A SPORTSMAN’S NOTEBOOK

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 6

A SPORTSMAN’S NOTEBOOK

[By H.P.S.]

GLEANINGS FROM SPORT

An unusual incident in a representative cricket match between Wellington and Otago years ago and one that caused much discussion at the time was recalled by Mr A. H. Fisher at the Carisbrook Cricket Club’s smoke concert last week. Mr Fisher told how he hit a ball hard over the fence, and felt quite safe concerning the shot. Blacklock, fielding for Wellington, however leaned over the fence and toon the catch. The argument that ensued as to whether the batsman was out waxed hot and strong, of course, most contending that the ball was out of bounds when the catch was taken. Blacklock, however, held that the batsman was out as the fielder had ins feet on the grass inside the boundary line when he leaned over to take the ball! A pretty point. • • * • Jack Johnson is always regarded as one of the great heavy-weight boxers of all time, but there was one man that he would not consent to meet a second time, and that was Sam Langford, who, like Johnson, was a negro. Johnson drew the colour line, objecting to the extremely dark complexion of bam Langford! But another writer, discussing the subject recently, says that it was probably the unpleasant habit of Langford to flatten most of his opponents. Johnson’s disinclination to meet Langford was all the more surprising in view of the fact that in then* only contest in the ring Johnson outpointed Langford after fifteen rounds of fighting in one of the_ American States in 1906. Before meeting Tommy Burns for the heavy-weight championship of the world in Sydney m 1908 Johnson agreed to carry out » contest with Langford on February 22, 1908, two months after his meeting with Burns, but he did not return to London to keep his engagement with Langford, going to America instead and denying that he had ever signed any agreement. When Langford arrived in America, he started a nnnt for Johnson, but only got within hailing distance once. That was when Johnson .was taking part in a sparring exhibition in a New York theatre. Just before the display commenced Langford hopped up on the stage and shouted: “Let me spar wid you and 111 show you who is the champion!” Johnson hurriedly withdrew, but trying to get even with him for refusing the return bout, Langford cornered Johnson in a well-known cafe in San Francisco where sports usually forgathered. He challenged Johnson to fight it out there and then. Johnsoh was apparently satisfied vjith the proposal, and said “ Yuh jes’ wait here till Ah hangs mah coat in dat room. Ah’ll be right back.” Sam agreed, but Johnson, going into the side room, ostensibly to hang up bis coat, sneaked out of the cafe through a side door, and poor Sam was unable to get bis revenge. * ** * * - So much has been written concerning the importation of players by the Lancashire Cricket League that it is interesting to have the opinion or the league itself on the matter. This was expressed at-a function in Nelson recently to mark the winning of the Lancashire League championship by the Nelson Cricket Club, the speaker being Mr E. Crabtree, president of the Lancashire Cricket League. He said that the question of the attempted engagement of Don Bradman with Accrington had been treated by the Press as if the approaches were made by the Lancashire League to Bradman. “It was nothing of the kind,” he declared; •“ the first approach in this matter was made by Bradman to the Lancashire League, and before that time there was not the slightest idea that either Bradman or any other member of the Australian team was available for an engagement in this _ country. . . . I think, therefore, it is a little late in the day to reproach the Lancashire League for engaging colonial professionals; and, after all, it is perhaps better for the first class counties if we go to the colonies for professionals. If these colonial ■ professionals had not been playing in the Lancashire League they would certainly have been replaced by first-class county professionals, so that it is to the advantage of the counties themselves that we can get other men.” • * * * No very tangible reasons were put forward at last week’s meeting of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association for opposition to the Auckland Centre’s remit that the six-mile championship should bo included on the programme of the New Zealand track and field championships. One speaker submitted that the public would get tired of such a race, another that the programme was long enough at present. Neither argument is strong enough to warrant the turning down of such a remit without hearing the arguments likely to be submitted by Auckland. This writer ventures to assert that the three-mile flat championship invariably proves one of the most interesting and exciting races of the New Zealand championship programme, and the six-mile event might well be the same. An argument that the runners would not be able to compote in other events need not be reckoned with, since the object of putting on such an event would be to cater for distance runners on the track, and surely there are enough of them for that. It is surprising indeed that Otago, a province which has produced scores of famous_ distance runners, should he in opposition to this remit. • • « • The frankness with which Tom Lowry, New Zealand’s famous captain, discussed New Zealand cricket at the Carisbrook function last week should do a vast amount of good if only what he said is taken to heart by cricketers. To use his actual words: “I can honestly say that New Zealand’s batting is up to test match form, New Zealand howling is not very good, and the fielding is damned bad.” New Zealand is not alone in her scarcity of bowling talent, but Lowry pointed out that the weakness in fielding was hard to understand, and until New Zealand learnt to field in a first-class manner it could not hope to be a first-class side. Even allowing for the fact that there has been an improvement in our fielding in the last year or two, the fact remains that too little attention is paid to this branch of the game when club, representative, and international sides are being chosen, and it will bo a step in the right direction if clubs are a little more careful when selectiing sides to see that keenness in the field is duly considered along with other attributes of the candidates for places

in teams. Some players can make big scores, but the advantage gained there is often lost in the field—a fact not sufficiently realised by the clubs’ selectors in too many instances. Lowry, too, may have hit the nail on the head when he traced the weakness in fielding to the schools, which often have to play on bad wickets. A boy would go to field the hall, he said, and be hit on the face, which the youngster wouldn’t like, and undoubtedly that would have an effect upon his fielding later on. Various causes may be contributing towards New Zealand’s weakness in fielding, and the fact remains that it can only be overcome by considerably more importance being placed on this branch of the game than has been the case in the past.

The improved standard and increased interest that is being taken in water polo in Otago is rather remarkable, and the Canterbury players were very surprised at the fine showing made by the Otago players in the final at the New Zealand swimming championships recently. Polo is a remarkably fascinating branch of the natatorial sport, and in addition to the fact that six teams contested the club competition here this season it may be mentioned that almost whenever swimmers congregate in the Tepid Baths now a water polo ball is in evidence. The game is an attractive one to play and to watch, and this enthusiasm is hound to be reflected in the showings of Otago teams in future seasons.

I have to acknowledge with thanks receipt of the eleventh annual report of the Otago State Primary Schools Sports Association, which covers fully the activities of this excellent organisation. An excerpt from the opening paragraph is worthy of being reprinted: “ Once again our organisation has proved itself by the harmonious manner in which our various activities have been carried out, and members may feel justly proud of their association, a sports body unique in New Zealand in the number of activities it controls and the number of entries it receives for those activities.” The Schools Sports Association is conducted wholly by teachers in the Otago district, and it is indeed fortunate in being able to avail itself of men of wide experience in sporting organisation who are possessed of enthusiasm and vision, and the writer feels certain that the splendid position it now occupies is due in no small measure to men such as tho president (Mr D. Forsyth) and the secretary and treasurer (Mr H. H, Hawkins) and those others who preceded them in office. Parents owe much to tho members of this association who devote so much time and attention to encouraging tho youth of Otago to participate in healthy forms of organised sport. One way in which the public’s gratitude may be shown practically is by lending support to the association’s fixtures, one of which, tho swimming championships, is to bo held in April.