Sports Miscellany: 1st July, 1912

James T Soutter will make the International Match between Scotland and Ireland his last appearance for the season.   Mr Crichton extended an invitation for him to run at the Rangers Sports, but he had to decline for academic reasons.

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A party of Scottish competitors for the Olympic Games sailed from Granton on Saturday afternoon, including, among others, RC Duncan (West of Scotland Harriers, R Burton (Berwick Harriers) Miss Bella Moore (Glasgow), GT Cornet (Inverness), W Pearson (Paisley),  W Kirkwood (Paisley) and the team of cyclists who are to take part in the great 200 miles road race.

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Lord Desborough , who is taking a very keen interest in the Olympic Games, has just created what must be regarded as a rather novel kind of record.   His election for the presidency of the Four-in-Hand Driving Club brought the number of natinal governing bodies in sport  of which he is president to nine, as follows – MCC, Amateur Fencing Association, British Olympic Council, Lawn Tennis Association, Croquet Association, Thames Punting Club, Four-in-Hand Driving Club, Coaching Club, Eoyal Life-Saving Society and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

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At the summer meeting of the London Athletic Club last week, HM Macintosh, the old Glenalmond boy, won the 100 metres in 11 sec., beating among others D MacMillan and AED Anderson.   This is Macintosh’s best effort, and is in striking contrast to his poor performance at the AAA’s championships.   RFC Yorke won the 1000 yards in 2 min 17 sec which is an LAC record.   Yorke is a popular member of the London Scottish and a runner who can cover the 1000 yards in a time that ties with Scottish record is one upon whom the SAAA should keep a  watchful eye.

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George Hepburn, the old West of Scotland Harrier, shares the honour of having discovered JA Howard of Winnipeg who is expected to do something impressive at the Olympic Games.    He is a negro, stands six foot three inches and scales twelve stone.   With practically no training, Howard ran Meyers, of the New York AC, a very close race at Winnipeg last season, and the very fact that he is Canada’s first string for the sprints at Stockholm would seem to indicate that he is a first class runner.   Howard is employed at a dairy farm, the owner of which is an old West of Scotland Harrier.   It is possible therefore that he may visit Glasgow at the end of the Stockholm Games.

The Rangers FC are going to have a high class meeting this season.   GH Patching, WA Stewart, WG Applegarth, CN Seedhouse, GRL Anderson, AED Anderson, E Owen, Douglas McNicol and H Braun have all promised to come to Ibrox on Aug 3rd.   This will be Braun’s only appearance in Scotland.   It is just possible one or two of America’s Olympic representatives may also take part in the Rangers meeting.   Melvin Sheppard has pleasant recollections of his visit to the Rangers ground four years ago, and doubtless he will be keen to cement old friendships.   In the meantime it is the Rangers intention to confine their sports to one day with football a strong feature.   No meeting should exceed three hours, and the Rangers would do well to bear that in mind when making their final arrangements.   There is such a thing as sporting dyspepsia.

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Beith Football Club have the field all to themselves on Saturday first, and the success of their meeting is assured if one is to judge of the number of entries already received.   There was a representative of the committee at the Hamilton Academicals Sports on Saturday, and the manner in which entry forms were taken up was proof, if any were wanted, of the popularity of the Beith function among Western amateurs.   W Law of Bellahouston Harriers will make his first  appearance for the season at Beith.   He is one of the best sprinters in the District, and as Halswell’s ‘mascot‘ was a prominent figure on the path when that great runner was charming us with his marvellous speed gifts.   Last year Goodwin of Ayr FC was discovered at Beith; he won the 100 yards very cleverly, and confirmed the genuineness of his sprinting by holding his own at other meetings.   Goodwin is expected to take part in the sports at Beith on Saturday, and there are other Ayrshire runners who are coming to the support of the Beith club.

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Ireland will be represented by the following athletes in the contest with Scotland at Powderhall on 20th July:

100 yards flat race: S McCombe (Belfast, JH McVey (Belfast)

220 yards flat race:   FR Shaw (Dublin University), JH McVey (Belfast)

440 yards flat race:   J Gray (Limerick), JM Hill (Queens Park Harriers)

880 yards flat race:   JM Hill (Queens Park Harriers), R Hales (Bandon)

One Mile flat race:   R Hales (Bandon), FI Ryder (Dublin).

Five Miles Flat Race:   H Murphy (Hallamshire Harriers), FIO McNeill (Dublin),  FI Ryder (Dublin).

120 yards hurdles:   CR Dugmere (London), F Kirwan (Waterford).

Putting the Shot:   J Irwin (Dublin).

Throwing the Hammer:   JJ Flanagan (Kilmallack), D Carey (Dublin).

Long Jump:   F Kirwan (Waterford), T O’Donghue (Liverpool)

High Jump:   T Carroll (Kinsale), T O’Donoghue (Liverpool)

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England carries the palm for high-class performances at championships.   Except in the hammer she heads the list in every event, and in somethe superiority is more marked than in others.   With the 100 yards captured by a South African, the 880 yards by a German, the hurdles by an Anglo-Scot, the broad jump by an Irishman, the hammer by a Scotsman and the shot by an Irishman, England however does not have a great deal to boast of, and in a triangular international with Scotland and Ireland the fight would be much closer than some people are prepared to concede.   Something of a novel kind is required to quicken public interest in athletics, even in London, and thatsomething might be provided in a triangular international match.   The following table gives the championship results for the season:-

Events                                  England                 Scotland                 Ireland                Wales

100 yards:                             9 4-5ths                10 1-5th                  10 2-5ths             10 3-5ths

220 yards:                            22 secs                  23 1-5th                  23 4-5th               23 3-5ths

440 yards:                            49 4-5th               51 4-5th                   51 4-5th               56 3-5ths

880 Yards:                          1 min 58 1-5th      2 min 1 4-5th        2 min 2 sec          2 min 6 4-5th

Mile:                                     4 min 21 2-5th      4 min 31 4-5th      4 min 32 3-5th   4 min 30 3-th

Four Miles:                         20 min 10 4-5th     20 in 46 sec          20 min 52 sec              –

Hurdles:                               15 3-5th                    17 1-5th                 17 sec                     19 3-5th

High Jump:                         6ft 0 in                      5 ft 9 in                 6ft 1 in                   5 ft 5 in

Broad Jump:                       23 ft 2 1/2in            20 ft 9 in                22 ft 3 in               19 ft 5 in

Hammer:                             162 ft 3 1/4 in          150 ft 3 1/2in        165 ft 8 in                       –

Putting:                                44 ft 10 in                 48 ft 2 in                46 ft 10 1/2 in

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Owing to the large number of entries for the fencing events at the Olympic Games, the period of time allotted to them has been extended.   It was originally decided that they should begin on July 6th and conclude on July 14th but they will now begin on July 4th and finish on July 17th,   There will be adequate representation of the UK at the Olympic Games so far as numbers are concerned, the revised entries to date being as follows:

Wrestling … 12

Football … 18

Swimming … 32

Gymnastics … 34

Fencing … 24

National Rifle Association … 34

Clay Bird Shooting … 9

Athletics … 74

Cycling … About 20

Modern Pentathlon … 3

Rowing … 20

Horse Riding (Military) … 4

Grand Total   284

The yachting entries have to be added to the above and competitors and officials from the United Kingdon will number well over 300.

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