TOPICAL TATTLE

Dunstan Times, 2 November 1936, Page 2

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT New Game for Africa. Ice hockey has come to South Africa. A great rink has been built at the Ln pire Exhibition, and the pubhc here is anxiously waiting to see the ne game. Crack teams are coming nom Oxford and Cambridge Universities to play in a tournament. I our local clubs Lve bean formed. Two of them contain for the most part Canadians \ho are working in the gold mines and in city businesses and who have played the sport overseas. The third team will comprise Continental players and the fourth local men who have been getting into trim by practising on roller skates.

Cheaper Cricket. The Surrey County Club recently introduced cheaper cricket after 4 o clock. Kent followed suit with the sixpenny gate after 4 o’clock. Next season Kent will extend this principle. Admission to all the “ weeks ” will be graduated: is 6d from 11.30 to 1.30; Is from 1.30; and 6d after 4 o’clock.

Novel Athletic Meeting Item. At a number of athletic meetings in France this year a novel Rugby football item has made its appearance. Over a course o£ about 250 yds competitors m turn go through the following elutions:—Run 30yds, pick up a Rugby football without stopping; 40yds farther on the ball has to be passed through a hoop standing syds to one side ; still farther on a ball has to be caught and must immediately be passed to the left; another 50yds a ball has first to be dribbled and then picked up; the ball is next punted forward and picked up again and held while the runner runs in and out around half a dozen posts, at the end of which, without stopping, he takes a drop kick at goal. Points are given for time, style, and accuracy. All-round Ability.

Bob Crisp, the giant South African cricketer, has many all-round performances to his credit. Crisp, who is a journalist, was attached to a Cape Ton n newspaper, and has played Rugby for Rhodesia, has represented South Africa against America in the hurdles, and was second in the Bulawayo 100 yds swimming championship on one occasion. He also has the distinction of being a member of a party that climbed the highest mountain in South Africa twice in a fortnight. The expedition travelled 13,000 miles by car, let alone the miles on foot for Kilimanjaro is snow-capped all the year round. A member of the last South African eleven in England, Crisp is modestly proud of the fact that he holds a world’s cricket record. He is the only player to take four wickets in four balls on two occasions in first-class games. Premature Report.

A report published in England states that T. C. Lowry will be manager of the New Zealand cricket team that is to visit England next year. Dempsey and Politics.

Jack Dempsey has accepted the chairmanship of a committee to campaign actively for the re-election of President Roosevelt this autumn. His co-members are all men and women prominent in the sport world, and Joe Louis, the coloured boxer, may be one of them. Dempsey is as wholehearted about politics as he was about boxing. “ I intend to devote most of my time to this campaign,” he said, “‘because I believe Mr Roosevelt is a great President. It is an honour to be on his side.”

Fencing Expert for England. In Wellington especially fencing lias made remarkable progress of late years, and not a little of the credit for the advance made by the sport in the Wellington and Wairarapa districts has been diie to Miss Zena Clarke, who has also done a lot to spread enthusiasm for the sport in other parts of the Dominion. Next week-end she is to officiate as referee in a match in which Southland fencers will be engaged at Invercargill. Last week Miss Clarke was fare welled by the Wellington Swords Club, of which she has been instructress, and in view of her departure for England in December, where her marriage to Mr N. Goodlet Daysh will take place, she was made the recipient of a presentation from the members. Miss Clarke learnt her fencing at one of the big schools in England, and it will be regretted that her knowledge and experience is being lost to the Dominion. World’s Cycling Titles.

Van Vliet, of Holland, won the world’s amateur sprint cycling championship' at Zurich recently, beating Georget, of France. Collard, of Belgium, beat Sellinger, of America, in the match for third place. C. B. Helps, the only British entrant, lost his preliminary heat. The professional title was won by J. Sehercns, of Belgium, for the fifth year in succession.

Sheffield Shield Aggregates. At it is definite that A. F. Kippax has retired, Victor Richardson is likely to run into premier position among the Sheffield Shield aggregates in Australia until Don Bradman forges to the front. Clem Hill at present has the highest number of runs to his name—namely, 6,274, Kippax coming next with 6,096, then V. Y. Richardson with 6,093. Dop Bradman has made 5,372 runs at an average of 109.63! It is almost beyond conception. Richardson has made 27 centuries in first-class cricket, two of these (100 and 125} in one match against New South Wales,

Prodigious Hitting. There was some prodigious hitting at the Manly Golf Club’s links on a recent Sunday, when a strong nor’easter helped the ball along at several holes. At the first hole Harry Hattersley was pin high in the bunker on the right. The distance is 315 yds. Norman von Nida was on the edge of the green. At the seventeenth (328 yds) von Nida found the bunker guarding the green with his tee shot.