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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 12 (March 1, 1937)

Panorama of the Playground — Randolph Rose—An Athlete who Thrilled Thousands

page 61

Panorama of the Playground
Randolph Rose—An Athlete who Thrilled Thousands
.

The other night I sat back and reflected on the many thrills I had received during my employment as a sports writer. Taking pencil and paper, I made a list of the most exciting track and field events I had witnessed during the past twelve years. Strangely enough, although I have seen all the leading athletes of the past 15 years, one man was responsible for four of the most thrilling moments I have ever experienced at an athletic meeting. Who was he?

None other than Randolph Rose, former 3-miles Australasian record holder and present holder of the New Zealand one mile record of 4 min. 13£ sec. Yes, it was the big Wairarapa farm boy who thrilled me on four occasions as no other athlete in this cavalcade of champions has done.

I will never forget that night on the Basin Reserve (Wellington), when Rose set new figures for three miles. It wasn't a good night for racing, and for record-breaking purposes it was far from perfect—a heavy fog or mist made breathing difficult and the track was heavy. Rose ran one of his most remarkable races that night. It was a scratch race—he was not assisted by handicaps being given the other competitors and he had to make his own pace. His only chance of making a record was to set a withering pace and endeavour to “lap” the others. This he set himself to do. Did he succeed? Yes! Lap after lap he covered in that long devastating stride of his. Occasionally he wiped the perspiration from his brow with the handkerchief which he invariably carried in his hand during competition, but his stride never faltered and a fresh record was made.

And I will never forget his sensational three-milers against Billy Savidan, who later broke Rose's record and became a British Empire champion. Two memorable duels between these fine sportsmen stand out in my memory. First—Athletic Park, December, 1927. The stand and terraces were packed with a great crowd to see the final Australian and New Zealand Championship meeting. Rose and Savidan soon drew away from the other competitors in the three-mile championship race.

There was a stiff northerly wind that day and it was hard work running up the straight. When the last lap was started, Savidan “went for the doctor,” but in Rose he had met the stoutest-hearted runner ever to grace a New Zealand track. Rose answered his challenge. They swept into the last furlong as if they were contesting a quarter-mile instead of finishing a solid three-mile!

I was standing in the centre of the ground as they came up the straight and knew what it was to be between “walls of sound!” Thousands of spectators on the “bank,” thousands in the stand, and thousands on the terraces at the northern and southern ends rose to their feet and gave vent to the fullest extent of their vocal chords! Standing in the middle of the ground, my ears were dinned by that noise which did not cease until the judges' decision went to Rose by the narrowest of margins.

More than one spectator in good positions thought that the decision should have been a dead-heat, but the judges considered Rose to have won by inches.

Sympathy, however, plays no part in the decision of races—sprints or distance races. The judges were correct, but two years later the duel was repeated
The New Steam Carriage”—a reproduction from an early work of reference on steam locomotion.

The New Steam Carriage”—a reproduction from an early work of reference on steam locomotion.

at the New Zealand Championships at Wanganui when, once again Rose secured the verdict from Savidan after a race which is still talked of and the decision argued to-day.

Back to the Basin Reserve. Rose is there again.

Why? To race against Leo Lermond, of U.S.A.

Who was Lermond?

He was a member of the Boston A.A. Club, which numbered among its members none other than Lloyd Hahn, who had been defeated by Rose in a series of exciting mile races in 1926.

Lermond had been competing in Australia where the hard tracks had played havoc with his feet but he was anxious to avenge the defeat of Hahn.

With a furlong to go in the mile race, Lermond gave all he had in a sensational sprint to the line, but Rose answered him and at the turn into the straight held a slight lead. “Boston—it's now or never!” Lermond, a beaten man, rallied to that unspoken thought and drew level with the New Zealander. They were striding alternately and as Rose hit the ground with his left foot, he held a small lead which was regained by Lermond as the American landed with his left foot. And it was the American who was in front at the tape—and Rose who was in front at the next stride! Hahn's defeat had been avenged ! !

Lermond confessed to me, after that race, that he had just won the greatest victory of his career and if he never won another race he felt that he had achieved something worthwhile.

What other distance runner in the