Annual sports meeting, 15 May 1895

Evening News, 16 May 1895, p 5 [with additional commentary from Referee, 22 May 1895, p 7]:

The tenth annual sports meeting of the Sydney High School Amateur Athletic Club took place yesterday at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The weather was favorable enough, though a stiff southerly breeze interfered with fast times; this mattered little, however, as through some misunderstanding no chronograph was available, and consequently no times were taken. The attendance of friends and relatives of the competitors was very large, and the liveliest interest was taken in the proceedings. 

[….the weather being fine, the track hard and fast, and the attendance big. Mr. J. Coates, the worthy head-master, was on the ground, and I also noticed Messrs. T. B. Trebeck and W. Crompton judging, and Mr. J. F. Elphinstone in his old position of starter. The club was fortunate in its hon. secretary, for Mr. R. Atwill proved a hard working and obliging official.

The sport provided was not very exciting, with the exception of the Open Mile Handicap (which amply compensated for the otherwise noticeable deficiency), and the School authorities would do well in future to add another open handicap or two. In the school events L. Teece proved himself the boss runner, and the way he romped home in the 100yds School Championship and the 220yds School Cup, which he won from scratch, proved him an undeniably good boy. I was also impressed with a stocky youth named F. Russell, who appeared to have a cut in at everything, and always showed prominently.]

The results were as follow:

100 Yards Champion Race (boys under 15 years). — A. Pendergast, 1; A. S. Smith, 2; A. Murdock, 3. Won by 2yd.

100 Yards School Championship. — L. Teece, 1; B. James, 2 ; E. Gunnell, 3. Won handily.

120 Yards Handicap (boys under 14). — C. M'Burnie, 18yd, 1; G. Isaacs, 10, 2; S. Bellemey, 10, 3. Won by 1yd.

150 Yards Siamese Handicap. — W. Raffan and E. Gunnell, 3yd, 1; R. Bellemey and S. Bellemey, 9, 2. Won comfortably.

220 Yards Handicap (boys under 15). — N. Pendergast, scr, 1; G. Isaacs, 15yd, 2; A. Hellicar, 15, 3. Won by 2yd.

220 Yards School Cup.— L. Teece, scr, 1; B. James, 3yd, 2; W. Russell, 10, 3. There were about 16 starters, the limit mark being 26yd. Teece beat the pistol by 2yd, and coming through cleverly on the inside won easily by 2yd.

100 Yards Sack Race.— O. Neale, 1; S. Bellemey, 2. This was, as usual, a very amusing event.

880 Yards Club Handicap.— J. Green, 150yd, 1; A. Berner, 70, 2; W. Pratt, 10, 3. The winner, who, on account of his tender years, received 70yd more start than his nearest opponent, maintained a nice, even pace, and finished with 10yd to spare amid loud cheering.

120 Yards Hurdle Race, 12 jumps.— F. Russell, owes 10yd, 1; R. Atwill, owes 12yd, 2. Won by 3yd.

120 Yards Club Handicap.— B. Gunnell, 6yd, 1; H. Rourke, 9, 2; N. Pendergast, 8, 3. Won by 1/2 yd.

One-Mile Walk.— Jas. Wason, 60yd, 1; S. H. Storey, 60, 2; C. Scrivener, 40, 3. The winner, who was twice cautioned for lifting, beat Storey, who walked most fairly and gamely, by half a yard, after an excellent finish.

[The Mile Handicap Walk ended in a great race between James Wason 60yds and S. H. Storey 60yds, Wason just winning. The winner for half-a-mile showed real good form, and held a good lead, but then got very tired, and began to go doubtfully. Storey gradually wore him down, and as Wason retrograded in style so Storey improved. Wason in the last lap broke up, but in a scrambling finish, in which both got on their toes, just won, amidst great enthusiasm.] 

150 Yards Club Handicap.— N. Pendergast, 9yd, 1; F. Russell, 10, 2; H. Rourke, 9, 3. Won by half a yard.

440 Yards Obstacle Race. — John Wason, 10yd, 1; W. H. Pratt, 5, 2 ; F. Russell, 10, 3. Won easily.

440 Yards Team Race. — B. Gunnell finished first, and receives a special prize; but the race was won by 5A team, consisting of H. Rourke, W. H. Pratt, and A. Sneddon.

220 Yards Old Boys' Handicap. — S. Rowley, 10yd, 1; W. Allen, 20, 2; P. Wicks, 16, 3. Time, 25 1-5sec.

[Ten turned out for the Old Boys' 220yds Handicap, the event being looked upon as a moral for S. Rowley, Ashfield Harriers, 10yds, whose recent form the handicapper could hardly have remembered when adjusting the weights. Although badly blocked, the favorite got home in a scrambling and bumping finish by 2ft from W. Allen 20yds, and P. Wicks 15yds. J. G. Bissett 12yds, got knocked over when running second and close home. Some of the back-markers had as much chance of giving Rowley a start as they had of flying, and consequently, I presume, did not start, the actual scratch man being F. Pile, of the Petersham Harriers, 8yds. The School people— and other school authorities also—would do well in future to get their handicapper to show his “old boys’” adjustment to the Association handicapper, so as to get his advice on the production before it is made public.]

One Mile Open Handicap. — R. A. Quodling (Forest Lodge harriers), 90yd, 1; D. Moore (Ashfield harriers), 100, 2; A. E. Southwick (Forest Lodge harriers), 80, 3. The winner ran with excellent judgment. He was lying sixth until 100yd from home, when he came with a well-sustained effort, and beat Moore by a yard. Reid on scratch gave up 200yd from home. Time, 4min 49 1-5sec.

[The Open Mile— Mr. E. S. Marks' first venture in handicapping — produced a grand race, which ended as follows:

R. A. Quodling (Forest Lodge Harriers), 90yds 1

Dan Moore (Ashlield Harriers), 100yds … … 2

A. E. Southwick (Forest Lodge Harriers), 90yds 3

A. S. Jones (Bondi Harriers), 130yds … … 4

G. B. Humphries (Ashfield Harriers), 65yds ... 5

A big field started. Keshan cut out the running at a strong pace, with Jones and W. P. Humphries in attendance; but as they passed the quarter-post the order was Jones, Humphries, Keshan, with five or six others in a bunch. At the half-distance Keshan, running strongly, regained the lead, having Jones and M'Gifford on his heels—the latter showing up well—whilst H. S. Pulsford, D. Moore, G. E. Brown (the 'Varsity ped), Quodling, and G. B. Humphries were handy, and Fahy moving up. When the bell rang Jones went to the front again, with Moore and M'Gifford on his heels, Monro retiring. Moore at once chopped down the little Bondi boy, and drew out, running very strongly, whilst G. H. Humphries, Brown, M'Gifford, and several others, whose names I cannot remember, were adjacent, with Quodling and Southwick, who had been waiting too far back, moving up fast. On the far side it looked Moore's race, but Southwick, Jones, and Humphries were not out of it, the latter especially looking dangerous. At the gate Quodling began to go up fast, while Southwick here almost reached Moore. Getting fairly on his toes Quodling sprinted the last 60yds, and just beat Moore on the tape by a foot amidst great cheering. Southwick also finishing strongly, being but nine inches behind the Ashfield man, with Jones and Humphries close up. It was one of the most brilliant finishes seen on the ground. Time, 4min 49 1-5sec.]

440 Yards Club Handicap.— H. Rourke, 20yd, 1; F. Russell, 25, 2; O. Neale, 45, 3. Won by a yard.

Consolation Race, 120 Yards— R. Bellemey, 1; O. M'Coy, 2.

See also: The Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 1895, p 6; The Australian Star, 16 May 1895, p 3; The Daily Telegraph, 16 May 1895, p 6.