auckland pack.

The first test match under the Northern Union rules between New Zealand and New South Wales was played on Saturday afternoon at Auckland. There was a great attendance, the crowd being, estimated at 20,000. The visitors won fairly comfortably, but their victory was made easy by the poor display of home backs. The New Zealand forwards fairly held their own, and in the loose were superior to the visiting forwords, who, however, usually obtained possession in the scrums. At the end of the first-half the scores were: New South Wales, 13 points; New Zealand, 5. In the second half both sides added 5 points to their respective scores, which stood at 18 to 10.

The Hawke’s Bay Catholic School old boys have quite distinguished themselves in football circles in Hawke’s Bay this year (writes a Hastings correspondent). The combined senior championship went to Napier Marists, and in addition to this they won the Lane Challenge Cup, and in all, probability will also secure the Lane Challenge Shield. Blake, a last year’s St. Patrick’s College boy, is playing a brilliant game, and besides representing Hawke’s Bay, was-also recommended for the North Island country team. Downing, a Marist old boy, has represented the North Island for the last two years. The Hastings Celtic teams won the double event in the junior and third grades. The juniors were runners-up in the combined Hawke’s Bay championship. Last Saturday, the juniors played the final for the Hastings championship against Okura, a, strong Native team, and, by making the game clean, fast, and open, Celtic won by 9 points to nil. During the second half, the weight of the big Natives was beginning to tell on their much lighter opponents, who were obliged to finish with eleven men, the other four being injured. Celtic thirds also won the combined Hawke’s Bay championship. Good support, has been promised to start a senior team next year.; - The St. Patrick’s (Hastings) school boys won the school .competition, and in four matches put up over 200 points. Judging by the performances the Catholic boys have shown this year they should , make a name for themselves in football circles in the near future.