RAISED OVER £2500

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 152, 29 June 1944, Page 6

RAISED OVER £2500

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND FUNDS BENEFIT

Eight American football games conducted by the visiting New England division throughout the metropolitan area of Auckland in the past few months may not have converted many New Zealanders from the ranks of Rugby, League and Soccer, but (they realised the sum of £2513 for six patriotic and welfare organisations here. The largest crowd was assembled on May 20, whe 18,000 spectators thronged Eden Park to watch an Army-Marine football game. Several other contests were held in the l Auckland city area, as well as at Pukekohe, Otahuhu and Manurewa. The fact that proceeds of all games were pledged beforehand to patriotic and welfare purposes helped increase attendances, and the Special Service officers of the division, who sponsored the games, state that many servicemen and civilians willingly bought tickets, although aware they would be unable to attend. The expectation of seeing the American outgrowth of the old original Rugby game was, however, the main attraction to civilians. Groups that benefited were:— Pukekohe Patriotic Association, one game, £510; Otahuhu Returned Services' Association, three games, £500; Otahuhu Plunket Society, one game, £117; Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, one game, £908; Auckland Rugby Union, one same, £378; and Manurewa Plunket Society, one game, £100. Americans individually have given crenerouslv to all street day appeals for patriotic purposes and to many other local funds.