BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 18253, 18 April 1923, Page 2

BOWLING

[By Measurer.]

The howling season 1922-23 came to a close last Saturday as far as interclub matches arc concerned. There has not been worse bowling weather for many % year, and only tho clubs at the head of the table have maintained enthusiasm to the end. Caledonian Chib finished up with an unbeaten record, and holds the banner for another year. On Saturday they won all four sections against Otago with good, margins. Fairfield, St. Kilda, and Taieri are next in order with. 12,.poinis each. Tho following table shows the result of the season’s play: Points. Caledonian 16 Fairfield 12 St. Kilda 12 Taieri 12 West Harbor 10 Outram 10 Roslyn 8 Mornington 8 Anderson Bay 8 Kaikorai 8 Dunedin 7 Kailuna 7 St. Clair 7 Green Island ...' 6 Port Chalmers ... 6 North-east Valley 4 Otago 3 Balmacewen 3 Cavcrsham. 2 At last the Cavcrsham Club are to be credited with a win, getting home in all three sections against Balmacewen. It is inexplicable that the club which did so well last year should earn the wooden spoon this season, for tho personnel of tho club is practically the same. Babnacewen will shortly bring the spoon down to the Cavcrsham pavilion, and hand it over with due ceremony.

In the Kaituna Club’s championship doubles R. S. Brown and Mirams won from Reed and J. Allan. The handicap singles resulted: R. S. Brown 1, M. Shortt 2. In the colts’ singles Dr K. Ross defeated J. Abernothy in the final. Cavcrsham and Mornington arc among those clubs closing down on the 28th inst. On the former green the finals of the club ties will be played. Mornington are making a departure this season in their closing function, for, besides stalls for the sals of goods, competitions in drawing, driving, etc., will be held. Bowlers on the various greens are discussing the propriety of having a roll up on Anzac Day. They do not wish to desecrate the day; on the other hand, they say it would be a pity to lose a fine afternoon. The Dunedin Bowling Centro Executive ought to have given a load at its meeting this week. As it did not do so, and as everybody is therefore free to say what he thinks, 'l venture the suggestion that a fitting compromise would bo to pay respect to the fallen soldiers by attending tho memorial services that are to bo held in tho morning, and to have a quiet game in the afternoon. Tire persons to bo considered in the matter are tho relatives of the brave men who died for us. I do not think they would see apy wrong or any suggestion of disrespect in adopting this plan. The Alexandra Bowling Club held a bazaar and art union at Easter to benefit tho club’s funds. Of the seven prizes in the art union four (including the first) came to Dunedin, two went to Roxburgh, and one to Kaitangata. The secretary informs me that there was in hand £lB5, with a few pounds ,to come in. In the Roslyn Club doubles the final game was played on Monday between Harraway and ‘Miller and Bridgman and Wcdderspoon. It was a close game righS through, ending in a tie, and Miller won by a point on the extra head. In tho handicap singles Wood has reached tho final, and is waiting on a semi-final game to discover his opponent. The danger of “easing up” when well ahead in a rink game in order to make the section win less pronounced was exemplified in a match last Saturday between St. Kilda and Kaikorai. A prominent St. Kilda skip, noticing that his two fellow skips wore (with him) easily holding their own, eased off during two or three heads. However, the other two Kaikorai rinks then began to score “in hatfuls,” with tho result that at the close of tho gams the, section was 1 point down, though the skip concerned was over 20 points up in his

game. Reviewing the recent dominion tournament at Auckland, “Trundler” says in. the Auckland ‘Star’ that the most noticeable immediate result was the enforcement of the rule about one foot on the mat; but that was only one of the possibilities that came into view with the _ improved status of umpires, and that fact is the real clue to the development that will undoubt cdly take place in the early future. The position of umpire has in tho past been a very unenviable sinecure. A benevolent old gentleman was usually chosen from amongst the most experienced members of the club, the chief qualification often being a willingness to sacrifice himself by recognisin'* that he had long passed the stago in which he would be of any use in a. competing team. His duties almost solely consisted putting the callipers on a shot that could equally well be decided by the measurers; buL the Litter would cull tho umpire in preference to introducing a. dispute. Any initiative on the part of tho umpire was practically non-existent, was not expected, and would almost bo resented, so that many an umpire had to bo awakened from a comfortable nap in order to give his verdict on a close measure. In one act the scene is changed. The umpire is now alert, ail-observant,_ aggressive, actively dominating the position in which previously he was merely the final arbiter, to act only on request. This position was assumed by the umpires on their own initiative, and there is no doubt that they have vastly improved their status. Before the tournament they held a meeting, decided on a definite course of action, ascertaining likewise to what extent they could depend on tho whole-hearted support, of the executive. The result, was successful bevond expectations, and for the future the umpires will have it entirely in their own hands to retain the strong position they have grasped, Which gives them the samo autocratic control of the game as the referee has in a football match. Additional authority, however, brings additional responsibility, and for the future it will be necessary to exercise the most careful choice in tlie selection of umpires. Tho resuscitation of the suggestion that Rotorua should get a turn of the dominion tournament is far too ambitious, and probablv beyond the capacity of Wonderland for'another half-century (says a writcHn Auckland ‘ Star '). At the recent dominion tournament in Auckland it took 93 rinks to accommodate the singles, 100 fur the pairs, and 72 for the full rinks, a programme which is absolutely out of the question at Rotorua, or indeed anywhere but at the four chief centres. Our Rotorua friends are doing very well indeed by giving bowlers the splendid outing they already get; but if they_ really have any ambitions toward a dominion tournament the nearest approach to it that they are likely to obtain would be accomplished by carrying out a suggestion that has often been made. Tn each alternate year—i.e., when the dominion tournament is held in the North Island—hold their additional tournament the very week after the dominion fixture. This would catch practically all the South Island competitors, who would willingly include Rotorua in their itinerary if they could do it all in the samo trip', whereas very few can afford tho time for one complete holiday trip in January and another long journey ifi February. “ This opinion is further supported by the fact that not a single South Island team took part in the recent Rotorua tournament, and it is hardly fair to the bowlers of tho South Island that they should be deprived of the opportunity for visiting Rotorua under favorable conditions when it could so easily be arranged by holding in January what would bo for nil practical purposes another dominion tournament, if first preference wero strictly given to South Island competitors.