Hallum Treads In Teachers Steps

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30802, 14 July 1965, Page 13

Hallum Treads In Teachers Steps

rpHE fact that entries for the Canterbury billiards championships closed before he was aware of the fact, may have won D. T. Hallum the provincial snooker title. Had he entered the billiards event, Hallum would probably have concentrated on this; instead, he became, at 19 E the youngest Canterbury snooker champion ever. It is ironical that the record Hallum broke was formerly held by the player who has taught him everything he knows, K. Murphy. In fact, Hallum’s career has closely followed that of Murphy who, because he ran a saloon on the West Coast, is now declared a professional. Both started playing the game seriously in their teens —Hallum has been playing three years and a-half —both won their titles when members of the Woolston W.M.C. and both are proficient at billiards, Murphy especially so. Murphy was a Canterbury and South Island billiards champion and although Hallum has not yet reached these heights, feels he may choose billiards when he has to make a choice between the two games.

Hallum. who came from England 15 years ago with no family background of snooker champions, was a successful performer at outdoor sports.

At Papanui High School, he was a medium-fast bowler with fine control and appeared an outstanding cricketing prospect. For two of his three years at school, he was the leading bowler in the first eleven and in one match had a return of 13 for 31. But he plays little cricket now, which is probably that sport’s loss and snooker’s gain.

Hallum’s winter sport was hockey, as a speedy rightwing with a powerful and accurate centre. He was a Canterbury Hatch Cup (primary schools) representative in 1959 and was selected for the South Island team in the same year.

But the truly versatile and talented sportsman concentrates on more than two sports and Hallum was no exception. He dabbled in Rugby for a year or two, earned selection in the Ist XV for a match, and gave every sign of the natural

full-back or more-than-competent wing three-quar-ter.

His keen eye also served Hallum well in rifle shooting and he won the Papanui High School competition in 1962. Has other specialty was athletics and, excelling in the field events and sprints, he won the intermediate championship in 1961. The following year he won the senior field events trophy and the strong right arm that is serving him well today, won for Douglas Hallum four of five cricket ball throw and shot put events at secondary school. But a little before he left school, Hallum went to watch snooker and billiards played, out of curiosity. What he calls “the bug” soon caught him and since meeting Murphy, Hallum has not looked back.

On Queen’s Birthday week-end, he represented a Canterbury snooker team in a match with Otago, probably because some leading players were unavailable. Now Hallum would most likely be a first choice.

He is entering the New Zealand championships to be held at Wellington this year and should Hallum win the event, or even win it within the next three years or so, he will be the youngest New Zealand champion. The present holder of the record? Why, Murphy, of course.