IN THE SPORTLIGHT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 4 (Supplement)

IN THE SPORTLIGHT

LONG A PERSONALITY IN SOCCER.

ABOUT thirty-five years ago Ponsonby Primary School football team included three players who, as time went on, became Auckland and New Zealand representatives. Len Weston, Karl Ifwersen and Charlie Woolley were the trio, the last-named petti til? his New Zealand cap when he changed over from Rugby to League. Wing-forward in the youngsters' team was Fred H. Baker, later to become a very useful personality in Soccer as player and administrator. He took tingame up after leaving the primary school and has followed it ever since. Last week he was elected chairman of the control board which, like other football executives, lias an anxious period ahead. Fred's Soccer career started in the ranks of the Tabernacle Club in 1907-8. Then he was a founder and captain of the liverton Club, which was a very successful one prior to an® after the Great War. For 18 years he held a seat on the Soccer executive, during which he acted as deputy-chairman for a number of years. The association showed it? appreciation of his services when it elected him a life member eight years ago. On the field he was a back, and more than once represented Auckland as centre half. Cricket and swimming are other sports lie has taken part in, the former as a member of University and Ponsonby Club, and swimming with the Ponsonby Club. He was its sprint champion in 11*12 and was on the half-second mark for sprint events with the New Zealand champion Malcolm Champion. Like others about the fifty mark, Fred finds good entertainment in bowling, avid this season was runner-up in the Ep-uni Club's first year championship.