A CHALLENGE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13137, 11 September 1940, Page 8

A CHALLENGE

SURPRISE FOR BAY RUGBY' OFFICIAL. This week’s best story comes from Whakatane, and concerns the der-ring-do of a Whakatane resident who |s also an official of the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, and travelled to Auckland with the Bay team on their visit ten days ago. On the morning of the fateful day, as historians put it, the official led the rush for the - bathroom (for a cold shower?), but found the door closed. He knocked and was answered from within. “All right, friend. I won’t be long.'’ So the Whakatanian waited awhile, rapidly losing the cold shower complex. He gave the bather another five minutes and knocked again and a perfectly cheerful and composed reply penetrated the panels as he within said: “0.K., friend, I’ll be out in a minute.” „_ Like the inn-keeper’s daughter in Alfred Noyes’ “The Highwayman,” the Bay official found the hours crawling by like years and exasperation at last had its uncontrolled way. Using both hands and feet in a mad tattoo oh the door, the Whakatanian challenged the bather thus: “Hey, you! If you don’t shake a leg and let someone else in these I’ll 'come in and throw you out!” “Calm, friend,” enjoined the occupier soothingly and ten seconds later he opened the door. The potential ejector said nothing more, but gazed in awe-struck silence at the American negro who emerged. He gaped and hugged the wall and as the polite American passed by the Bay of Plenty Rugby Football official stared at his back. Emblazoned in gold lettering on the blue of the dressing-gown was the inscription “Alabama Kid.” It seems that the Alabama Kid, a boxer of some note apparently, is visiting New Zealand in the'hope of collecting a purse or two. But, as he told the official afterwards, he could not get a fight. What the official said —but not to the boxer —was: “Well,, it ..looks as though I am the first man in New Zealand to challenge him.”