TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 21822, 11 September 1934, Page 4

TOPICAL TATTLE

[Bv H.P.S.I

NEWSY NOTES OH SPORT

Commenting on J. E. Lovelock’s victory over W. Bonthron (U.S.A.) in the annual match between Princeton and Cornell and Oxford and Cambridge, the ‘ Field ’ (London) says that Bonthron was not so much outaxed as outgeneralled. “ Coming up the back stretch for the last time Lovelock, closely followed by Bonthron, drew ahead. At the top corner the American challenged; coming into the straight he set up a determined sprint, but Lovelock was now out of hand. . . . Racing judgment had triumphed over sheer cultivated speed. Lovelock got a great ovation.” * » « * By winning the Ranfurly Shield match against Hawke’s Bay last Saturday, Auckland won .the shield for the first time in twenty-one years. Auckland last held the trophy in 1913. * * * * The big effort to revive boxing interest in Dunedin will be launched next Saturday night, when Dal Costa, ban-tam-weight champion of New South Wales, will meet Clarrie Rayner, the New Zealand feather-weight champion. Both are fast, long-range fighters, and a first-class mill seems assured. « * * • Erie Watts, who captained the New Zealand hockey team in the test against the Australians at Dunedin on Saturday, and was the outstanding player on thd field, is regarded as one of the finest centre forwards tho dominion lias ever produced. He has represented New Zealand in tests in the years 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1929, and 1934, a wonderful record for international matches, considering the few opportunities presented to hockey players to represent the dominion. He is an extremely clever stick player, _ with great control of the ball, and is an adept at making openings, while his circle work is smart. He played in the first New Zealand team against tho Australians in 1922, and ever since then has been in the first flight. He went to Australia with tho first New Zealand overseas team in 1923, and also played in the test against the Indians. He has represented his province, Auckland, on numerous occasions, since the war. * * * * Recalling in a speech at the Lucifer Golfing Society dinner in July the days when he carried the King’s golf clubs for him, the Prince of Wales said: “1 asked him the other day why he did not go on with golf, and all he said to me was ‘ that he got so damned angry.’ ” The Prince said he thought th'o King played quite a good game. * * * * For those eliminated in tho first and second rounds of the New Zealand amateur golf championship at Wanganui tbb competition for the New Zealand Plate, an innovation in this year’s programme, .should prove an interesting event. The sixteen players put out in the first round will play ofl match play over eighteen holes, and* the winners will be matched against the eight eliminated in the second round of the championship. These sixteen will then play (eighteen-hole matches) for the New Zealand Plate. * * * * Mr Wallis Myers has issued bis annual ranking list of tho world’s leading women tennis players, and has included Miss 3: Hartigan among tho ten. The list is:—l, Miss D. Round (G. 8.); 2, Miss H. Jacobs (U.S.A.); 3, Mrs Sperling; 4. Miss S. Palfrey (U.S.A.) ; 5. Miss Scriven (G. 8.); 6, Mine Mathieu (France.) ; 7, Mme Payot (Switzerland); 8, Miss J. Hartigan (Australia)’; 9, Frl. Aussem (Germany) ; 10, Miss O. Babcock (U.S.A.) The president of the French Tennis Federation (M. Pierre Gillou) also issued a list, in which he placed Miss Hartigan No. 5, above Miss Palfrey and Mrs Sperling, but Mr Myers’s list appears likely to bo more acceptable (says an ‘Australasian’ writer). Miss Hartigan did exceptionally well at Wimbledon, but in many of her tournament matches she has been well tested by players not ranked in the national list. Both Mrs Sperling , and Miss S. Palfrey have performances that entitle them to be placed above the Australian; on the French list, however, Miss Hartigan is given a higher place than these players.

By coaching Brown off Allen’s bowling during Australia’s short second innings at Manchester, Hammond equalled F. E. Woolley’s record of sixty catches in test matches (says an Australian writer), Hammond had taken fifty catches before the present test senes, and ho snapped up niue more at Nottingham and Lord’s. He was not so skilful at Old Trafford, missing Chipperfield and Wall from difficult chances in slips when Australia were going hard to save tlve follow-on. Rhodes had a record of fifty-eight test catches before being surpassed by Woolley and Hammond. With two matches to go, however, Hammond is likely to beat sixty by a fair margin. * * * * At the end of the coming season the Australian team to tour South Africa may bo selected. Tho party has to leave Australia to be in South Africa in time to open the season, which runs parallel with tho Australian (says the ‘ Rpfereo ’). With W. M. Woodfull retiring, and onp or two others not likely to ho available, there will bo places to fill—not sixteen. In all the States there are many batsmen and bowlers whose names will come into the discussions. The selectors of Australia will probably bo changed. Dr C., E. Dolling is in England, and will remain there (his family residing at Harrogate) for a year or two longer. W. M. Woodfull may not stand for election, though there is no certainty about it. * * * * The following is a record (up till last Saturday) of tho matches played by the Australian hockey team at present touring New Zealand:— Against Waikato, lost, 2-3. Against Dannovirke, won, 5-1. Against Horowhenua, won, 4-0. Against 'Wellington, lost, 1-3. Against Nelson, won, 4-2. Against Motueka, won. 4-0. Against Marlborough, won, o-O. Against Kaikoura, won, 6-0., Against Canterbury, won, 2-1. Against Malvern, won, C-0. Against Geraldine, won, 8-0. Against Now Zealand, lost, 3-5. After the match at Oainaru yesterday, the Australians have five games to play, all in the North Island. •X- -X * X The Maori Rugby team which is to play matches against South Canterbury to-morrow, Otago (September 15), Southland (September 19), and Wellington (September 22) scorns to be a strong one (says tho Christchurch ‘ Sun ’). It consists of tho following players:—Backs:—G. Nepia (East Coast), C. Smith (Hawke’* Bay),

Holm ta hi (Buy of Plenty), R. Watson (Nelson), W. It. Davis (North Auckland), P. Kami (Poverty Bay), P. Himoiia (Wuirarapa); H. 'Mason (North: Otago), W. .). Phillips (King Country), H. Harrison (East Coast). Forwardsll. Mitchell (Bush), W, Cooper (North Auckland), I. Tangitu (Buy of Plenty), G. Harrison (Taranaki), H. Mataira (Hawke’s Bay), M. Ropata (Horowhenua), .1. McDonald (Marlborough), P. Smith (Hawke’s Bay), G. Ferris (Poverty Bay), M. Uika (North Auckland).

There will be wide openings for good young bowlers in the Canterbury representative cricket team in the coming season, as L. E. Riley is working in the North Island, and I. B. Cromb will not be bowling in "the coming season because lie wishes to avoid straining himself after a recent operation (says the ‘ Sun ’). * * * » In commenting, in the Sydney ‘ Referee,’ on the second test match between Australia and the New Zealand Rugby team, Alan Hulls writes: “ Of tho AH .Black forwards none did more work than Manchester, who gave tho finest displas one has seen from him in Sydney. Ho was going hard throughout, and was often dangerous. Backing him up invariably was Horn, who does his hard stuff and then is pacy enough to bo there in the loose; a good forward, this, and adept with the ball at toe.” * * * * According to-tho cabled report of the fourth cricket test between Australia and England, at Leeds, R. E. S Wyatt missed two very hard catches from W. H. Ponsford. Just how hard they were may, be gauged from this note by Nevill Cardus, most famous of cricket critics: “ A grand virtue of tho match was Wyatt’s fielding; lie saved innumerable runs, and lie nearly caught Ponsford twice by agility pricked on by imagination'. When Ponsford was 165 ho pushed forward to Verity, and Wyatt, at silly point, flung all his life and limbs at'a ghost of a chance, and nearly held the ball; but he crashed to earth and jarred all his nerves: tho prize eluded him. But when Ponsford was 178, Wyatt, again at silly point, tried to hold a terrific drive; tho effort at a catch was either incredible faith and courage, or was prompted by reflex action and the intinct for self-preservation.” * * * ■» “ Now that, with the assistance and loyalty of my team, I have regained tlie ashes, I feel it is time I made way for younger players,” said W. M. Woodfull, to Arthur Mailey, after the fifth test, at tho Oval. u J now say definitely that I shall retire from firstclass cricket after tho testimonial match in Melbourne >in November.” Woodfull’s retirement, after this series of tests was expected in Australia; it was known that ho wished to give more time to his work as a school teacher, as well as to make room for a younger player. At thirty-seven lie leaves first-class cricket with honours thick upon him. * * * * Speaking in an address in Christchurch of the place occupied by football in the life of students in American universities, Mr Robert K. Burns, the visiting debater from Washington University, stated that at his own college the football coach was paid a salary of an equivalent in dollars to £3,000, a year. The president of the college received £2,500 a year. It was the general rule in America for professors,-to be paid at a lower rate than football coaches. However, Mr Burns concluded, tho conduct of football as a commercial propositoin enabled tho college to support other sports, such as tennis, and basketball, and even to send wandering debaters to New Zealand. . * * * * English professional cricketers are paid £4O for test matches that they play in. The fee is by no means liberal, particularly when it is'remembered that they have to pay their own living and out-of-pocket expenses, and that while playing in tests they miss county matches, each worth £2O or £3O to them. ****'■, Tho America Cup races between Endeavour and the United States defender will start on Saturday, September 15. * * * * Harry Lister, middle-weight boxing champion of New Zealand, expects to be back in Maoriland round the end of the year. Harry will be an exchampion if he does not get back home inside six months. * * * * For H. F. M‘Lean, the All Black forward, the recent tour of Australia was anything but a satisfactory one. Between boils and influenza he was in bed for thirteen of the twenty-six days spent in Australia (says the ‘ New Zealand Observer ’). *** • * Jeff Dickson, English boxing promoter, is attempting to entice Prime Camera back to England, where ho made his debut in the boxing , world some live years ago. Ho has offered the Italian giant £5,000 and the privilege of 32} per cent, of the receipts to light Jack Peterson, the present British champion, or Larry Gains. Louis Soreai, Camera’s manager, is after something bigger in America, but if ho fails to unearth some lucrative engagements for tho ex-world’s champion, the offer will be accepted and tho bout-staged in London this month.