An interesting letter from Wallasey Harriers this week reveals that a general meeting of the club was recently held, at which the president, Mr A. G. Nicholson in his address, reviewing the sound and gratifying progress of the club, commented upon the fact that the club gained first place in the inter-club meetings held last autumn, and he looked forward to a repetition of this achievement in the new season.
Now it has been my privilege on one or two occasions to be present at the kind of meeting referred to, an I can vouch that they are extremely interesting, and I am convinced that they must be very helpful to the clubs and to the runners participating. Therefore, as I read Mr. Sherlock's a letter it occurred to me that the practice followed by Wallasey Harriers and those other clubs which have entered into the arrangement with them was one capable of great expansion Musing further, I wondered if, in this way, we could not find a solution to the evening meeting problem. Many clubs are organising (or intend to organise) evening sports during the coming summer and if all the plans materialise it is very evident that there will be a shortage of competitors, but with a little co-operation, and with the infusion of a little of the spirit that animates the cross-country runner, then it seems to me that an interesting scheme of matches night be evolved - matches which, I feel sure, would prove more attractive to spectators than many of the events that are usually staged at evening sports.
Cross country runners enter into inter-club runs without hope of reward, and what is still better they often take part in contests in which the advantages are an on one side, owing to the varying strengths of the competing clubs, but the fact that his club is certain to be beaten does not, as a rule, worry the cross-country man. He is willing from the outset to do his best for his side, and if a defeat is in prospect then he regards it as his duty to put forward all the greater effort in order to make that defeat as light as possible. It is generally assumed that the track man is made of different stuff, and is always on the look out for prizes more or less glittering - but I am not convinced that the discrepancy between the two classes of manor is so real or so marked as it is supposed to be. Both sets of men belong to the same clubs; they are reared in very much the same environment, and one wonders if really their instincts can be so opposite as is so frequently stated.
Anyhow, just to deal with the local situation, I believe it is possible for an interesting series of matches to be arranged with the Liverpool & District Cross-Country Union, provided that when the list of events is drawn up cognisance is taken of the fact that not all clubs are not strong enough in membership to take part in contests of too comprehensive a character, but there need be no necessity for all programmes to be uniform.
To return again to Wallasey Harriers, I am pleased to hear that a large increase in membership is reported. Evening sports meetings are to be arranged every Tuesday evening at the New Brighton Tower Track, and training tickets for the ground are obtainable at 5s each from Mr. W. C. Richards, 4, Newlands-drive, Wallasey. Inquiries in regard to application for membership should be addressed to the hon. secretary. Mr. R. G. Hyde, 14. Cromer-drive, Wallasey.
Ends
Source - Liverpool Echo - Saturday, 18/05/1929 by Marksman
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