BASEBALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 49, 26 August 1939, Page 16

BASEBALL

WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION

There is no doubt that softball has established itself as one of the major sports "in Wellington, says the annual rfeport of the Wellington Baseball (Softball) Association. There was an increase of four teams on the previous season, and a total of 458 players were registered with the association. This fiaire does not include the large number of women and school children playing the game. Most clubs are outfitted in full softball uniforms and the neat- appearance of these teams was the cause of many complimentary remarks from the spectators. One very pleasing feature of the season's activities was the fine sporting spirit-in evidence in all games, and it wis not difficult to see that the players were thoroughly enjoying themselves, as well as deriving great physical beneats from the game. In common with all other sports bodies, the association had its domestic difficulties, not the least of which was the increasing number of clubs applying for affiliation. While new teams were welcome, this' executive felt that -unless the number of clubs was limited, there was little likelihood of the standard of play being raised to any. marked extent. It was understandable that teams representing mercantile houses would prefer to retain their identity, but with the everincreasing applications for membership, there would appear to be no limit to- the number of clubs that might eventually constitute the association. Comparisons made with other codes showed that a small number of clubs with large 'memberships tended to raise the standard of play, and the standard of softball must continue to improve in order to merit the: support of the increasing number of spectators. To encourage the formation of larger clubs, the executive recommended the premier award in future should be for the club championship, the total number of wins by all teams of a club to be aggregated, and the club with the greatest number of wins in a season to be declared the winners ot the championship.