Hockey Player Suspended

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 15

Hockey Player Suspended

The management committee of the Canterbury Hockey Association has confirmed a judicial committee recommendation to suspend K. Thomson (University) for six playing Saturdays. Thomson was ordered off in a match against High School Old Boys on August 15.

The committee received letters from the two umpires, Mr D. Denniston and Dr. L. Berry. Dr. Berry said that Thomson had been sent off the field temporarily after being warned about complaining to his coach concerning decisions of the umpires. Thomson was suspended for the rest of the game when he again complained during his temporary suspension. The judiciary committee’s recommendation of six weeks’ suspension—this will take in the first three weeks of the 1965 season—was attacked by Mr R. Thomson, the suspended player’s brother. Mr Thomson compared the case with that of his other

brother, W. A. Thomson, who had previously received only a severe caution for striking a player and abusing the umpire. He asked unsuccessfully that K. Thomson’s penalty be reduced to embrace only this season.

The umpire, Mr Denniston, also wrote of the attitude of the University coach, Mr C. V. Walter, during the same match. He said that Mr Walter complained about the controlling of the game by the umpires and also threatened to withdraw the University team from the field unless the umpires did not take stronger control over Old Boys’ tactics, The matter is to be discussed at the annual meeting and further action may be taken if the coach does not revise his attitude.