Arnie Hall – finally stopped throwing

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33519, 27 April 1974, Page 4

Arnie Hall - finally stopped throwing

(By

G. S. SKELLERN)

The completion of the softball season last month signalled the end of an outstanding playing career of the effervescent United player, Arnie Hall. "I’ve had a fair innings and it’s about time I stood down”. With that reason Hall, who has been one of Canterbury’s most dedicated and knowledgeable players, decided to retire from competitive softball. Hall’s innings has lasted 27 years, but it finally came to an end in Wellington late last month when he played his final games during the national United clubs’ annual tournament at Naenae.

There was a touch of irony when Hall finally called it quits. During United’s rise to the top of provincial softball Hall had been a great inspiration to his clubmates. It was a fair reward when the veteran was involved in a victorious run by United in the national tournament. The club remained undefeated from four games to win the Webb Shield for the second time in the 27-year history of the tournament. Hall, a former New Zealand representative, is determined not to slide out of the sport altogether. As well as playing, he has become adept in coaching and will continue to generate his enthusiasm in the form of instruction to the game.

“I’ve been coaching a schoolchildren’s team for the last five years and I will certainly continue with this. I may also coach another side,” he said. Although Hall has become a stalwart of the

United club, he spent more time with Richmond. It was an urge to see Canterbury' softball develop that caused him to change his allegiance. By the time he was ready to play senior softball, Richmond had developed a strong premier side and was experiencing a successful period in provincial competition. "The players I came up through the grades with all wanted to play senior softball together. But we all couldn’t make the top Richmond team so we formed our own club — it was called Ohio: we found the name in the atlas,” he said. The venture proved successful — the team won the senior competition four times — until the association frowned upon a oneteam club. Hall returned to Richmond for several years but again left in the late 1960 s to coach the United seniors. At this time other leading players joined the move to United, and Hall decided to take a rest from playing. "Richmond was so strong and there wasn’t much competition for the club at the time. United was a bunch of triers but did not enjoy much success. But the changes seemed to uplift the club and it has! never looked back.” Hall was talked into| playing again and he helped United rise to a win in the major championship last year and the B section of the national John Lennon tournament which enabled Canterbury to enter a representative in the important premier section this year. Hall had been an experienced short-stop and a steady left-hand batter for United for the last three years. “I regret having to finish, but I have to give way to youth. The only: reason I played for United was that I felt I helped the team by playing with the members.

“I have always been a believer in the fundamentals of the game and I didn’t like to see the basics being forgotten,” he said. Hall’s greatest triumph came in 1953 when he was recognised as one of the best players in the country’ by being selected in the New Zealand team. Hall only played one game — against the Rest following the national Beatty Cup tournament — but was unlucky not to travel overseas. At the time the national team was selected, negotiations were being made for a tour of the United States, but the trip was never finalised. Hall was the first Canterbury player to be selected for New Zealand and if negotiations were successful, it would have been the first tour by a national team. He was a regular mem-; ber of the Canterbury team i in the 1950 s and was 1

selected in the South Island team from 1954 to 1956. "1 remember my first inter-island game. It was at Wellington and my first throw in the match ended in the stands behind the diamond. The first baseman was the 1.89 m (6ft 2in) Jim Quickenden and my throw was above his out-stretched arm. It went straight over his head into the stands and 1 really got the 'raspberry’. I was a bundle of nerves, but I set-! tied down quickly”. For the last two years. Hall has helped select the Canterbury senior team, and he hopes to continue with this job. Commenting on the provincial standard, he thinks Canterbury must' improve its batting. "The senior team has always been able to hold its own in the field, but has missed out on victories because of a lack of batting strength. At this year’s Beatty Cup tournament,, Canterbury fielded brilliantly against the champion Hutt Valley side, I but it could not hit the ball and lost 1-0. “Until we learn to hit the ball, we will always be second”. He said that players were more dedicated during his heyday and there was more emphasis on batting. “Teams then always had good batters.”