Athletics, 1955

There was the usual general jostle to the Ings Gate, whereupon R. D. Beckitt took over the pace-making to the waterworks. In spite of the close pursuit of Hodd and Beckitt, the race, however, soon developed into a prolonged duel between D. Pfluger and R. M. Scarth. On the homeward journey Pfluger led the "fiield" on the inner stretch down the Ings, until reaching the Scope, where Scarth took over. The lead was hotly contested between the two, until finally Pfluger regained the lead when crossing the Colts field and held on grimly to win by a few yards. J. M. W. Dobson and other likely contestants had been powerless to make any impression on the winner and runnerup, who through their keen competition had set up a record time of 23 mins. 23 secs.

The remainder of the field duly followed and, although much was expected of the Day-boy Houses, the team competition developed solely between the •Rise and the Grove. The Grove held a lead up to five placings apiece, but the Rise gained the award on the 6th place, and very deservedly, too, for all their eight runners finished in the first 24 places. Result :- 1. Pfluger (G.); 2. Scarth (R.); 3. Hodd (G.); 4. Beckitt (T.); 5. Wilkinson (R.); 6. Magson (G.); 7. Heap (Q.); 8. Dobson (T.); 9. Kirkus (R.); 10. D. M. Walker (G.); 11. Whitmore (Q.); 12. C. D. M. Wood (M.). House Placings :-

Grove 1 3 6 10 19 28 Manor. 12 14 25 26 31 41 Queen's. 7 11 17 21 34 37 Rise. 2 5 9 13 16 18 School House. 15 22 32 35 36 42 Temple. 4 8 20 27 30 33 Total 67 149 127 63 182 122 Place 2nd 5th 4th 1st 6th 3rd

ATHLETICS

We have grown to accustom ourselves to chilly conditions for the Inter-House Standards competition, but seldom has such persistently cold weather been experienced as this year. The only redeeming feature was the fact that the track dried out so much more quickly than seemed possible, and a start was made not too much behind schedule. These cold conditions were undoubtedly the athletes' main adversary, and even some of the star performers were appalled at the apparent haste with which the stop-watch covered its allotted span of time.

Counter-attractions there were in plenty during most of the Standard programme, and ample opportunities presented themselves 58

for the less conscientious to delay their start. Owing to the curtailment of time, the programme became more than usually compressed. The laggards were found out, and the initiative and drive shown by some House Athletic Captains proved their worth. Once more the Rise showed their all-round strength and gained an insurmountable lead from Standards alone. Although their average per head was not as high as usual, this was due only to the shortage of time. For the same reason fewer boys than usual gained maximum points; in fact only four, namely—in Set B: D. Pfluger (G.); in Set C : R. M. Wheeler (G.) and M. L. Bywater (M.); and in Set E : J. J. Rhodes (S.H.). Others on the border line, being only one point short, were :in Set A : J. M. W. Dobson (T.); in Set C : G. P. Burden (R.), D. R. Procter (M.), and D. Robinson (S.H.); in Set D : A. H. Crowther (Q.), R. T. Burdon (R.), and T. M. Jenkinson (M.); and in Set E : G. R. .Cormack (R.) and D. L. Slade (Q.).

At the second attempt (a blizzard raged at the appointed hour in the morning) the mile races were held in the afternoon of Monday, 21st March, and this, too, proved to be the last opportunity for Standards, making only eight days in all. The two winners, C. D. M. Wood for the Intermediates and J. M. W. Dobson for the Seniors, outclassed their opponents and proved the virtues of developing a long stride.

With preliminary heats safely concluded, the weather finally relented and provided us with a beautiful Spring-like day for the Sports. Only one new School record was established, that of R. C. Hopkinson in the Junior throwing the cricket ball event, and small wonder, for the space of eight days of athletics is not the best of preparations for record-breaking. Performances, however, were well up to our normal standards with the exception of the high jumping, which was universally bad, and the 200 yards events in which the heaviness of the ground had its effect. Besides the new record, other performances of considerable merit were J. M. W. Dobson's quarter mile in 54.8 sec. and W. M. Howard's 100 yards in 11.5 sec., which was only % of a second outside the Junior record.

As the afternoon progressed, the lead which the Rise had gained from Standards grew larger and larger, and as last year interest was mainly centred around second place and the resulting 10 points in the Oxford Cup. This the Manor won after a prolonged struggle with both the Grove and Temple, and they owed it entirely to their Intermediate group, who swept the board by winning every event except the Relay.

The afternoon had been a noteworthy success. Even the football fans, by watching the cricket score-box, had been able to keep in touch with the latest score in the York v. Newcastle semi-final F.A. Cup replay (we shudder to think what O.P.s will have to say about this 59

modern encroachment upon our interests !), and athletics gained one or two converts even from the staunchest of opponents. To round off proceedings Mrs. Lewis once again presented the Athletics Shield to her son, and our only regret was that the Rise was not more severely tested.

INTER-HOUSE ATHLETICS Wednesday, 30th March, 1955

Points from Standards : Rise 200; Grove 172; Temple 165; Manor 163; . School House 157; Queen's 153. Senior Mile : 1. Dobson (T.); 2. Hodd , (G.); 3. Scarth (R.); 4. Pfluger (G.). . Time : 5 min. 3.9 sec. Inter. Mile : 1. Wood (M.); 2. Bytheway (Q.); 3. Jose (R.); 4. Bywater (M.). Time : 5 min. 16.5 sec. Senior 100 Yards : 1. Lewis (R.); 2. Macpherson (S.H.); 3. Johnson (T.); 4. Portlock (R.). Time : 10.7 sec. Junior 100 Yards : 1. Howard (R.); 2. Maxwell (G.); 3. Mathews (R.); 4. Crowther (Q.). Time : 11.5 sec. Inter. 100 Yards : 1. Liversidge N.); 2. Speddings (R.); 3. Mitchell (R.); 4. Dick (G.). Time : 11.2 sec. Senior High Jump : 1. Pfluger (G.); 2. Leonard (S.H.); 3. Dobson (T.); 4. Magson (G.) and Stubbs (R.). Height : 5 ft. 01 in. Junior Long Jump : 1. McCallum (M.); 2. Howard (R.); 3. Hobson (G.); 4. Moore (S.H.). Distance : 16 ft. 2 in. Inter. Half Mile : 1. Wood (M.); 2. Bytheway (Q.); 3. Burden (R.); 4. Newitt. )(T.). Time : 2 min. 18.4 sec. Senior Half Mile : 1. Dobson (T.); 2. Hodd (G.); 3. Scarth (R.); 4. Heap (Q.). Time: 2 min. 10.7 sec. Senior 220 Yards : 1. Lewis (R.); 2. Johnson (T.); 3. Macpherson (S.H.); 4. Portlock (R.). Time : 25.2 sec. Inter. 220 Yards : 1. Liversidge (M.); 2. Speddings (R.); 3. Sanderson (T.); 4. Tomlinson (M.). Time : 26.4 sec. Junior 220 Yards : 1. Mathews (R.); 2. Maxwell (G.); 3. Crowther (Q.); 4. Burden (R.). Time : 27.8 sec. Senior Long Jump : 1. Johnson (T.); 2. Hewson (Q.); 3. Kettlewell (R.); 4. Fish (G.). Distance : 18 ft. 74 in. Inter. High Jump : 1. Bywater (M.); 2. Butler (S.H.); 3. Miers (G.); 4. Taylor (T.). Height : 4 ft. 111 in. Junior Cricket Ball : 1. Hopkinson (R.); 2. Maxwell (G.); 3. Jesper (Q.); 4. Smith )(T.). Distance : 76 yd. 2 ft. 8 in. School Record. Inter. 440 Yards : 1. Bywater (M.); 2. Burden (R.); 3. Irvin (R.); 4. Dick (G.). Time : 60.1 sec. Junior 440 Yards : 1. Howard (R.); 2. Jenkinson (M.) and Burdon (R.); 4. Kershaw (T.). Time : 61.6 sec. Senior 440 Yards : 1. Dobson (T.); 2. Lewis (R.); 3. Pfluger (G.); 4. Atkinson (Q.). Time : 54.8 sec. Inter. Long Jump : 1. Liversidge (M.); 2. Bywater )(M.); 3. Miers (G.); 4. Macpherson (S.H.). Distance : 18 ft. 01 in. Junior High Jump : 1. Crowther (Q.); 2. Burdon (R.); 3. Mathews (R.); 4. Clark (M.). Height : 4 ft. 4 in. 60