Much progress in squash since first N.Z. tourney

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32035, 9 July 1969, Page 15

Much progress in squash since first N.Z. tourney

fTHE thirty-second New A Zealand squash rackets championship will begin at the Christchurch club courts in Chester Street today.

Tremendous changes have taken place in the game since the first championship was played on a single court in Christchurch in 1932 and won by Christchurch’s G. E. F. Kingscote. Now the Christchurch club has five courts, and ipstead of the 15 players who played in that first championship, there are almost 100 spread over five grades in the 1969 tournament So far, 14 South Islanders have won the championship and 14 North Islanders. The other three have gone to overseas players—in 1958 J. Cheadle (Australia), in 1959 M. A. Oddie (England), and in 1965 R. Carter (Australia). After Kingscote’s win in 1932, Timaru came to the fore with P. D. Hall, W. R. Fea, and W. E. Renton taking seven championships in a row. After the break caused by the war, A. H. Malcolm won Hamilton’s only title before it became virtually a contest between Palmerston North and the South Island between 1947 and 1957. A. M. Johns (2) and D. D. Mochan (Palmerston North) (3), had five wins between them during this period while J. A. Gillies, a classical strokemaker who learnt his squash in England, brought Invercargill into the limelight with three wins in succession. P. R. Vesty (Timaru) and D. G. Green (Dunedin) took one title each before it was the turn of Cheadle and Oddie. C. R. Waugh (Palmerston North) began his dominance of the New Zealand scene in 1960, winning five championships in a row, and it seems unlikely that this record will ever be beaten. Since 1965, when Carter won his title, T. Johnston (1966 and 1968) and D. Burmeister (1967), both from Palmerston North, have won. During the post war period, there have been a number of players who, although not winning the precious Ruddiford Gold Cup for the top honour in this country, have had fine records and will always be remembered where squash is played. F. N. Coe played and lost three finals and was perhaps unfortunate to have been at his peak during the two years that Cheadle and Oddie won. He is still very much a part of the game as convener of the New Zealand selection panel. He learnt his squash in Timaru under Renton and Souter,

and in his turn brought G. L. Bird up to New Zealand representative class.

Bird, who played Waugh in the 1963 final in Christchurch, is recognised as the top stroke player produced in New Zealand and may do well in this year’s tournament.

Another Timaru player, K. R. Green, was ranked in the first five in the country a few years ago, being classed as a fine match player, and J. N. Isaacs has twice worn the silver fern. From Oamaru have come two New Zealand repre-

sentatives, M. A. Gunn and G. A. Davidson, now of Timaru. Christchurch has had two outstanding players in. recent years, M. Simons and D. R. Preston. Both came close to selection for New Zealand teams during their stay in Christchurch. With the growth of the game in New Zealand there has been a great swing of strength away from the southern areas. Ten years ago there were only 23 courts in the country, now there are more than 160. The growth has been far greater in the North Island than the South, and with a greater number of clubs available to organise tournaments, the keen player in the North has many more opportunities to improve with concentrated match play.

After this present championship, the North Island will probably lead by 15 titles to 14, and it seems unlikely that the South Island will overtake it. There seems to be little chance of another Bird or Davidson appearing in the forseeable future.