TOPICAL TATTLE

Dunstan Times, 7 January 1935, Page 3

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT From Sydney comes news of that great sprinter, Ted Hampson, who toured New Zealand last season, lo his great-hearted running, Western Suburbs owed their success in the final of the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association A grade interclub track and field competition a fortnight ago. He made up a leeway of almost twenty yards in the final quarter of an 880 yds relay race, and winning by inches gave victory to his club. • • • • The splendid work being done by the Otago Wrestling Association in the encouragement of the amateurs is revealed in the balance-sheet, which shows that £l7O has been spent in this way during the past season. With men like Messrs C. L. Finer, W. Goughian, and M. Goughian, at the head of affairs, it is certain that the amateurs will not be neglected. Many tributes were paid at the association meeting last week to Mr Finer for his enthusiasm, energy, and efficiency as president. * * * * At the North Shore Swimming Club’s carnival in Auckland last week, N. Crump retained the club 50yds championship in 25 3-ssec, and in a heat of the 100 yds Crump registered 55 3-ssec, three-fifths of a second slower than his Now Zealand record. As Walter Jarvis’s fast times against the Australians — his best was 56 2-ssec —have been put up in fresh water, a wonderful duel seems assured when they meet in Auckland in February. I * * * « 1 The New Zealand representative cricketer, A. M. Matheson, who has also played for Auckland at Rugby football, joined the Auckland Swimming Centre last week as the. delegate for the Auckland Primary Schools’ Swimming Association. He was welcomed by the chairman (Mr R- M. Sheffield). Until recently Matheson was honorary secretary to the association and was elected delegate upon resigning from this office. • • The world’s mile record for outboard motor boats (class X) was beaten on the Seine at Paris recently by Jean Deputy, whose craft covered the distance in 55 l-ssec, at an average speed of approximately 65.75 miles an hour. » ♦ * * Jack Dempsey is not the only world’s heavy-weight boxing champion who finds that refereeing wrestling contests is not such a bad job as some people would have it. Jack Sharkey, who lost the heavy-weight boxing crown to Prime Camera, is back in the ring, but not as a fighting man. Refereeing wrestling bouts is his new line, and he fills the job very satisfactorily, according to American critics. « * * * Eddie Tolan, winner of the 100 metres and 200 metres championships at the last Olympic Games, will make his first appearance as a professional in Victoria in about a week’s time. The American negro is to take part in the ivorld professional sprinting championship in Australia early next year, and among his opponents will be Austin Robertson, of Australia, and M‘Farlapp. of Scotland. » . * * * The veteran A. Anthony was chiefly responsible for Parnell’s success (says an Auckland cricket writer). The former Canterbury and Auckland represen- i tative took five wickets for 34 runs and had all the batsmen troubled. It is rather strange that when playing in Christchurch Anthony did little bowling, and it was only when he came to i Auckland that his ability as a trundler was recognised. He is one cricketer in the dominion who can be accounted : most unfortunate never to have ropre- 1 sented New Zealand. • « * * Jean Borotra, of France, and Miss ( M‘. C. Scriven, the British Wightnian i Cup player, won the mixed doubles title in the British covered courts lawn tennis championships, which concluded at Queen’s Club, London, October 23. In the final they beat R. Miki, of Japan, and Mrs M. R. King, this year’s singles champion, by 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Last year Borotra won with Miss Betty Nuthall. * • « • .Everything points to Wellington marshalling a stronger representative ’ eleven this season than has taken the , field for the province for some seasons past (says the ‘ Dominion ’). The colts [ of the side should have benefited from the experience they gained last season, and signs are not wanting that the bowling department will be up to requirements. With the glorious weather which has been enjoyed during the past month, it is only natural that batsmen have taken the opportunity to improve ! their averages. In fact, three players have batting averages of over three I figures. • • • • Playing for Queensland against South Australia, a left-hander named Wyeth bowled seventeen overs for 33 runs and six wickets. His performance makes him a possibility for the Australian side which is to tour South Africa next year. He is said to have shown intelligence in flighting and turning the ball. • » # • M. V, Farrell, who made a sound 102 for Otago Boys’ High School against Christ’s College at Hagley Park yesterday, batted for three hours and a-halr, says the Christchurch ‘Star. He placed with precision and was particularly good on the leg side. The college bowling, however, was seldom dangerous. • * * • When K. G. Wares, Canada, won the javelin throw at the Domain last Saturday his best effort was 157 ft lOin. He was handicapped at 35ft behind scratch, as he was late in coining into the competition. « * ♦ * Soma fine distance running was seen in Italy when two Italian athletes, Saccani and Fanelli, set out to beat world’s records up to twenty-five miles. Fanelli succeeded in putting up a new world’s amateur record for twenty-five miles of 2h 26min 10 8-10 sec. The previous British and world’s best for amateurs was 2h 29min 29 4-10soc by the Herne Hill harrier, Harry Green, in 1913, The world’s record for twenty-five miles is 2h 22min 20 6-10 sec, held by a professional, Willie Kohlehmainen, when ho

ran the marathon distance, twenty-six miles 385 yds, in 2h 29min 39 2-10 sec at New Jersey on October 20, 1912. —Joe Sinks, in London ‘ News of the World.' * * * * Although failing to get a start with the bat, the Auckland player-coach, after a spell from club cricket owing to an injury, performed well with the ball in taking six wickets for 67 runs. Townsend will greatly strengthen the Auckland representative team this season. Auckland and Otago are the only provinces who will have the benefit of player-coaches in the Plunket Shield series (says a northern writer). « * * * Japan has a fighter who is regarded as a contender for the world’s featherweight title. This is Piston Horiguchi, who is a tireless mixer, always in action from start to finish. He is very keen on meeting Freddie Miller, the feather-weight champion, who had a big run of success during a recent visit to England. , * * * * ' lij a letter to the writer, the Australian‘champion swimmer, Reg. Clark, expressed appreciation of the hospitality extended to him and Harry Tickle in Christchurch and Westport. The carnival at Christchurch was a success, he says, the Canterbury officials reckoning it the best exhibition of swimming and diving they had ever seen. - * * * * Organised by the Otago University Cricket Club, a team will tour Otago Central over the Christmas and New Year holidays, being comprised of Titchener (captain and manager), Dr Moore, C. S. Moore. Joel, Swinton, Moller, Finlay, Elder (all of University), Wood and Smith (Old Boys), and Napier (Carishrook). **% * * Says “ Pike,” in the Christchurch ‘Star’: —“Miss Gwen Rix, promising young Otago intermediate swimmer, has taken up diving. According to Harry Tickle, who coached her during his visit to Dunedin, she should go close to winning the New Zealand senior women’s title this year. ‘ She learnt six dives in one afternoon,’ said Tickle, 1 and is one of the gamest girls I have ever seen on a diving board. She should go far with her diving.’ At Oamaru last week Miss Rix beat Mrs E. C. Isaacs, former New Zealand champion, and other prominent Otago divers, in a scratch event.” * * ♦ • One of the younger members of the Sydenham (Christchurch) eleven who is showing a good deal of promise is M. Patrick, a son of the former Canterbury and New Zealand captain, Mr W. R. Patrick, now coach to the Southland Cricket Association. M. Patrick is a sound batsman, but his main ability at present lies in bowling of the fastmedium variety with a consistent length (comments a Christchurch writer) . He makes pace off the pitch, and with an occasional swerve is able to puzzle the best of batsmen. With further improvement, he is likely to be considered in representative team trials very shortly. Another son of Mr W. R. Patrick, lan Patrick, plays for Old Boys. A nephew. J. S. Patrick, is in the West Christcliurch eleven. In the third round of matches be made a brisk 81 against Old Collegians, and took three for 45. He can bowl v. very tricky, slow ball.