American oath cleaner?

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 38

American oath cleaner?

The Sumner Lawn Tennis Club is not prepared to let sleeping dogs lie in respect of the bad language controversy at Wilding Park. The club’s No. 1 senior, Graeme Liddell, was suspended for a week for uttering the word “shit” during a first-round competition match on October 28.

But during the Colgate international women's tournament last month, a comely American, Sharon Walsh — the joint winner of the doubles title — was moved to mutter the same word. And who should be among the spectators than David Blackwell, another Sumner senior.

Blackwell complained about the incident, and his complaint was referred to the tournament referee. Mr Stan Painter, who is also executive director of the N.Z.L.T.A. Mr Painter decided that Miss Walsh (oictured above) should be admonished for her use of the word during a match, and the rebuke was handed on by a Canterbury official. But this has not satisfied Sumner, and it intends to pursue the matter with the Canterbury management committee. Sumner is disturbed at the apparent inconsistent penalties for what were similar offences. Ryan McCutcheon, Sumner's senior captain, confirmed that the club was following up the matter, and he was unimpressed when reminded that Miss Walsh had been reprimanded for swearing. “Yes, but she wasn’t suspended,” he glowered.