ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27576, 5 February 1955, Page 9

ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

[By

MILES)

Consistent Batsman R. T. Dowker’s feat in heading the batting aggregates in this season's Plunket Shield contest was a fine one, and should silence those who said he was a club batsman and no more. Dowker has made several appearances for Canterbury in the last few years, and although his successes were moderate, he was certainly not a failure. In club championship matches, he has been remarkably successful, and in the last seven seasons he has been in the first five batsmen in the final averages five times. In 1946-47, he scored 317 runs at an average of 35.22, and since then he has never averaged fewer than 31 runs an innings each season. His figures are: 1947-48, 616 runs, average 47.38; 1948-49, 673 at 56.08; 1949-50, 426 at 35.5; 1950-51, 600 at 60; 1951-52, 372 at 41.33; 1952-53, 4LB at 31.38; 1953-54, 575 at 44.23. Still he goes on; this season he has scored 406 runs at an average of 58. No Inferiority Complex Jesse Owens, who won everything in the 1936 Olympic Games except a handshake from Hitler, recently suggested it was time to quit spreading “gloom” about America’s chances against Russia in the 1956 Olympics. Interviewed at his Illinois Athletic Commission office, where he serves as commission secretary, Owens said he did not like Russia’s methods of preparing by rounding them up m camps for rigorous, long training. “They’re making fabulous times and records, according to reports, but the Olympic Games are a different story,” said Owens, who now weighs 13st 131 b, compared with list 111 b when he won the 100 and 200 metres sprints and the broad jump and ran in w the winning 400-metre relay team in the 1936 Olympic Games at Berlin. “The Russians put their pants on one leg at a time, like we do, and they can get only so many men in each Olympic event,” said Owens. “When that gun goes off, you’re not trying to make the stop-watch do any tricks.” Canterbury Softball Final The key match of the Christchurch Softball Association will be played at English Park today when Avon Royals, in the lead by one game, will meet Spreydon. The winner of the game will win the championship. Spreydon still has an undecided game to play, and if it beats Royals will be level with a game to go. If Royals win its lead will be unassailable. Royals will be at full strength and will have Kinley pitching. An example of coolness and efficiency, Kinley is the best hurler in Canterbury. Spreydon will be without Alderdyce, pitcher, who is in camp, but will have Griffin and McGregor to fall back on. Griffin tosses up slow lobs and relies on his field. McGregor is medium-paced but accurate and also needs a field behind him. From catcher to outfield Spreydon is machine-like in its work. The match should provide a good exhibition of this fast and spectacular game ■N. A. Langdon Transferred Wellington Rugby is to lose the services of another representative player. He is N. A. Langdon, the Hutt centrethreequarters, who has been transferred to Auckland. Langdon is the seventh member of last season’s repsentative squad to be lost to Wellington. The others are the full-back, D. Wright, the inside backs S. G. Bremner, R. G. Bowers and T. J. S. Riley, the haff-back, V. D. Bevan, and the front-row forward, D. J. Hayward. Rugby in Cyprus Airmen of No. 14 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, at present in Cyprus, have enjoyed spectacular success in the Rugby competition on the island. Playing against English Army and Air Force teams, No. 14 Squardon has an unbeaten recofd, and so far has scored 349 points with only 27 against. The line has been crossed twice. Playing open, fast and constructive Rugby, the team has delighted the large crowds, who now take a great interest in the matches. English Rugby on the island is the same as the All Blacks encountered on their last- tour, loose fast-breaking forwards, who always appear off-side, harassing the inside backs. Star backs of the side, are E. C. Terlesk (Marlborough), W. Lambeth (Wanganui) who with A. D. Magee (Christchurch Senior) and B. Dunn (Auckland), form an outstanding and penetrating back line. D. Burgess (Kaitangata), A. Evans (Christchurch), L. M. Reid (Malvern Sub-union), and G. C. Mitchell (Central Otago) provide the nucleus of a very fit, vigorous and lively pack. English critics rate this side as equal to most English county sides, and are most enthusiastic about the team’s attacking approach to the game. They are also amazed with the speed and sure handling of the Air Force “Kiwis.” In the 17 games played, the team has met opposition selected from a far greater number of troops, including some past and present Internationals, but have always proved superior in all departments of the game. Plunket Shield Series The introduction of three-day Plunket Shield matches this season produced some close and interesting games. It is doubtful whether the standard of play was improved, however, by the limiting of playing time. The scoring rate was faster than in recent seasons. It averaged 2.55 runs (off the bat) from each over bowled in the series, and that is the highest figure since 1937-38. It is still well below the figures of the early 1920’5. However, the scoring (23.66 runs a wicket) was lower than it has been, with one exception, since 1924-25, and it seems clear that at least some of the credit for the bowlers’ dominance this season belongs to batsmen who threw their wickets away. It was not as if the players were forever running short of time; eight matches were completed, with a total of at least 30 hours’ play left untouched. One other game needed only one more dismissal for completion, and the tenth game was badly affected by rain. As a generalisation, it is somewhere near the truth to suggest that' the lower and faster the scoring, the more junior the grade of cricket. New Zealand cricket certainly needed, and still needs brightening, but not at the expense of concentration and determination. A good judge of boxing would probably prefer a display of skilful defence to a competitor who throws his gloves about without real reason, Navy Dentist Swims Again T. H. Logan, former national medley and butterfly swimming champion, who was captain of the New Zealand water polo team at the 1050 Empire Games in Auckland and who captained the Otago University Swimming Club during his student days, is g, dental sur-geon-lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Navy, and is at present serving aboard H.M.N.Z.S. Black Prince. He returned to competition swimming after a long absence last week when in Dunedin he won the 100 yards invitation butterfly scratch race against Australian Universities’ swimmers in 73.75ec, compared with his best time a few years ago of 67sec. Before Logan went to Korea in New Zealand frigates he introduced organised surf lifesaving to the Navy by forming a club at H.M.N.Z.S. Tamaki. Most ships and shore establishments in the Navy now have life-saving teams and navy surf teams from New Zealand have appeared in many parts of the world. Logan, a former member of a New Zealand champion life-saving team (Fitzroy), spends his spare time organising sports events aboard his cruiser. Record Time The New South Wales 440 yard; champion, Murray Rose, last Mondaj swam the fastest 880 yards ever re corded in Australia, says the “Sydnej Morning Herald.” Rose covered the 880 yards in 9min 48.9 sec in a trainin' swim at The Spit baths. Rose’s time was s.6sec faster than the Australia 880 yards record of 9min 54.55ec se last year by Gary Chapman in tin State championship flnal. Rose’s sec ttonal times for the 'first qjiarter-mih were: 110 yards 66sec, 220 yards 2mn 20sec, 440 yards 4ttiin 00,1 sec.

Spedboat Racing More than 30 speedboats, which is thought to be a record for recent regattas, have sent in e 2* ncs New Zealand championship speedboat regatta to be held on the Pleasant Point today. C en ? C ost will be the Auckland speedboat Whiz-n-by, raced by R. Clifton, which at present holds the New Zealand record for its class. Whiz-n-by is down to defend the New Zealand 91 cubic inch V-bottom championship, which is one of the main races on the programme. New Brighton hopes in trus event are on three boats. Javelin <«• Savage). Miss Sybil (R. Sherlock), and Pacific Spot <D. V. Syme). Some of the fastest boats in New Zealand have entered for the South Island 255 cubic inch hydroplane championship. One of them Tempest V, an entry Blenheim, last year held the record for its class, and D. Hall its done a considerable amount of work on the motor since then. One oi the most interesting races wiU bethe Canterbury 135 cubic meh speedboat championship, which is open to both hydroplanes and V-bottom boats. Most interest will be in the performances of Zephyr (N. Etwell) and Faye (D. Boddington, Blenheim). These two boats are built to the same design and are powered by the same type oi motor. Besides entries from Blenheim and Auckland, entries have been received from Lake Kaniere, wluch wfll be represented by three boats, Ellesmere, Ashburton, and Timaru. _The New Brighton regattas are looked on as among the best, by all South Island clubs, and given good weather, the public can expect to see an afternoon of thrilling racing. Protection for Boxers A special type of - looting is to be used experimentally in professional boxing rings. It lessens the nsk of serious head injuries when boxers are^. knocked down. It has been by Cornell University in the ÜBUfW' States. Until it reaches Dr. J. W. Graham, chairrqaiyvajloica*-sub-committee. British _ of Control. >r 1 lie n.,1. some > ■ , i . i. is mil iftlaer ‘toe vas of all rings. Since o 11 81, . ccn .?4 promotions. The, n>os J,A a l e ’ was caused blow but b the boxer back of his head on the ring floor, causing an abrupt deceleration of the brain mass. “Brutal”! Dr. James C. Laurie, who as medical officer has attended more than Jno tournaments in Glasgow, writes to W* London “Daily Telegraph” a» follows: “Far from being a useful a«a justifiable sport, amateur boxing 1» a dangerous, and often brutal, happening. Firearms, swords, daggers, razors, broken bottles and coshes produce appalling injuries. Boxing comes next on the danger list. As a nation, aro WS in a position to afford this typo or disability production? I admit mat, after many years, boxing grows upon one—an innate sadistic admiration for ‘guts.’ ” Money for Sport In spite of tfle clash with the fourth cricket test, at Adelaide, the Australian tennis championships were a financial success. Gate receipts for the tournament exceeded £BOOO. On Saturday the gate takings were £2200 and on Monday, £2900. The cricket ground and tennis courts adjoin, and many people paid for seats at both, tos cricket ground issued pass-outs until 2 p.m. and spectators were able to leave the Test to watch the RowwillHoad singles final and return to tne cricket. Cycling Championships The 1£55 Canterbury cash cycling championships will be held at English Park today. The heate win bo run off during the day, and in, ty evening the semi-finals ana the IDMo will be decided. There should y some excellent racing with of brilliant finishes. O. Duffy CWOB Coast), present holder of three Hoy Zealand championships, will be eoiy peting, as will C. Henderson (TixnorulL who was placedgin the New Zeiynd championships at Waimate, as won OB other Timaru and West Coast ridOßfc Two local riders who should flgOiy prominently are V. Bond and B. Woo* gate. J. Williams and K> Giles OSO now at the top of their form, and theoo two may bring about some surpriM* The two-mile Harrison wheel race SQd the one-mile Alby Thomson scnWb race should provide some exeitta* riding. Fight for Turpin Randolph Turpin, Britain’s foemor world middleweight boxing chanpfam, will to the ring on February 15 after an absence of nine months, Turpin, who holds the British pire light-heavyweight title, will meet Ray Schmitt, light-heavy weight chaw pion of Luxembourg, over 10 rounds in Birmingham. Diet Plays a. Part The New South Wales council < the Amateur Swimming Association has refused to relax a rule requiring members of the State team to live together as a group under the control of the team manager at the Australian championships in Adelaide next month. The joint secretary of the association, Mr S. had sought to . amend the rules so. that Murray Roae could live with his parents a* the championships and take advastaflo <tf : the special training diet* they peupure for him. Mr Grange’s amendment Was i lost when it did not get the required ; three-fourths majority. Voting WSB 25-21 in favour. Mr Grange said: : “Murray Rose follows a scientific diet i which his parents inform me is very • important. I am told he would not be [ in proper condition if the diet were : not maintained, and it could not be i maintained in a boarding-house, • although they appreciate that the team • manager must be responsible in all ■ other ways.” L Men are Not Machines “There is an irresistible tendency on - the part of sports analysts to forget I that athletes are human beings. Tn--1 stead, the athletes are regarded as ; machines that must follow the normal, . prescribed method of operation as soon as the switch is thrown to start the motor,” wrote Arthur Daley in the r “New York Times.” “That’s why we > have upsets. That’s why we find a he- ? can’t-miss prospect who misses badly, s That’s why some dedicated plugger » will surpass a more naturally gifted - performer. The human equation is be- - yond calculation. These generalities . came flooding back to mind as the ; news that the United States had i wrested back the Davis Cup from the » Australians. The clinching of the tennis i series made a fellow think back to the . situation a year ago when America t was reckoned to have its best—and ! maybe last—chance to win for some » time to come. Vic Seixas was then 30 , years old and presumably was ready } to start slipping. Tony Trabert had . youth and class but couldn't do ft j alone in the future. Nor was any help I in sight. It appeared to make 1993 a r now-or-never year.” Rugby Selection Panel Mr M. M. N. Corner, the former t AU Elack, national selector and last i season’s Auckland Rugby selector, has - been nominated by the Auckland s union’s management committee for a position on the North Island and New Zealand panels for the next two seasons. There will be three selectors for s each island and the national panel of / three will be two from the island selec- - tion committees and an independent y chairman. If Mr Corner is chosen e for a North Ishrnd or national selecg tor he will not be available as selector j of the Auckland representative team, i in accordance with a decision made at t the last annual meeting of the New e Zealand Rugby Union. The New Zea- - land union’s council is expected to e appoint the island and New Zealand ni selectors at its next meeting on February 25.