New Champion In Softball?

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30971, 29 January 1966, Page 11

New Champion In Softball?

■pROBABLY the most unusual feature of the 1965-66 softball competitions is that the lead in the senior men’s championship is held jointly by two clubs that have not won a title since World War 11. Avon, which has one game in hand, and Papanui are two point clear of Richmond which has won most titles since 1946—seven. The other team in the top four, Western Suburbs, is another club that has not won a championship. The second best record is held by Christchurch—no longer playing senior softball—which won six titles between 1946 and. 1958. Spreydon, recently demoted to second grade, and the defunct Ohio club have each won two and Red Sox and Linwood one. Although Richmond beat Avon easily in the John Lennon zone tournament at Greymouth on Saturday its two-point deficit in the championship probably will prove too great for it to achieve the unprecedented distinction of winning four successive post-war titles.

The winner of six of the last seven championships, Richmond’s rim was interrupted by Linwood in 1961-62 when it was on the verge of achieving the unique feat. Apart from Richmond’s two record runs of three successive title wins only one other club—Christchurch in 1948-49 and 1949-50—-has won two successive titles