TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 4

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT NEW ZEALAND CYCLIST’S SUCCESS

[By H.P.S.]

All Black as Cricketer. Playing for Old Boys in ]nvercurgill cricket this season will ho X. A. -Mitchell, the All Black Rugby threequarter. -Mitchell has previously represented Southland at cricket, and played against Otago at Dunedin two or three years ago. Another Rugby player with the Old Boys team will ho A. W. Mesney, who represented Southland last winter, and who was also throe times runner-up in the New Zealand men’s diving championship. Greyhound Racing. The future of greyhound rating in Auckland was discussed at a wellattended meeting of the Auckland Greyhound Owners’ Association. After much discussion on both plumpton coursing and mechanical lure, it was decided to form an owners, trainers, and breeders’ association to protect the interests of owners, to assist and advise newcomers to the sport, and to encourage the breeding of greyhounds for show or racing purposes. The association signified its willingness to cooperate in any way with existing clubs. Confidence in the future of greyhound racing was expressed by several members. The number of new owners and the_ demand for dogs in recent months indicated that the growth of the sport in New Zealand may be as remarkable 'as it had been in England and Australia. Opening of Cricket Competitions. The date for the opening of the senior cricket competition in Dunedin will probably be decided on by the committee of the Otago Cricket Association to-night. The matches will probably begin on October 17. The Auckland season is to open on October 24. and Canterbury matches begin next Saturday. Popularity of Baseball. Baseball is becoming very popular in some parts of England, where Americans are sparing neither money nor pains to establish the game firmly. The news that E. Hendren and M. W. Tate are to be absent from county cricket, next season in order to play baseball is no surprise, as the pair have reached the retiring age for high-grade ’oket, Hendren being 47 and Tate 41. Men are usually too inactive for high-class baseball at these ages, but Hendren may remain a clever fieldsman for a few more years, and Tate has proved himself a good pitcher. South African Honoured. H. G. Owen-Smith, the England Rugby international full-back and former South African test cricketer has been elected captain of the Hampshire Rugby team for the coming season. Owen-Smith has played in the Hampshire team for several seasons, and helped it carry off the championship in 1933 and last season. New Hours of Play, Club cricket in Wellington this year will begjn at 1.30 and stop at 6.30. This decision was reached at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Cricket Association, which also decided to promote Institute to senior grade and relegate Potone to the second grade. Queensland’s Contract With Brown. W. A. Brown, after a visit to Brisbane recently, returned to Sydney with an unsigned contract by the Queensland Cricket Association which provided for his engagement over three years at a salary of £lO per week, and that he would be given a position with the motor firm of Messrs E. G. Eager and Son Ltd. Brown was expected to return to Brisbane by July 22, in order to enable him to qualify for Queensland before the opening of tho Sheffield Shield games. Sporting Gesture. The fact that the New South Wales Cricket Association unanimously decided to accept Stan M'Cabe’s resignation of the captaincy; of tho South African touring team in the BardsleyGregory testimonial match in favour of Vic Richardson has remedied a grave injustice. The team will now be known as Richardson’s team, and it is rather a coincidence that both sides will be led by South Australian captains (says the ‘ Australasian ’). The action taken by Stan M‘Cabe was of a most sporting character, one worthy of the man. As the Australians had an unbeaten record in South _ Africa _ under Richardson’s captainship, leaving a great name behind them as cricketers and men, the

fact that the jovial and astute South Australian will be seen leading his men in the match alluded to has given general satisfaction. World Title Retained. Benny Lynch, Scottish-born flyweight champion of the world, retained his title at Glasgow on September 16 by knocking out Pat Palmer in the eighth round. Lynch is said to be one of the hardest hitting eight-stone boxers of the day, and he boxed magnificently, completely outboxing Palmer, who was down for “ six ” in the seventh round. Forty thousand people saw the contest. Dominion Wheelman’s Success. Undoubtedly Harry Watson v New Zealand’s foremost road-racing cyclist, was the hero of that most strenuous of Victorian long-distance events, the Barnet Glass Grand Prix of 160 miles, through mountain country, decided recently. Watson was burnt off three times by his fellow members of the scratch group, yet he regained his dost ground on each occasion, and went on to make fastest time and a record for the race (says the Sydney Referee ). Progressive Swimming Club. A practical example of the progressiveness of the Eastern Suburbs Amateur Swimming and Life Saving Club, of Auckland, whose principal interest has been the instruction of children in swimming and life saving, is afforded by the souvenir booklet issued to commemorate the clujb’s foundation a year ago, And distributed in its territory between Meadowbank and St. Heliers. In addition to the annual report, the booklet contains lessons m free style, back stroke, and breast stroke, a list of precautions to he observed by bathers, and information on the methods of resuscitating the apparently drowned. It is also illustrated with photographs of the foundation officers, among whom is the Mayor of Auckland (Mr Ernest Davis), and of members successful in competitions. One of the stalwarts of this club is Mr W. O. Stockley, the well-known Auckland coach and official, who is a familiar figure at all New Zealand championship meetings. Reason Fop Berlin Failure. Signal failure of Sydney Wooderson to reach the final of the 1,500 metres, won by Jack Lovelock at the Olympic Games, is now explained. He was running with a small bone broken in his left foot. This is what an X-ray examination showed on his return from Berlin. This is believed to be an oldstanding injury, and the amazing thing is that he should have won the A.A.A. championship and put up a British record of 4min lO.Ssec for the mile during June and July. Eighteen months ago the Blackheath harrier appeared to strain his foot while kicking a football. Sarazen May Return. Gene Sarazen is talking of coming back to Australia for the 1938 championships in Sydney. He is uncertain yet as to his partner or partners, but is to do his best to bring Lawson Little, the American who won the British and American amateur championships in 1934 and 1935, but who has now joined the professional ranks. Dempster’s Auspicious Debut. Did ever a new captain make a more auspicious debut than C. S. Dempster, the New Zealander, has done this year with Leicestershire? asks an English paper. He must be regarded as one of the leading half-dozen batsmen in English cricket this year, and if he had been born in this country, instead of far over “ the briny,” he would already be a certainty for Australia. Dempster is also a very 'fine field, and his powers of leadership this year have amazed even his best friends. It is possible that he and Ken James, the Northants wicketkeeper, will assist New Zealand on occasions next yeai’j