Owing to a hastily arranged sports meeting on the Liverpool side last Thursday and Friday, many prominent athletes who had entered the Hospital Gala Sports last Wednesday were forced to withdraw. However, some very good competition was seen although some new local talent rather upset the handicappers.
In the 80 yards flat, handicap. W. Warburton, of Wirral A.C., who is Merseyside sprint champion, was on actual scratch and failed to give 9 yards to K. C. Jones, a Wallasey runner who ran extremely well to beat J. Frith, of Boundary H., who recently was second in the Lancashire County 440 yards Junior Championship. The one lap (290) yards handicap again saw Warburton on scratch, and although he qualified for the final he was ousted out of the first three by F. Fairfoul (Boundary) 1st ; W. Usherwood (Pembroke) 2nd; and E. Cotter (Sefton) 3rd. In fairness, however, it must be stated that the track, on account of its shortness and bends, was very unfavourable to the back-markers.
A new event, the 220 yards championship of Wallasey, was won by B. O. Kivlin after a keen tussle with C. Dodgson. These two are also very good long jumpers, although Dodgson is not so well known, as Kivlin, who has rapidly built up a fine reputation in the field events League.
R. Leach, the holder did not turn out to defend his title in the Mile Championship of Wallasey which was won by K. Westmore, the University three-mile champion and holder of numerous records, after a thrilling race with N. Marples, who has been performing very successfully this summer. Despite the slow pace of the first two laps Westmore clocked 4 mins. 42 secs, for the mile, and was a little distressed at the finish. Marples, a yard behind, did not punish himself sufficiently, and J. Edwards showed improved form by being a close-up third.
The mile walk was not very well supported, and, owing to a mistake by the handicapper, E. B. Bailey, of Liverpool, had rather a comfortable win from C. Hatch, of Southport, who is a very fine long distance walker. J. A. Richardson, of Wallasey, must have chosen, this event to warm up on for in the next, a three lap handicap, he romped home an easy winner off 145 yards, with J. L. Davis, 125 yards, second, and A. R. G. Hill, third. The back-markers in this event seemed to make no progress at all. The two laps (Junior under 19) was won by another comparatively unknown runner. J. H. Thompson (Wallasey) with 45 yards start, and he was perhaps the easiest winner of the evening apart from the walk.
J. Perry, of Port Sunlight, showed how accomplished he is, for after winning the pole vault handicap from scratch, clearing 9ft. 10ins., he gave an exhibition in which he vaulted 11 feet.
The long jump was closely contested and a 13 years old Manor Road schoolboy, M. Clay, was second with a jump of 16 feet 5 ins. D. Crighton, Liverpool, with a handicap of 18 inches, won the event, 3rd being the ex-University athlete, L. Samuel, making the best jump of the evening, 19 feet 8 inches. Although he has done no serious training during the last twelve months Samuel seemed to be as fit as ever.
The longest race of the evening, 10 laps, proved one of the closest, for only about 10 yards separated the first three. L. Mole, the Manchester runner and holder of the 5 Mile Championship of Chester, came through nicely but failed to stay the pace in a fast last lap. W. Turner, of Wirral A.C., deservingly won, with W. Sephton (Sefton) 2nd, and J. Edwards, of Wallasey A.C. 3rd.
Wallasey A.C., unfortunately, drew the outside position in the relay race, which was won by Pembroke A.C., who narrowly beat Liverpool Harriers, with Wallasey A.C., represented by C. Dodgson, K. C. Jones, W. G. Williams and L. Samuel, 3rd.
The Mayor (Alderman A. W. Vicary Scoins), who is patron of the Wallasey Athletic Club, was present during the evening and showed that he is still keenly interested in the sport with which he has been long associated.
The sports were organised by the Wallasey Athletic Club, the main responsibility resting with the energetic Captain, W. R. Richardson, who could not find sufficient respite from his duties to enable him to compete in any of the events.
There was a fine array of medals and prizes and thanks are due to all those who came long and helped to make the meeting a success.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 16/07/1938
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