“The Press” Award Presented

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29153, 14 March 1960, Page 12

“The Press” Award Presented

“It is very good Indeed to know that “The Press" felt that this move might be of assistance in our campaign to encourage more enterprising cricket in Canterbury this season," said Mr J. T. Eltoft, chairman of the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association, at a presentation evening held by the association at Lancaster Park on Saturday evening.

Mr Eltoft was referring to the award of £5O made by “The Press" for the most enterprising performance by a Canterbury player at Lancaster Park during the season.' The award was made to the captain of the Canterbury team, M. E. Chapple. “It was with a great deal of pleasure that we heard of this award," said Mr Eltoft. “The award was of necessity restricted to performances at Lancaster Park, but I was manager of the Canterbury team in its matches at Nelson and Wellington, and I can say that Chapple’s performances in those matches were as good as his performances in Christchurch."

In making the award to Chapple, Mr A. R. Cant, editor of “The Press,” described it as “a recognition by our paper that the game is worth encouraging by. all who are in a position to do so.” “1 don’t claim that my paper’s offer made any major contribution to the considerable success that Canterbury has enjoyed this year,” said Mr Cant. “However, it is a matter of satisfaction to the donors—and, I am sure, to the association and to all cricket enthusiasts—that the type of cricket by which Canterbury won the Plunket Shield this year was that type of cricket which we have tried to encourage by this offer.”

Mr Cant referred to the tendency in modem sport to attach too much importance to winning the game, and not enough to enjoying it Newspaper people in general must accept some share of the responsibility for this less admirable aspect of sport at the present time, said Mr Cant He referred to the work done by newspapers to increase public interest in cricket and to assist its development in schools. N.Z. Journalists* Outlook "I feel that it would not be out of place to say here that I consider that New Zealand sporting newspapers and journalists have a very good outlook on their sports, compared with those of

many overseas papers. lam particularly proud of ’the way in which members of my own staff try to keep the ideals of sport constantly before the public,” Mr Cant said. “We made this award not for results, not for figures, but for a positive approach towards enjoying the game. Chapple showed this quality in all respects, not only in his matches at Lancaster Park, but also on tour,” said Mr Cant "Chapple’s cricket was enterprising at all times, and he showed courage when his side was in trouble. This is just the sort of cricket which we want to see played all the time, and the sort of cricket by which Canterbury achieved its success this year."

In reply Chapple said that Canterbury was fortunate to have such good newspaper coverage of cricket, which is appreciated by players and public alike “The giving of this award is a further example of the keen interest which ‘The Press’ hasalways taken in the welfare of cricket,” he said.