THE KING OF CLUBS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2198, 23 May 1908, Page 4

THE KING OF CLUBS.

BURROWS BREAKS HIS RECORD IN AUCKLAND.

WONDBWFUL FEAT OF ENDU< HANCE.

There was n scone of friinlio excitement at tlio Opera House on Saturday night last on Mr Tom Burrows succeeding in beating his Wellington club-swinging record of 62hr 2nnn.. by four minutes. Burrows was tor the time being as veritable a hero as if ho had been, say, Hughes, the Australian diver, who so courageously rescued the entombed miner. Philosophers may wonder (remarks the ‘‘N.Z. Herald”) at the occasion for this public enthusiasm, but that arid not alter the fact that the scene was probably the wildest witnessed in this city. The finish of the swinging was the topic of the day during the whole of Saturday.' At night it fairly emptied usually thronged streets, the populace making all in the ono direction. Ever since Thursday, when the athlete commenced his self-imposed task, he has received a constant stream of visitors., including tho Mayor land several doctors and clergymen. Tlieso largely increased on Saturday, so that ho had no chance of getting lonely. All sorts of devices wore, indeed, utilised to keep the champion cheered up. The members of Fuller’s Company sang to him, a gramophone was made to screech at him, visitors joked with him, and all the time tlio clubs never left liis hands, never ceased to describe regular revolutions. At about 4.30 on Saturday morning Burrows nearly collapsed. Drowsiness settled down upon, him, and his eyes. closed. Suddenly ho all but fell —still the clubs kept swinging. His attendants frantically beat kerosene tins near his ears, and hit big drums, coffee served up strong was administered to him,, and fresh air admitted. Then he revived. From that time out Burrows went on monotonously swinging, swinging till women sighed for him and muttered beuoath their breath, “Poor fellow.” Then came the night. Long beioro the time for the opening of the doors the Opera House was besieged. Eventually a surging crowd of well over 2000 people filled the auditorium. How some of the women and children got in with sound wind and limb is a mystery, but they did. Calls for Burrows led to him appearing for 10 minutes before the ordinary programme started. ’When lie left the stage the audience showed restiveness. Scarcely any of the artists on tlio vaudeville bill got a hearing. There were constant cries for Burrows. Impatiently the great audience “tolerated” . the. programme until 10 o’clock, and then Burrows was produced. He was cheered again and again. The audience, led by the members of the company, sang to him, made verses about him, ehoored him and themselves into a state of ever-increasing, feverish excitement. Timepieces wore in numberless hands as the hour of 13 minutes to 11 approaches At each tick of the watch the enthusiasm grew. Untiringly the club-swinger plodded on. Then, there went up a great shout, which was faintly echoed as the huge crowd that had collected outside the theatre took it up. Burrows had succeeded. As if galvanised by the magnetism of the enthusiasm he made a a brilliant spurt, llound sped tlio gorgeous clubs at far more than the stipulated .70 revolutions per minute. The cheering broke fresh bounds, men flung their hats in the air, women yelled themselves hoarse, someouo went round with a hat and gathered in £ls for the hero of the night. He, revivified, continued his swing until his record had been smashed by a full four minutes. Ho was game” to go on for another hour, but; they stopped him. The crowd rushed the. stage. Burrows was surrounded, and it was all his u atchers could do to get him seated and give him a stimulant. ,• , t , er * hat . was a presentation by Mr A. J£ohn of a gold modal depicting tlie North Island of New Zealand, with a diamond let in, to mark the situation of Auckland. Burrows stood up, came forward amidst more frantic (cheers,, |and made a speech. Aucklanders were the best sports lie had ever met. That was the biggest demonstration over accorded him. But, much as he liked tlieir company, he wanted a warm bath and would ask to be excused, bo, home by cab, chased to his hotel by a howling mob of enthusiasts, cheered again as he alighted. Only then did the thousands who had assembled seek their homes. Seen the following day Burrows was fit and well. All he complained of was slight soreness in the muscles of the shoulders and a numbness of the somewhat swollen hands. Five minutes oftor his feat two doefors declared his pulse to be normal.