THE HOCKEY GIRLS OUTING.
ANNUAL TOURNAMENT AT DAY'S BAY. Tho Day's Bay recreation grounds looked vc-ry guy yesterday with croups of 'hockey girls in bright coloured blouses scattered about in different parts. It can hardly bo said, at least in Now Zealand, that hockey is waning in popularity, and from the mom?rit ono arrives nothing is talked of, thought of, or dreamt about but that a.U-im-portant game—'tis a world well lost for liockcy. From the Nortli and from tho South the girls havo come, Hawko's Bay, Wanganui, \Vairarapa, Nelson, and Canterbury being represented, as well' as many of the Wellington clubs, and all fired with a grim determination to do or die. As the different teams arrive and divest themselves of their wraps with much chatter and oxeitement, one could not but bo struck by tlioir workmanlike appearance, Tor everything was subservient to utility. Short skirts, pads, plajn blouses, and capj meant to stay qn, were the rule. Tho Wellington teams wore bright yellow blouses that added a vivid note of colour to tho scene.' Tho Canterbury girls in dark skirts, whito blouses, rod ties and belts looked very trim and neat, as did the Wanganui and Hawke's Bay girls in the colours they had chosen. , Although the day had been very windy and unpleasant in town, hardly anything of its clisagreeableness was experienced at the bay, the grounds being so well sheltered, and the rain, though prophesied, not descending. Unless one has seen it, the fleetness displayed by the girls during the matches is almost incredible—they seem to skim over the ground like hares, here, there, and everywhere. Even their footballing brothers might be proud to havo such speed at their command. Nothing else existed in the world but the ball and their desire to shepherd it, and they did it nobly, without a thought of self. The bruises received and endured without flinching must havo been Innumerable, but no doubt the excitement of the moment deadened pain to a. great extont. Tho blows of fato wait for one at every moment, oven on the point of victory, as one girl experienced, who was incapacitated from further play by a severe blow just as she was making a'brilliant hit for her side —at least a hit that promised brilliantly.
Not the least interesting and amusing feature of the games were the ardent supporters of the different teams playing. At critical moments of the game there would he loud cries of "On your left," "Centre quickly," or "Across" from them, their voices changing into notes' of deep disgust if their directions were not carried out. Some of the girls watching worked themselves up into a perfect fever of excitement over _ the games, calling • out, cheering, their hands, and even doing an impromptu little liska quite unconsciously. A little knot of Christchurch High School boys, who have themselves been playing in a series of matches, gathered on a bank during tho game between tho Hawke's Bay and Canterbury girls, and vociferously exhorted tho Southern girls to play up, candidly commenting on their play favourably or otherwise. ' No doubt it was stimulating. By five o'clock all play was finished, and the homeward boat, for Wellington was crowded with girls, some utterly wearied out and silent, and others discussing the play with great animation: what should have been done and what wp.s left undone, and whether the referee was satisfactory or no. Many of,.then] wore nibbing thoir bruises witii great self, commiseration, and in the act of doing so one caught sight of skinned knuckles and hands that would be soro for a little time to come. What did that matter; though? It was in the cause of hockey.
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Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 11
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616THE HOCKEY GIRLS OUTING. Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 11
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