TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 22272, 25 February 1936, Page 4

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES DM SPORT

[By H.P.S.]

Tribute to Oliver. Asked what player among the 29 had in his opinion shown the host iorm over the whole period, one of the All Black forwards thought hard and awarded the distinction to C. J. Oliver, who had had fewer lapses than anyone else, and in addition had risen splendidly, both on and off the field, to his responsibilities as vice-captain (says the ‘New Zealand Observer’).

Track and Field Championships. The third national championship meeting held in Dunedin in as many weeks will he staged by the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at Canshrook on Friday and Saturday afternoons, when the national track and field games of 1936 will be decided. Otago’s success at the national swimming championships and the wins scored by several of the St. Clair teams at the surf championships may be a happy augury for Otago’s showing in the coming track and field meet. A win for Otago in the athletic championship shield would be popular. It is certainly long overdue. The preparations made for this week’s meeting have been of a most comprehensive nature, and thanks to the efforts of the centre president, Mr Guy Tapley, several innovations will be introduced which should appeal to athletes, officials, and public alike. The meeting is assuming a little more dignity than has been formerly the case, and the march past will not be a mere parade only. A selected athlete will take the oath as is done at the Olympic Games, and the opening of tho meet will be proclaimed with a fanfare of trumpets. Then 1,000 pigeons will be liberated from their enclosure.

Boxer and Footballer. Ernie Smith, the Irish light-weight boxing champion, is a clever Soccer player, for he has distinguished himself in Drumcondra’s attack and also as a goalkeeper (says an English writer). Smith’s best position is between the posts, and if he continues in it the player will develop into a firstclass custodian.

All Blacks’ Finances. Most of the All Blacks timed the extinction of their financial resources with their return to New Zealand. One of them landed with 4s 2d, promptly reduced to 2s lOd by the purchase of a tin of cigarettes (says the ‘New Zealand Observer’). Huge Football Fees.

Aston Villa have now broken every record in the hook. During November, 1935, the famous English Soccer club paid out roughly £40,000 for new players, and in the five years preceding their payments must have amounted to £50,000. Altogether a grand total of £90,000 in five years!

No. 1 Olympia Prospect. A Wellington view: “After his recent victories in Australia, P. E. Mathieson was in rare form in the 150yds men’s back stroke Dominion title, in which lie did not have much_ difficulty in retaining the honour in record time. Mathieson displayed the right temperament in lowering his own Dominion title by 3sec, as he showed in Australia, where he established new records for both the '22oyds and 440yds back stroke, the latter only being recognised. If a certainty exists for Olympic Games honours, it should be Peter Mathieson.”

New Athletic Sensation. The latest sensation in the French athletic world is a Moroccan tribesman who is alleged to run on the tips of his toes, and who can beat first-class runners easily. The Moroccan is claimed as a future Olympic champion. He is said to have won an important cross-country race at Rouen, following up this with a win in the Boyau Cup race.

Visit of Badminton Champion. Arrangements are being made by the Hamilton Badminton Club for a visit of Devlin, of Canada, for many years the world’s badminton champion. Devil in is a professional who belonged formerly to England. He devotes much of his time in Canada to coaching. He is expected to spend several i months in New Zealand next winter, and will give an exhibition of the game in the Bledisloe Agricultural Hall, Hamilton.

Popular Officials. Two of the most popular officials in Dunedin, last week were Messrs P. Coira and A. J. Kingsland, both of whom acted as officials at the national swimming championships, and subsequently at the national surf meeting. Mr Coira’s association with swimming and life saving goes back many years —he has been one of Wellington’s stalwarts for years in both sports. Mr Coira is president of the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Association, and at the swimming meeting was one of the diving judges, _ a position he has held on many occasions. “Pete ” is one of the ablest officials in the Dominion, and as an impromptu speaker he has few equals. A speech by the popular Wellingtonian is always a gem. Mr Kingsland is a member of the younger brigade, but as a swimming judge at the first meeting and then as assistant marshal at the surf fixture he was kept very busily engaged. Mr Kingsland is president of the Southland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, and also of the Oreti Surf Club, and he is one of the “ live wires ” of swimming in New Zealand. Scullers and Footballers. The Pearces in sculling have aways been to the fore in Australia. Generation after generation they have produced champions (says the Sydney ‘Referee’). The latest scion of the family to distinguish himself is Cecil Pearce, who has won the amateur championship on the Nepean and conquered H. Turner, many times winner. 'The new champion is a first cousin of Bobby Pearce, the world’s champion. Ho is a younger brother of Joe Pearce, the famous Rugby League forward. They are sons of the great lock fora

ward of other days, the late Syd. Pearce. The new amateur champion is onlv 22 years of age, and weighs about 12st 41b. He has been sculling seriously about three years, and has been coached by his uncle, ex-champioh Harry Pearce.

Refereed Famous Match. Several members of the All Black team met “Jock” Dallas, who refereed the 1905 team’s match against Wales, and has been execrated because, not having sprigs in his boots, he was so far behind play that he could not be certain whether or not Deans scored the famous disputed try (says the ‘ New Zealand Observer ’). Mr Dallas now a municipal officer in Aberdeen, explained to one of the All Blacks that he was quite conscientious in not awarding the try, as ho had to give the decision on what he saw, and nothing else, and he did not, see Deans ground the ball over the line.

England’s Big Greyhound Year. From a political and sporting point of view. 1935 stands out as the most memorable year English greyhound racing has experienced since its inception in 1926. The prize money distributed to the eight London tracks during the year was approximately £IOO,OOO.

Victorian Project. The Victorian Swimming Association intends to invito to compete in the State championships next year the 46-year-old champion, Duke Kahanamoku, George Center, and two other highclass swimmers from Hawaii. The New South Wales Association has already invited to Australia Peter Fick, of the United States, 100yds and 100 metres world’s record holder, Jack Medica, of the United States, world’s record middle-distance and distance holder, and Miss Wjlly den Ouden, of Holland. Miss den Ouden was unable to accept the invitation, but it is not yet known whether Fick an Medica will he available.

" Spoon-fed Athletes.” “ Athletes to-day are being too much spoon-fed,” declared Mr F. Reid (Wellington), delegate for the Otago Centre on the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, at a recent meeting of the local centre. A discussion was drawing forth much argument on the subject of cost of “ togs ” for the forthcoming national championships, cost which some considered to be too much, and more than some athletes might be willing to pay. Said one member: “If a runner or field competitor is not prepared to pay that much to represent his province ho does not deserve to be in tne team,” and Mr Reid added that it was not true amateurism when athletes begrudged spending a little out of their own pockets. Tarleton Too Clever. Nel Tarleton, the British featherweight champion, gave Johnny Edwards, the French feather-weight, one of the greatest boxing lessons ever handed out in a British ring in their contest over 12 rounds at 9st 41b at Liverpool Stadium last month. The contest featured two distinct styles, and the bout must have been an object lesson to the Continental fighter in the points of the boxing game he did not know. Edwards undoubtedly banked on his youth and stamina, but he was second best when it came to skilful boxing. Joe Louis Honoured. Recently Joe Louis, the Detroit (U.S.A.) heavy-weight, was acclaimed by the American sports writers and experts as the outstanding athlete for 1935. The annual poll ■of America’s sports writers resulted in Louis obtaining 184 votes against 135 for Lawson Little, juu., the British and American amateur golf champion, who obtained second place. The poll has now been held for five consecutive years, and Louis is the first negro ever to head the list, as well as the first boxer. James J. Braddock, the world heavy-weight champion, is rated only eighth. Sir Malcolm Campbell, who established a world’s land speed record of over 301 miles an hour on the Salt Flats in Utah this summer, was given sixth place with 13 votes. Americans Incensed. American swimming enthusiasts are incensed as the result of an article written by world’s breast stroke record holder Jacques Cartonnet for a French newspaper, which conveyed the impression that A. Keifer, in creating his world’s record of 1.04 4-5 for 100 metres back stroke, did not swim in a regulation-sized pool at Breslau (Germany). Upon returning to the U.S.A. recently after the European tour,vStanley Brauninger, Lakeshore coach, who accompanied Keifer, when questioned regarding the performance, said: “The record was set in a 25-metre pool, expertly surveyed, and German officials assured me that the required vouchers would be forwarded promptly to the F.I.N.A. claiming recognition for the performance as a world’s record.” Brauninger also brought news of another splendid feat by Keifer in Budapest. He stated that Keifer in ji 33 imetre bath at Budapest had swum 150yds back stroke in 1.33 9-10, shattering by several seconds the world’s record of 1.37 2-5, Scope for Nepia. Plenty of scope is being offered to George Nepia in the League code in London, where the famous ex-All Black full-back is now acting as manager and coach to the Streatham-Miteham Club, for which his services as a player, were obtained at a substantial cost shortly before Christmas. C. Smith, G. Harrison, and J. M'Donald, who were signed up by the London League promoter, Mr Charles Parkes, are employed first a players, and between times as groundsmen for the club, with the duty of keeping the playing area and stands in order. The duties are light, and the opportunities of keeping their weight down are too few for the taste of the Maori players.

Record Attempts Fail. Their interest caught by the recent performance of Miss Nawi Kera, a large crowd of spectators attended the Wnitemata Club’s carnival last week to see the Rotorua girl and her companion, Bennie Morrison, attempt to lower New Zealand junior records (says the Auckland ‘Herald’). Both were unsuccessful by fifths of a second to better the records, one of which, the 100yds time of 66 l-ssec, for girls, is held by Miss Kern herself, and the other, 26 4-ssec, the 50yds time for boys, by S. W. Jarvis, of Dunedin. Miss Kora registered 67sec and Morrison 27 1-osec. They may not have failed, however,, if they had been able to practice in tli© bath beforehand.