Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03
After Suffering Defeat at the Henley
Regatta America Gets the Worst
of the Races.
PUGILISM is ENJOYING A BOOM.
The Fighters Are Getting So Bold, How
ever, That the Good Times Are
not Likely to Last Long.
sLATIE'S CHANCES WITH M'AULIFFE.
Folly Of the Continued Baseball War in America
Progress Across the Sea
rynoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

amount of regret 1 had to notice the defeat
of our amateur sculling champion Psotta by
the Britishers, and this week I again must
say few words regarding the defeat of our
amateur pedestrians at the amateur cham
pionship meeting at Birmingham. Before
saying anything about the pedestrians 1
wish to say few words to what said last
week regarding Mr.. Psotta. My readers
will remember the generous act of Mr..
Psotts In refusing to take advantage of Mr..
Kennedy, who fell out of his boat almost at
the start. Well, here is q fact which shows
how the Britisher returned the compliment.
A day before the race Mr.. Psotta bet Mr..
Kennedy $3.50 that he. Psotta, would defeat
Kennedy. Alter their heat Mr.. Kennedy,
to the surprise OF all the gentlemen rowers,
actually took the $3.50. 1t really was worse
than if Mr.. Psotts had presented him with
$500, the full amount Of the bet, because had
Mr.. Psotts acted according to rowing rules,
Mr. Kennedy would certainly have had to
pay and would not have been in the final
heat. As it was, Mr.. Psotta refused to take
advantage of the accident and really allowed
him to get into the final heat. A meaner
trick than that of the Kingston clubman /
think couldn't well be imagined. But am
pleased to say that all the rowing talent
condemn the conduct of Kennedy, and the
general opinion is that his act was entirely
of the wolfsh kind and not of the gentle
man. Well, after all, the action of Mr.. Psot-
ia will almost add as much glory to him
and to American sportsmen as If he had
been victorious, and none of us can ever
think OF the Henley regatta of 1890 without
thinking of the wolfsh propensities of Mr..
Kennedy.
But set out here with the intention of
saying something about the amateur pedes-
TRANS, and must say my few words before
they are shut out or forgotten. The English
amateur athletic championship contests are
big affairs, although this year they were not
so important as when Myers, George and
Shook were contestants. This year the
weather was not favorable, an6 the attend
ance was light OF course, this fact some
what dampened the enthusiasm of the affair
at Birmingham; but throughout the country
generally there was great interest in the
various events. Many of the contests were
international, and this caused great interest
in them.
Some Speedy Runners.
The racing was very good, although
nothing extraordinary was done except in
the seven-mile walking contest, when H.
Curtis, of one of the London clubs, broke
the record. Before the contests started very
many people thought that c. 81. Sheriff., of
New York, would win the 100-yard race. 1
was somewhat inclined toward this opinion,
but our speculstions were knocked COM
pletely out regarding the race, as Mr.. Sher-
rill did not start. The winner turned up in
n. d. Morgan, who ran the distance in
10 20 seconds. 1t was stated that Sheriff.
was not in good condition, and, therefore,,
declined to start Had he run, of course,
providing he was at his best, l think he
would have won, as the time of the winner
was nothing greaI-in fact, it ranks among
the slowesI. The slowest time ever made
during the "a years the contests have taken
place is 10 3-5 seconds, and best is 10 Sec
onds, done in two successive years by A.
Wharton, who subsequently, became pro-
iessional The track this year, however,
was trife slow, but Notwithstanding this 1
think that Sheriff., judging from what I've
been told, can beat Morgan. They may
meet this summer, and then we shall be able
TO judge.
The only other event in which America
was represented was the quarter mile race.
W. NJ. Christie, of the Manhattan Club,
New York, was the representative and was
a strong favorite. He ran we'll FOR 800 yards
and then was out of it. Had the race been
for the distance named Mr.. Christie might
have won, but when that distance had been
covered the Britishers we're too strong for
him, as four OF them passed him and he fin
Gel, oI Sch ba mi, A
seconds. The time of Mr.. TindalI, last
years winner, was 4S1z seconds, which
shows that the quality this year is not as
good as last year. But it may be remarked
that 49, is extraordinary time, and ven-
ture to say that it is good betting even
money that none of our professionals this
year can equal il. Although our represen-
tatIves were beaten at the big contest am
inclined to think that they were not in their
best form. The half mile race was good
one, as 7. 7. Pitman, of London, won in the
excellent time of 1 minute 5S seconds. 1
mention this as it gives pointer to Ameri-
can professionals as 10 what they may ex-
pect if they come here to run half
mile race. But l am inclined
to think that the amatuers are
better than the professionals here, because
not manv of the latter make it business to
continuously practice halfmile running.
At any rate 1 venture to say that very few
indeed of the professionals here could have
held their own against Mr.. Pitman had they
been in the race. Last year Mr.. Tin5sll
ran the distance in / minute Sc 2-5 seconds
This was last going, no doubt, and certainly
there is not a professional in England TO-
day who can cover the distance in that
time, which goes to prove the truth of my
contention that the amateurs are better than
the professionals at the distance. G. B.
Shaw represented New Zealand in the 120
hurdle race, but was beaten. This event
was won by c. T. Daft Tor the third time.
In 1886 be covered the distance in 16 SEQ
ouds and this year he was four-ffths of a
second slower. Altogether the running was
very good and shows that the amateurs are
still keeping up an excellent standard all
round.
An Absurd Claim.
Finally, Messrs. Slavin and McAuliffe
have signed articles to box to a finish at the
Arnonde Club in October next for purse
of $4,000. The entire purse is S., 900, but
81 900 OF that is to be divided between the
principals for training expenses. There has
been any amount Of bluff and banter over
this match, and it seems sale to say that
mos: of it has been caused by persons who
trv TO wolf the Americans when they come
here. There are certain newspaper people
here who go in for the quack method of hav-
in0 Themselves advertised, and they lay hold
nj everv nro, essional who comes from the
United States who is fool enough to lend an
ear 10 their oonceited and egotIstical boasts.
II ia really amusing to see the efforts OF
these peoplcto have an American pugilist