HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 237, 3 October 1908, Page 7

HOCKEY.

A REMARKABLE SEASON. (From the "Star" Sports Edition.) , Sato-day's matches concluded the most remarkable hockey season that Auckland has known. The season has been remarkable for many reasons, inasmuch! as no less than seven interprovmcial matches have been played here. The local representatives have never once! suffered defeat, and no drawn games resulted. A wave of enthusiasm for the -winter "_______" game seems to have permeated Auckland athletic circles, and whereas a few years ago but a mere handful of spectators gathered to witness the games, on several occasions, this year the interprovincial games have attracted thousands of spectators. Hockey was first seriously taken up in Auckland in 1903, and it is interesting to note that the innovation of the game here is due to the ladies, who, prior to that time, were the only exponents of hockey in Auckland. There is little doubt, however, that it has come to stay and its popularity is increasing by leaps and bounds. Hockey players have'been more than "usually favoured this year, ideal weather prevailing for every match played. T_To_gbo_t tha season there has not been one single wet Saturday afternoon to- spoil the fixtures. Jupiter Pluvius sems to have bottled up his reserve force possibly for use at regatta or cricket functions, but it is certainly an astonishing fact that no single fixture should have been spoilt by the elements. The Auckland record in staving off seven challenges one after the other is certainly a marvellous one. ' The first game resulted in a win against Taranaki by 3 goals to 1 on July 4, after a stubborn fight. Canterbury followed, and were defeated by 2 goals to 1, after the most sensational game of the season. The game was played in Victoria Park, pro-; bably the finest hockey ground in the Dominion, and at the end of the second spell the scores were one all. Shield matches, however, have to be played to a finish, and a third spell had just begun, when Mason (Auckland's fast forward) got away with the ball on his own, and, travelling at a terrific ..pace, beat all opposition, and secured ttie victory for Auckland, amidst the wild cheering of probably the largest . crowd thai has ever gathered to witness a game of hockey. Next came Manawatu, who were defeated by ..four goals to three, after an exceptionally hard and fast game. Nelson followed, but failed to register any score, the local reps, getting three goals. On August 22 the Thames team visited Auckland, and shared the same fate as their predecessors,, the home team winning by 5 goals to nil. In the Wellington team it was "feared the Auckland reps, would meet their Waterloo, and the game created a great deal of interest. Played in Victoria Park, 4n the very best of good weather, and before 5000 spectators, as pretty a game of hockey 'as one could wish to see was played, and the result fully justified the confidence of Auckland supporters, the home team securing a victory by 2 goals to nil. The last rep. game of the season was played at RemueTa on September 12, when the Wanganui team went under by 9 goals to one. Only once have Auckland suffered defeat on their own ground since the inauguration of hockey in the Queen city, and they hold an unbeaten record for the past two seasons. Owing to the great number of shield matches, the -BSiior fixtures were curtailed, only six matches being played. "For the fourth time Auckland A have wcta the senior championship, whilst Y.M.CA., practically a new club, accounted for both the second and third grade championship, a highly meritorious performance. Auckland A thoroughly deserve their victory, as not only did they have a strong team in the field, but they paid great attention to training, and as the team was comprised mostly of old members and vacancies were filled by good exponents of the game, they rapidly acquired combinatibn. Their forward line was a particularly strong one, whilst their back division was well up to the standard; 'Varsity suffered greatly through the loss of several prominent players, but obtained some new members, who, to a great extent, helped to fill the gaps. like Auckland, they developed the "passing* game, although- at times they indulged in too much long passing, and were mii clined to overwork their left wing. Neverthe less, they put-up a good- performance, ' notably in their' match against the winners of the competition on the Domain. United was quite a different- team to that which won the competition last year, and, with one or two exceptions, they seemed to lack the confidence so characteristic of their play last season. At times tbiey brought off some brilliant I work, bat there was not enough finish to it St. George's are a greatly-improved i team, and it ia only two years ranee they I were in the junior ranks and carried off the championship. They have a bustling I lot of forwards, who are gradually ac. [ quiring the art of combination. Their half-line was very strong, and their goalkeeper came very close to securing rep, honours. This team is probably the most enthusiastic in the competition, aad it should not be long before they are at the top of the tree. Ponsonby have been unfortunate this season, by the failure to get their eleven on the field, and at tthelast moment they were often compelled to replace absentees, j Auckland B suffered from a lack of enthusiasm, and were frequently handicapped through members failing to put in an appearance. They stuck gamely to their task, and their best performance was against the champion team; in fact, some members of the latter reckon that the B team gave them the hardest game of the season. College Rifles and North Shore are both new to senior hockey, and they showed great enterprise in entering for the senior champion-hip Against such opponents as Auckland, University, and United. Both teams have several promising members, and, with a little more knowledge of the finer points of the game, will be an acquisition to senior hockey in AucklandKindred sports have an important bearing on hockey-playing, and it is worthy of note that of the Auckland rep. team no less than eight are wielders of the willow in the summer, two of them, BrookeSmith and F. R. Mason having participated in winning the cricket shield for Auckland last year, and have also represented New Zealand on the cricket field. The other three members of the team are all oarsmen, and the fact that the whole team are in constant training in sammer and winter undoubtedly has an important bearing on their prowess. The Auckland Hockey Association had i-4t long been formed (in 1903) when it was found that the Canterbury reps, were touring as far north as Taranaki It was at once decided to invite the Southerners to try conclusions, but a difficulty arose—Auckland were not a_B_l_ated with the N.Z. Hockey A____c_a_____, and tfeo Oantesfewy team wanted a go__r-<

antee of £15 towards their expenses j journeying up fci* Auckland.' A-spejAi meeting of the local A-odation 1* called;, and it was decided to heow affiliated with the parent body anda make the necessary guarantee to (Mi terbury. Accordingly, tbe visitors C3 _\i up to Auckland, and the first rep. g**K.. here was played on tbe Domain Crick« Ground, 'when' Auckland suffered tlwfl one and only defeat on the .home grouSß by two goals to one, Au/__l__id's .-s»§. rep. team comprised:—-Goal, Dr» pM§ Hardie Neil; full-backs, G. Court, It| Whyte; halves, W. J. Broadfoot, W_.%F Brown, F. S. Shirriffs; forwards, JLepine, C. F. C, Milkr, R. W. BfJ t Matthews, and F. R- Mason. M__y<Si were also played that year aa*fe 7*. Thames and Waihi. 7 F C With the exception of si CKsborne, Auckland was complete 0 -'}. lated from _at_r-p-ov___ial hoclPr ;j_ ;'- ---three years, although Btrenuoor* \ were made to induce ||| come North, but beyoni promis/p [__ eventuated- .In the grew in popularity, tbe film greatly increasing, and the £ (freS play improved. In 1904-5 - club secured both senior .and piohships, was the strongest dnb in t||| competition, and did much towards iafl P-oving the game scient-_cs__ly. It Wfa| dtaing this period that Mr. Bees GeorgH ; the best officer hockey has ever had, bjS; gan- to take an active interest in ttU Association, and was instrumental in <j|M< tabling a handsome cup for competit-» (presented by Mr. Moss Davis), and _1k a championship-banner (presented by )faj| Rees Geeige and friends). The Asso||9tion were also fortunate in see—ring their president Mr. WilKam keen supporter of the game, who h%P/ | helped the Association in every pos_MSS|| way. From that time-hockey has looked back, .and it now bids fair come, if not the premier winter pastime of the" province, second-only to Rugby--"-'"-..While .hockey, had beenprogressing leaps and bounds with the men. the ladies were also doing - their utmost ton improve the game, and they did a great|j deal. The only rep- fixtures were thoatf; played with the surrounding _nter-aajio# ciatkras, and in every instance the lo«_l| team were victorious. «_l_' . So recently as 1906 it looked as if bMB key were taking a retrograde step, $iag mainly .through the sterling effortsTol Messrs. H. Rees George and H. D. Hifli ; a Southern trip was proposed and soeZfl cessfully accomplished. It was the largj . est undertaking ever attempted in hockey I circles in the-Dominion at that time, and 3 when it was first proposed it was ■a § moot point whether it- would succeed, r Eventually, however, .all arrangements i were completed, the only difficulty being 1 that of finance. Guarantees were forth* 1 coming from'almost-©very place it wajJi proposed to play* at. ; Collection cards 1 were distributed, but the main source of § revenue - was from a euchre and danes held in the Royal Albert Hall, which re- § alisec. £50, The tour was a. conspicm success, and the local boys put ufT'ifc | highly creditable performance. The i lowing year Auckland were awarded thgm championship shield for the best * pef|lf formance in representative matches for the season. - - - 4§jj