Annual sports meeting, 9 May 1888

The Australian Town and Country Journal, 12 May 1888 p 40 [with additional commentary from the Referee, 17 May 1888 p 3]:

SYDNEY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.

The third annual sports meeting of the Sydney High School Amateur Athletic Club was held at the Association Cricket Ground on Wednesday afternoon. There was a large attendance, about 7000, and immense enthusiasm was manifested, especially by the younger portion of the spectators. The band of the Naval Volunteer Artillery played on the lawn, and its cheering strains had an exhilarating influence, which went far to counteract the effects of a rather cold southerly wind. There was a large number of entries, and most of the events were keenly contested.

During the afternoon a squad of cadets, under Major Strong, went through various exercises, to the delight of the onlookers. The tramway arrangements were very bad, not the slightest attempt having been made to compete with the enormous traffic. Mr. J. Coates officiated as referee; Messrs. T. B. Trebeck, W. C. Taylor, and G. Barbour as judges; Messrs. J. G. Legge and C. Blumer, as timekeepers; Messrs. L. Stevenson, T. B. Trebeck, and W. Crompton, referees for walking; and Mr. J. F. Elphinstone as starter; while the hon. secretary, Mr. C. P. Watt, was present. The bicycle races were under the patronage and management of the New South Wales Cyclists' Union; and the Strangers' Race and Open Handicap under the patronage and management of the N.S.W. Amateur Athletic Association. The prize list was most satisfactory; the names of no less than forty-eight donors appearing. Results:—

120 Yards Race, boys under 14.—J. Wallace, 3yds, 1; J. Malumby, 7, 2.

Throwing the Cricket Ball.—E. H. Quodling, 99 1/2yds, 1; S. Drummond, 2.

100 Yards Race, Champion of School.—I. Cullen, 1; E. H. Quodling, 2. Time, 11 1-5sec.

220 Yards Handicap, boys under 15.—R. Forsyth, scratch, 1; F. Tidswell, 3yds, 2; W. Younger, 6yds, 3. Time, 29 1-5sec.

220 Yards. All Schools Champion.—R. Cameron (S.G.S.), 1; A. N. Miles (St. Aloysius's College), 2. Time, 25 2-5sec. [The 220yds. All Schools Champion Race was one of the events of the day. A splendid field of over twenty ranged up in line, but the start was a wretched one—one lad breaking away, and being followed by a regular string, was eight or nine yards over the mark, and running, when the gun went. However, he collapsed on the hill, and a splendid finish between R. Cameron (Sydney Grammar School) and A. N. Miles (St. Aloysius') ended in the former just winning by six inches. Miles led five yards from home, and should have won, but his heart failed him when Cameron collared him, and he faltered in his last stride.]

150 Yards Handicap, open. First heat: A. Corbin, 12yds, 1; L. Booth, 8, 2 ; L. Sones, 18, 3. Twelve started. Won very easily. Time, 16 1-5sec. Second heat: C. Jenkins, 6yds, 1; E. Orth, 18, 2; E. H. Quodling, scratch, 3. Sixteen started, and the result was a fairly easy win in 16sec. Final heat: A. Corbin, 12yds, 1; L. Jones, 18, 2; E. H. Quodling, scratch, 3. Won easily by two yards. [The 150yds. Open Handicap, run in heats, eventually resulted in a win for A. Corbin, who left the 12yd. mark, and running with splendid style and “all heart” against much bigger boys, won handsomely by a yard from L. Jones (18yds.) and Quodling (scratch), the time occupied being 16 1-5sec, the same as Corbin ran his heat in.]

One Mile Walking Handicap.—C. Delohery, 180yds, 1; A. M'Phee, 90, 2; F. C. Munro, 110, 3. Thirteen started, but Delohery had no trouble, and, walking grandly, won with over 100 yards to the good, amid loud plaudits from the spectators. The race for second place was very close, and just won on the tape. [The Mile Walking Handicap was a very soft thing for the little lad who had the limit, C. Delohery (180yds.) who walked in grand style, and could have whipped the big 'uns off the same mark; his time, unpressed, was 9min. 21sec.]

220 Yards School Cup.—A. Corbin, 15yds, 1; I. Cullen, 4yds, 2; E. P. Todhunter, 8yds, 3. [The 220yds. School Cup final heat was won by A. Corbin, who again asserted his ability to go fast and stay home. He ran his heat and final in this race also in the same time—25 1-5sec. The game little lad thus won the double. The final was finished thus:—A. Corbin, 15yds., 1: J. Cullen, 4yds., 2; E. P. Todhunter, 8yds., 3. Won by four good yards.]

300 Yards Handicap, Ex-students : S. Gregory, 25yds, 1; R. Dolby, 40, 2; E. Griffin, 35, 3. Twelve started. Time, 33 4-5sec. [Ex-students (I suppose that is considered a more genteel phrase than the dear—from—ancient—association “old boys,” but I know which sounds best) 300yds Handicap was won by Sid Gregory, son of Dave of that ilk, who ran a game race all the way, and covered 275yds in 33 4-5sec. Dolby (40yds) and Griffin (35yds) ran second and third.]

120 Yards Hurdle Handicap.—E. H. Quodling, owes 16yds, 1; H. C. Slee, owes 12, 2; S. Marks, owes 8, 3. Five started, and the race was won easily in 20sec. [The 120yds Hurdle Handicap was won by E. H. Quodling, who was 16yds behind scratch, and who ran through his men in great style, being a natural jumper, but “shortening” too much to his hurdle. Time, 20sec.]

300 Yards Ladies' Bracelet.—Miss Watt ns C. P. Watt, scratch, 1; Miss Heath ns C. Jenkins, 12yds, 2; Miss Beardsmore ns R. Boardsmore, 36, 3. Eleven started. Time, 36 2-5sec.

One Mile Walk, All Comers.--G. H. Hardwick, E.S.A.A.C, 10sec, 1; J. Giltinan, E.S.A.A.C., 20sec, 2. Time, 8min 17 2-5sec; with 40 seconds to allow. Eight started. The finish was a splendid trial of speed between Hardwick and Giltinan, the latter making a grand spurt in the last 100 yards, but Hardwick was too strong, and finished with something in hand. [The most interesting event of the day to those onlookers who were not actually connected with the school events, was the All-comers' (amateur) Mile Walk Handicap. It was handicapped by time, F. Bettison leaving the mark, after having given starts varying from ten to fifty seconds. Our champion amateur, George Hardwick, had 10sec., and made good use of them, winning very easily, though Giltinan, who showed a big turn of speed at times, came at him in the straight with a rush, and made an exciting finish of it, though he dropped in a faint after passing the post. Anyhow he was lifting all the way down the last 100yds. Hardwick is as fair as possible, and could whip Bettison, who lost ground from the start, off the one mark. R. Brannon made a good show for three-quarters of a mile, and looked like a winner, but cracked up badly in the last lap. Hardwick's time was 7min 37 2-5sec.]

150 Yards Siamese Race.--C. P. Watt and W. Suttor, 1. Five couples started. Time 37 2-5sec.

Three Miles Bicycle Handicap.—G. W. Whatmore, 340yds, 1; A. Gellick, 430yds, 2: A. Fry, 400yds, 3.

440Yards Open Handicap.--M. Cleeve, 16yds, 1; C.N.W. Watt, scratch, 2; I. Cullen, 3.

300 Yards Strangers' Handicap.—H. T. Morgan, 28yds, 1; R. G. Maiden, 23yds, 2; H. Bassetti, 18yds, 3. [The 300yds Strangers' Handicap brought out a splendid field, W. J. M'Pherson, the flying amateur quarter-miler left the scratch, but I don't think he exerted himself unduly, the race being won by the limit man, H. T. Morgan, who had 28yds start, and took 32 4-5sec to cover the distance, M'Pherson being 6yds away fourth, and Maiden 23yds, and Bassetti 18yds, second and third respectively.]

One Mile Handicap, Seniors and Ex-students.—E. Griffin, 170yds, 1; S. Hopkinson, 160yds, 2; T. Broughton, scratch, 3. [One mile, seniors and ex-students, was run at a funeral pace, and won by R. Griffin, 170yds, while both S. Hopkinson, 160yds, who was second, and J. Broughton, scratch, who ran third, fell over the line in a faint, completely run out.]

220 Yards Consolation Race.--S. Marks, 1; P. Addison, 2; W. Siccombe, 3.

See also: The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 May 1888 p 5; The Daily Telegraph, 10 May 1888 p 6; The Australian Star, 10 May 1888 p 5.