FUN AND GAMES

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 2

FUN AND GAMES

(From staff reporters and N.Z.P.A

Tino right For the march-past of the nations at Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday afternoon the music was arranged to provide an informal tune appropriate to each of the competing countries as the team moved along to pass the official dais. For Sri Lanka, perhaps better known as the former Ceylon, a major tea-producer, only two persons paraded. These were the marching girl carrying the name banner, and the official who was the sole representative of his country carrying the flag. The tune was “Tea For Two.” Built for the job Opposing wrestlers would gain little comfort from reading the credentials of the Canadian representative, William Benko, in the handbook which lists details ol his country’s Commonwealth Games team, Benko is not the most experiencec wrestler at the Games, although he did compete at the 1971 Pan-Americar tournament and had his inter national debut a year earlier At 16st 11b, he is by nc means the biggest entrant ir his class, ad some of his rival: may consider it only ol academic interest that he holds a Canadian title in the Greco-Roman style. What could cause some concern tc the nervous, perhaps, is his occupation. In a squad comprised almost entirely ol students, Benko is a notable exception: he is the managei of a demolition company.

Running late Visitors to the main stand at Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday could be forgiven if they had difficulty in discovering their correct seats. Even those who had been there before had trouble locating them in the general confusion. However, one couldn’t help feeling sorry for the middle-aged gentleman who spent half the opening ceremony searching for his seat with an armful of ice creams which had lost their solid state well before he found his rightful position.

But kept his head The man who lost his hat during the impressive combined display of the New Zealand Army Band and the National Band at the Games! opening ceremony was! Lance-Corporal Allan Brown.! He was a little disconcerted! when his hat blew off, but I according to one bandsman,! “it’s something you learn to I play with.” Lance-Corporal i Brown got his hat back immediately after the perform-! ance. An Army officer! marched out and picked it up. 1 Cold comfort The cold weather yesterday was a blessing for one Christchurch f- lily—Mr and Mrs Max Barnes and their son, who own an ice-cream shop. It was no day for icecream, so the Barnes family was able to leave the shop in the hands of Mrs Barnes’s! father and watch the open-! ing ceremony. They bought! three of the last-minute tickets on sale at the main! gates.

\One of the boys It is probably not very often that the Wellington entertainer, Steve Allen, goes almost unnoticed in a crowd. But Allen, whose Commonwealth Games pop song, “Join Together,” was played and sung at yesterday’s opening ceremony, was an anonymous member of the combined choirs of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society and the Christchurch Harmonic Society. Professor John A. Ritchie, who conducted the choirs, said he had let Allen have all the music! some months ago. “He did! not practise with us, but. he! was just one of the choir,”! said Professor Ritchie.