BOWLING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21013, 29 January 1932, Page 4

BOWLING NOTES

[By Meastjrik.]

FIXTURES. February 4 and 5.—0.L.8.A. mixed doubles (entries Monday). February 27.—Dunedin Centre v. (south Otago Centre, at Dunedin. February 13.—Elderly Bowlers’ Day (entries February 8). February 13.—South Otago Centre rink tournament. Entries February 9. February 16.—0.L.8.A. tournament (entries Monday). February 27.—Final of four-rink championship. March 3 or 10.—Christchurch Centre v. Dunedin Centre, at Dunedin. March 12 and 14.—Champion of champions. March 19 and 23.—Adess Shield. Easter.—Dunedin Centre 1 tournament. Oamaru tournament (entries March 12). To-morrow the interclub games resume after the long vacation, and players generally will not bo_ sorry. The following is the present position of the leading clubs: —Caledonian 671points, Mornington 64, Valley 56, Taieri 54, Roslyn 51, St. Kilda 48. Some games affecting Roslyn, Valley, i and St. Kilda sections were not completed on December 19 owing to rain. . Secretaries are reminded that entries (with ages) from clubs for the games on Elderly Bowlers’ Day (February 13) must be in the hands of the secretary of the Dunedin Bowling Club by Monday, February 8. Caversham Club members spent last Saturday afternoon in progressive doubles, which attracted eighteen entries. The winners were R. J. Todd (skip) and H. H. Gardner (lead). The Ladies’ Association will hold a mixed doubles tourney on Thursday next, and each pair is guaranteed four games of sixteen heads or If hours. Section ties and section winners will play off on Friday. Entries for this contest, also for the annual tournament commencing on February 16, will close next Monday. For the annual tournament entries are already to hand from Pembroke, and some are expected from Christchurch. Heartiest congratulations will be accorded by all bowlers to J. Scott, of the Caledonian Club, on again winning the coveted dominion singles title. It was also on the St. Albans green that he gained the honour four years ago. His play throughout was remarkably consistent. His club mates (Foster and Hinchcliff) also reached the semifinals/ The former played right /up to his reputation, while Hinchcliff surprised all by reaching third place, on his way defeating both Walker and Scott. Tyrrell (Roslyn) was expected to do well, and in the final lost by only a single point. Both rinks and doubles titles went north to Auckland, won respectively by those well-known players M. Walker and W. Bremner. Auckland had only a small representation at the tournament, but certainly had the quality. Walker attained his ambition, after seventeen years’ endeavour, and now, with E. Harraway, has the honour of having held the three titles. Deare’s rink added to its credit by reaching the final this year,, after winning last year. Gregory and Deare also reached the semi-final of the pairs, so that'altogether Dunedin ■ representatives performed with credit to themselves and the city.

The pick of the Christchurch greens used in the recent tournament can undoubtedly be ranked as equal to the best greens in other centres. The Canterbury green, for instance, is regarded by Maxwbll Walker, skip of the successful rink, as one of the best he has played on. The Christchurch and St. Albans greens also evoked favourable comment. Considerable care was taken with the selected' greens before the tournament started, and in a very short time after the opening of play they were in excellent order.

Who was the Dunedin bowler who •at in his car at a Christchurch intersection waiting for the green light signal, and after a quarter of an hour discovered that the red light was from a chemist’s shop? Overheard at Christchurch.—“ Have you brought your wife and daughter, Jack?’’ “ Not this time. I took them to the. Auckland tournament last year, but they’re too biassed.” “Too biassed —what do you mean?” “ Well, it was bias this and bias that, till I was well nigff broke!”

During the recess the Port Chalmers Club has taken its club tie competitions to an advanced stage. The rinks have been completed, the winning rink being Timlin, M'Cowatt, and Braithwaite (s). The pairs are now up to the semi-linal stage, and in the singles there are three left in. One competition that has evoked a large amount of interest is the rink challenge game for silver ferns presented by Mr J. H. Cray, a very old member of the club, now resident in Wellington. Challenges have been frequent and the play keen, rinks led by the following skips having so far held the ferns for a term : Braithwaite, Peters, Miller, Morgan, and Crawford. \ St. Kilda Club suffered a severe loss this week in the death of one of its most prominent and popular members, Mr Andrew Walker. About three weeks ago he was laid aside with a stroke, from which he never recovered. Mr Walker was a member of the St. Kilda Club for about twenty-five rears, and served in every position open to club members, including company director and president. “Andy,” as he was generally called, rendered excellent service to the St. Kilda Club, and greatly enjoyed his games. He was always of a cheerful disposition, and will be greatly missed on the green. -The sympathy of all bowlers will go out to Mrs Walker (a member of the ladies’ section) in her bereavement. Dunedin Club suffered similarly by the sudden death of Mr C. H. Hayward, senior vice-president. He was for many years associated with the club as member and player, and whs a most enthusiastic supporter. Mr Hayward’s kindly manner and invariable good nature endeared him to his fellowbowlers in his own and other clubs, and he will be greatly missed, not only for his valuable administrative services, but on the playing area. On Saturday last a rink (A. Bell, J. H. Crawford,'W. J. Wilson, and W. G. Love) was organised by the president (Mr Crawford) of Port Club to return the visit by Southland Club representatives on opening day. Leaving Port at 4 a.m., they had a good run to Invercargill, where they were met by Messrs Manson (president), Ayling, and Torrance, who placed their services at the disposal of the visitors. Visits of a private nature filled in the morning, and a game was played in the afternoon, when many oki friendships were renewed. A very dose game saw the local players 1 up. In the evening a return game was played, and when darkness stopped play at the eighteenth head the visitors were 1 up, and so finished up for the day all square. Mr Manson welcomed the visitors, stress-

ing the good feeling that must exist amongst bowlers to enable trips of this nature to be made. Mr Crawford, m reply, said that he and his rink considered it not only a privilege but also' a duty to return the viMt of their Southland friends, and they were going bock to Port Chalmers thoroughly delighted at having the opportunity of meeting so many old acquaintances—specially mentioning Messrs W. Smith (fifty years a member of the Southland ClubL F. Strang, Walter Clark, George M‘Alpine, J. England, and J. Thomson. After the evening game the local rink entertained the visitors at supper—a pleasant ending to a successful day. Seven rinks (three of ladies and four of men) from the Logan Park Club went to Middlemarch on Wednesday and had a most enjoyable outing. A long stop was made by the party at the unemployment camp at Deep Stream, where eight cases of fruit were left. /This thoughtful and welcome gift was acknowledged by Mr Lloyd on behalf of the camp, and the men gave lusty cheers when the bowlers left. Middlemarch was reached shortly after noon and the tourists were met by the vice-president of the club (Mr F. Dawson), who apologised for the absence of the president through indisposition. Both sections won their games by small margins. As the result of this pleasurable trip, Mr W. Casey (manager) has decided to give a challenge cup for competition between the two clubs, and the first game will bo held in Dunedin in about a fortnight’s time.

A proposal by Yorkshire and Durham at the recent annual mooting of the English Bowling Association that only English-born players bo included in the English international bowling team was defeated by 33 votes to 17. it was stated that there were so many Scots of lato years that tho few Englishmen in tho teams could scarcely understand what their comrades were saying!