TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 21994, 2 April 1935, Page 4

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT [By H.P.S.] The Otago University swimming championships will be decided at the Municipal Baths to-night. * • * » It is understood that neither K. Uttley nor D. M. Page, members of the University A team last year, will be playing Rugby this season. # «■ « # A three-day cricket match between a Wellington team, arranged by Mr J. H. Phillipps, and Manawatu, holders of the Hawke Cup, is to be played at Palmerston North during Easter. « * * * .Most of tho harrier clubs will hold their opening runs next Saturday. The New Zealand Cross-country Championship this year will be .decided at Wellington • * * * Eddie Phillips, who, when not operating in the ring, toots his horn as a London bus driver, won the British light-heavy-weight title in a fight with Tommy Farr at Mountain Ash, Wales. * * * » The University Amateur Athletic Club proposes to hold a series of special interfaculty trials early next season, and another proposal to arouse interest is the holding of an interfaculty relay meeting. * * * * The boat which Cambridge University will use in the annual boat race against Oxford on the Thames on Saturday is td be built for an average, weight of I2st 91b. That decision was made by the builder after he had visited Cambridge to see tho Light Blues’ crew.

A record 'entry for the 1936 Olympic Games has been made by the acceptance of Egypt, Brazil, Portugal, and the Honduras, which brings the number of countries participating up to forty-six. The previous highest entry was for the 1932 Olympics at Los Angeles, when forty-two nations competed.

The Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association proposes to run a queen carnival to improve its finances during the winter, and with a view to having the preliminary work done early the centre will meet next Monday to go into the question.

Several important swimming fixtures are to be decided next week, these including the Christian Brothers High School carnival on April 8, the secondary schools girls’ life saving and relay championships on the afternoon of April 11, and the Otago State primary schools’ carnival on the evenings of April 11 and 12.

The new Ibw rule in England will do a lot to improve cricket. It will mean the development of many new offbreak bowlers, and batsmen "will have to play the in-turning ball with their bats instead of with their pads,” said Bill Hitch, recently. The old Surrey fast bowler is home after a coaching appointment in Madras.

Miss Peggy Price, the New Zealand ladies’ diving champion, will be visiting Dunedin over Easter, and the University Swimming Club, which is staging the New Zealand University championships on April 22, is inviting Miss Price, Miss Gwen Rix (runner-up in the New Zealand championship and holder of the Otago title), and Mrs E. C. Isaacs (third in the. New Zealand event) to give a display on that occasion.

The Australian Amateur Swimming Union has invited P. Fick and J. Medica, of the United States, and Misses W. Den Ouden, Holland, and H. Mayehata, Japan, to compete in Australia next season. Fick and Miss Den Ouden are the greatest of the world’s men and lady sprinters, Medica is the fastest middle-distance swimmer, and Miss Mayehata the finest lady exponent of the breast stroke.

Blows were exchanged in a remarkable ice hockey match at Wembley last month, when m a vital league encounter Wembley Lions defeated Richmond Hawks by 5 goals to 3. The game was played at a terrific pace. In the closing minutes one of the Richmond team, after a particularly heavy cheek, was undeterred in his efforts to break through. A melee ensued, and two men had to be parted by the referee and other players, and in the scrimmage the referee himself was struck. The principal offenders were sent off for the remainder of the match.

Tomekichi Miyamoto, the Japanese open golf champion, who competed in the British open championship in 1932, is one of the six Japanese professional golfers selected to take part in the American and Canadian professional championships this year. The other members are Kokishi Yasuda, Ryckuzo Asami, Kokichi Nakamura, Chin Seisui, and Toda. The Japanese will also play two matches against American professionals in Chicago and New York and against Canadian professionals.

The versatility of New Zealand Hubert Turtill is evidenced by the fact that he has won championships from a quarter of a mile to twenty-nve miles (says a cycling writer in tho Sydney ‘ Referee ’)• Over the latter distance he annexed the championship of Australasia. Among Turtill’s New Zealand track titles are the quarter-mile, halfmile, one-mile, and two-miles. He is also sprint champion of the West Coast and the South Island. He won his qualifying heat in the “ Sydney Thousand,” while the Beechworth and Wonthaggi wheel races are numbered among his many Australian successes. His last match race resulted in a win over the Victorian all-rounder, Joe Parmley.

Mr Bob Fulcher, now treasurer of the Otago Boxing Association, was a few vears ago one of the cleverest amateur light-weights New Zealand has produced, and at one time held _ the national title. He paid a nice little tribute to the former president of the 0.8. A., Mr F. J. Campbell, at the function in the latter’s honour on Saturday night, stating that it was due to a kindly and thoughtful act on the part of Mr Campbell that he had first taken an interest in boxing. At the time the champion-to-be was a telegraph messenger, and he was entrusted with the job of delivering a telegram to “ Peanut ” Holmes, who was fighting here at the time. As he made his way out he asked the man at the door if there was any chance of getting in when he . had finished duty. “ I m afraid not, the place is packed,” was the reply, but Mr Campbell was sitting nearby,' and impressed by tho boy’s keenness arranged for him to be allowed to see his first fight. It was typical of Mr Campbell, said Mr Fulcher, and there will be many others to testify that the former head of the 0.8. A. always has believed in encouraging the youngsters’ keenness for the manly art.

Miss Mona MacLeod, a member of the Australian Tasman Cup team which defeated New Zealand at Titirangi last year, recently distinguished herself at Woollongong by winning the South Coast of New South Wales championship, as well as the Nepean-Illawarra title. The former she gained through a record-breaking score of 70, which on the following day she supplemented with another fine score of 74. Miss O’Brien was runner-up, with 77 and 73. The other title was captured by Miss MacLeod with a 74, Miss M'Leish being second with an 80. « * * * There were some good performances at the Collegiate Swimming Club’s carnival at Invercargill last week. Miss D. Symon, the New Zealand intermediate girls’ 220 yards champion, was successful in lowering the present. Southland record for the intermediate girls’ 220 yards The former record was 3min 3 •' 2-ssec, but Miss Symon covered the distance in the very good time of 2niin 59 2-ssec. In the 220 yard? ladies’ breast stroke event,

Miss Nancy Basstian (who is best known as one of tbe best free style exponents in the dominion) won ifi 3xnin 49 l-ssec, ten seconds better than her previous, record. P. H. M’Gratb won the Southland 220 yards men’s free style event in 2min 35sec, and also bettered his previous record. * * « » A cable message from Manila, Philip* pine Islands, to the ‘ Referee ’ (Sydney), suggests that the services, of Ed« die Tolan as track instructor during May are sought there. The world’s champion runner, however, naturally, needs something definite from the Manila end before be is prepared to consider a proposition. Tolan’s consistent form in Australia shows he is a very great runner over his distances. The climate has not handicapped him. It should not handicap any athlete accustomed to the climate iii California. The American has made a good impression wherever he has appeared, but if he eventually travels to the 01d_ Country for future world’s championship races he may find the climate less help* ful than the Australian. ■■■