Ian A Clarke, the Scottish hurdles champion, who gained such a surprising victory against Ireland at Powderhall on July 20th, is going into residence at Oxford University in October, probably for two years, and should stand an excellent chance of securing a “double blue” in athletics and rugby football. He is studying forestry, and will with that object in view spend his vacations in Germany.
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The “Olympic Games ” in aid of the Hamilton Brasss Band Fund have resulted in a profit of £200, which is much in excess of what was expected. Provost Smellie was at the head of the movement, and the result must be gratifying to all who lent their services, chief among them was Mr Thomas Moore of Hamilton Academicals. There has been quite revival in athletics in the ducal town this season, and, no doubt, other industrial centres will keep mind of this fact when another summer comes around.
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WR Applegarth (Polytechnic Harriers), perhaps the fastest sprinter in Britain, was second in a 300 yards handicap at Windsor last week, 33 1-5th sec being the winner’s time. The track was a grass one with bad corners and these facts should be kept in mind when estimating the worth of Applegarth’s performance.
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Poloc Cricket Club have set aside September 21st for their annual fete – a form of entertainment which they have made their own. Mr William Dunsmore is again convener, and hopes to introduce one or two recreative novelties which will tax the stamina of the competitors, and produce no end or merriment for the guests of the club. Poloc excel in this class of thing.
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Salford Harriers Sports on 14th September will be patronised by one or two Scottish runners. The programme will include two first class and two second class handicaps over half-mile and mile. Imitation, we are told, is the sincerest form of flattery and Rangers and Celtic should therefore feel proud that a club of the influence of Salford Harriers are not above taking a leaf from their books. These special handicaps bring to the surface qualities that are often lost in races where the fields are large and composed for the most part of inexperienced runners. And what is more to the point, they develop a higher standard of speed.
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Harry Hughes will not be able to run for the West of Scotland Harriers in the team race at the Edinburgh Southern Harriers Sports on Saturday, He is the only distance runner of note that the ‘West’ have, and the team without Hughes will not be very formidable. It is strange that while the West of Scotland Harriers have always been more or less well replenished with sprint and middle distance runners, Clydesdale Harriers, on the other hand have always been rich in distance talent and poor in sprinters. The ‘West’ will be represented by A McPhee, R Hutcheson, D Peat and G Mason.
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The Germans are making sound progress in the science of athletics. Their championships were held at Duisburg a few days ago, and the performances generally are astonishing when it is borne in mind that it is only recently that the Germans organised a national test. Hanns Braun, who was here recently, won the 400 metres in 51 3-5th sec, but does not seem to have taken part in the 800 metres, the winner of which was Lehman in 2 min 0 9-10th sec. R Rau, a very fine sprinter, won the 100 and 200 metres, the former in 11 -5th sec and the latter in 23 1-5th sec, but to the surprise of all, himself included, he was beaten in the 110 metres hurdles by one Martin in 15 4-5th sec which is German record. R Passoman, an ex-AAA champion, won the long jump with 21ft 0 3/4in but was beaten in the pole vault by Olaf after tieing at 11 feet 5 in. In the high jump the winner cleared 6 ft 1 3/4 in, and the winning put was 35 feet 5 3/4 in. Germans are nothing if not efficient, and these performances represent a development in applied athletics, which if maintained will them serious rivals to Britons and Americans alike.
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South London Harriers who will always have a warm place in the affections of Glasgow athletes owing to the helping hand they extended to the West of Scotland Harriers some seasons ago in connection with the Connell Cup competition, are including a three miles invitation handicap in their programme on the 14th of next month with the object of breaking record, so we are told. But in the meantime there is not a runner in England capable of lowering Shrubb’s three mile record, and the little embellishment about record breaking therefore displays an ignorance of the resources of English distance runners that is surprising in a club like South London Harriers. Unless it be R Hales, whose splendid performances at Celtic Sports a few days ago have produced a modified sensation in athletic circles across the Border, there is no one in Britain capable of coming within reasonable distance of Shrubb’s monumental time – 14 min 27 1-5th sec. And even Hales has yet to demonstrate that he is of the same fibre as Shrubb. GM Hutson may in another year accomplish something big but, like the Irish crack, he is some way off the magical zone of record breaking.
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