RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32381, 21 August 1970, Page 21

RANDOM REMINDER

SISYPHUS

Little more than a month now, before the winter sports seasons end, and if a great many • earnest Rugby, Rugby League and hockey players, etc, regret the tinges of colour in the trees, at least one Rugby League supporter will be glad when the Last Whistle has blown. He has played League for very many years, but regular hospitalisation, even if it usually amounted only to the casualty ward, persuaded him

that it was time for him to withdraw from the active scene, with dignity. Yet his enthusiasm for the game was undiminished, and be offered his services as a referee. Not everyone is able to start a new career spectacularly, but this man found it very hard indeed to get it off the ground. The first week of his new vocation, he was charged with line umpire duties at a minor senior ground. A week later, he rose to the rank of line umpire for the main game at the Show Grounds Oval.

Then, dizzy success. He was appointed to referee a match. But one team defaulted. He was given another game to control a week later, and found it no problem. Influenza stepped in, and there was another team default At his third attempt, he was down to do a schoolboys’ game: a third default. But that same afternoon, he began in earnest He had to referee an open grade game. Both teams turned up. He did not forget his whistle. There were no orderings-off. And he pulled a muscle.