RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 46

RANDOM REMINDER

FERVOUR

This is a simple tale, yet it tells vividly of the fervour with which New Zealand boys apply themselves to the all-important business of becoming All Black footballers.

A very famous New Zealand footballer has two sons, aged nine and seven. About a year ago, the younger boy was given a new football for his birthday. It apparently made him feel richer than the dreams of avarice. He cherished the gift, but. of course, found endless opportunities to use it, so very naturally it soon lost

its pristine glory. A few days ago his older brother had a birthday, and he too was presented with a football. But their parents, feeling perhaps that at seven one is not fully prepared fop the world's swings and roundabouts, explained that it was the older boy’s turn to have a new ball, and that was only fair, etc. The seven - year - old understood fully. But he did announce that he would clean his ball thoroughly and make it. too. look as new as he possibly could.

The next morning, his father came in to chat to him while the boy was still in bed. And there beside him was his football, looking remarkably spruce. His father was delighted with the lad's keenness, and asked him what he had used to scrub the ball clean and polish it up to a state of near-perfection again. “Dad” he said “I licked it clean.” Well, there you are. That’s the way All Blacks are made. After al), the Springboks just used to ait around, looking at iti