BASEBALL GROWS IN POPULARITY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 17

BASEBALL GROWS IN POPULARITY

600 Players In Wellington PLANS FOR MATCH WITH AUSTRALIA Two years ago the Canadian and American national game, baseball, was introduced into New Zealand. Ahead.' there are tilth people playing regularly in Wellington, a national body controlling the sport and plans for arranging a New Zealand v. Australia match at the time of the centennial exhibit ion. The man responsible for introducing the softball game in Wellington was Mr. W. 11. Wilson, of Ford Motors, who had played the game in the United States of Atneriea before coming to New Zealand. He ,iusidered it. would , be at, excellent menus of keeping the members of the firm's staff physically fit, so in August. 1937. lie imported a few hats and balls. The members of the staff then amused themselves during the lunch hour in hitting the balls about, and in this way came to see the merits of the game. Later Mr. Charles Briscoe, of the ■Wellington Rugby League executive, thought that the playing of baseball would be a good means of keeping League players together in the summer time, and so more recruits wore secured for the new game. The Winter Show ground was hired for Saturday afternoons, and a number of the staff of Ford Motors and several Rugby League players started to play games among themselves, and Invited their friends to watch. Then Mr. A. Jenkins, who is interested in physical culture, heard about the game and took a team of his pupils up to the Winter Show’ to have a look at it, Ho at once realized the possibilities of softball as a means of obtaining physical fitness. The ranks continued to swell, and in November, 1937, a public meeting was called and a strong baseball association was formed. By the end of that month 32 teams had joined up with the associa-

tion. These teams were coached by Messrs. W. 11. Wilson, Vnnstoii, Pete I Wilson (a Canadian) an Redfern. ,A series of practice games were conduct- ; ed during November and December, 1937. : The teams were then graded and formed ; into leagues, eight teams being in each ! league. A one-round competition was I begun in .January, 1938, cups being j awarded Io the winner in each league. ■ The winning teams then played off for a ; cup presented by Mr. Jcnkius. National Body Formed. Mr. Jenkins explained that in January, . 1938, so many inquiries were received | from all purls of the Dominion that a : governing body was formed, of which Mr. I Jenkins was elected president. The national association at once set to work. Books of rules were sent out. to the different centres and all the information possible to help teams in other centres to make a start was given. Funds were collected to buy equipment for schools and other institutions without sufficient funds, In the latter part of the first season those interested found that they were attracting a very good public following, specially tit the game in which the .Mormons took part. So quickly did the M’ellington pl.'ivers adapt themselves to the game, however, that: the Mormons were outclassed. Public interest in the new game was proved by the fact that in the play-off at the .Basin Reserve in 193 S 3000 spectators witnessed the match. This season, said Mr. Jenkins, the game had taken on in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, each major centre having 20 tenme. There were 12 teams in Wanganui, 10 in Taiiniarunui, and there was scarcely a small town in New Zealand which did not now have a team. There were 12 women's teams in Auckland and six in Wellington. To show how’ quickly the Wellington players adapted themselves to baseball, Mr. Jenkins 1 took his team to Auckland this year and it beat the Pioneer club team by 11 to 4. The Pioneer team was composed of experienced Canadian and American players, and Mr. White, one of the officials of the Auckland Baseball Association and Coach of the Pioneer team, was astounded at the high efficiency the ■Wellington players had attained in 12 short months. The American and Canadian members of the Pioneer team shared this astonishment. Ray Steel, the American heavyweight professional wrestler, when passing through'Wellington this week, attended a practice match, and remarked: “Boys, you play great baseball here.” Handing on the Torch. The game, Mr. Jenkins continued, was played extensively at the Auckland and Wellington teachers’ training colleges as the young teachers were keen to learn

baseball in order that they would be able to coaeh their pupils in this- health-giving game later. Baseball is now’ played at 30 schools in New Zealand. The Wellington ass-ociation is also catering for boys, and as soon as the lads, learn the game competitions will be arranged for them. No Desiro to Steal Players. "1 have beard it said," said Mr. Jenkins, "that we lire taking players from cricket and other pastimes. We have m> desire to do this. All our players are people who did not take any form of organized physical exercise before they took up baseball. .My aim is to ‘rope in’ the young men who do not play any game, and see that they become physically lit. .1 think we are doing a service to the Government in helping to solve the physical fitness problem.'' Questioned as to why softball was played in New Zealand in preference to lia id bull, .Mr. Jenkins .'-aid that the gear for hardball was mueh more expensive, and I hut game required much larger grounds. Softball was just as fast, and robust as hardball and there was no difference in the rules. For instance, with softball, they could field 80 players at a time on Petone Oval. One reason why players and spectators liked baseball was that a game lasted only an hour and a half, but in that time, Mr. Jenkins said, players could get ns much physical expertise as they would receive in three days nt. cricket. Some people were under the misapprehension that baseball was essentially an American game. This was not so, as there were 570 teams playing baseball in England, and the game had a wido vogue in Japan and Australia. Toward the end of next year an interprovincial tournament will be held in Wellington to find the champion team of New Zealand. Teams from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wanganui, and Taumarunui will compete. During the Centennial Exhibition it is hoped to hold a match in Wellington between teams representing Australia and New Zealand. In December, 1939. it is also hoped that a visit will be received from the American women’s team from Hollywood, which is on a 12-months’ tour of the world.