66 REP. GAMES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 23

66 REP. GAMES

AUCKLAND MAN'S RECORD

A casual conversation led to a-very interesting discovery—Bok Innes, the popular Ponsonby skipper and Auckland and New Zealand representative j outside-right, has played in 66 representative Soccer games since 1920., Owing to the modesty of the well-known Soccer star considerable research was required to compile a list of his performances, which, in its way, embraces 16 years of the history of the Association's 50 years of existence, says the "Auckland Star." The fact thai Innes is a product of the Dominion makes his career in the game the more remarkable for he is one of the few New Zealanders whose skill and ability in the game can be said to be such that he could have taken part in Soccer of a high class in the Homeland. It is safe to say that no other player

in New Zealand Soccer has given the service he has, and no other player has enjoyed through the years the admiration and respect throughout the realm of sport as has Bob Innes —an admiration based on perfect sportsmanship and likeable personality. And it should be added that after 16 years in firstgrade Soccer in New Zealand' he is still in the front rank as a player and shows no sign of decay. This: is the jubilee year of the code in Auckland and there is a strong feeling that something officially ought to, be done to mark the wonderful career of the Ponsonby skipper as part of the recognition of ithe 50th year of the code. In the total of 66 games played Innes has,, done duty for his country in 24 international matches, including: encounters against Australian, Canadian, and Chinese teams, and lie also played against Chileans. He has materially assisted Auckland to win and to retain the Brown Shield and the F.A. Trophy, emblems of national supremacy; and he has also won Chatham Cup honours on more than one occasion. He toured Australia with the New Zealand representatives' in 1923 and took part in 15 of the 16 matches played, and would have been a member .of the last touring side had business permitted. Not only by his play has he inspired confidence in his club mates, but his conduct on and off. the field has ever been a credit to the code and to New Zealand. To give a detailed record of his representative career would be simple, but would fail to indicate the part he nas played in the scoring of goals or the winning of matches, nor would it reveal his indomitable courage and unflagging spirits in struggling against defeat, or to attain victory in the face of odds. It would not show that matchi after match not one infringement or. shady action had been recorded against him; that in every one of his 66 representative matches he hid played the game in the truest sense' —facts that count most in any sport. Because for his desire —certainly not warranted on playing ability—to make, way for younger players, Innes has in the last two seasons disappeared from Auckland representative teams, but his association and the game have been the losers. .■']'■'..