SPORTS SNAPS

Evening Star, Issue 22780, 15 October 1937, Page 5

SPORTS SNAPS

NO. 87: K. F. M. UTTLEY [By Hooker.] Dp G. H. Uttley, rector of the Southland Boys’ High School, has good reason to feel proud of the athletic prowess of his sons, K. F. M. Uttley, the subject of this week’s personality, and L. M. Uttley, for both are provincial Rugby and cricket representatives, and both are outstanding sportsmen in every sense of the word. Ken has represented Wairarapa, Southland, Otago, and the South Island at cricket, and Otago and New Zealand University at Rugby, and brother “ Buster ” is a Southland Rugby and cricket representative.

It is not surprising that the Uttley boys should have accomplished so much in the world of sport, for their father before them was a noted Rugby player and cricketer. Dr Uttley played for Otago University at ‘Rugby and represented Otago in 1901, while he played senior cricket for Albion and represented North Otago, Wairarapa, and Southland. A brother of Dr Uttley, Mr W. M. Uttley, has represented North Otago at cricket. Ken Uttley began his Rugby and cricket career at tho Wairarapa High School, where 'his father was head master, and at the age of 14 he gained a place in the school cricket eleven, and a little later also secured selection in the school Rugby fifteen; He

was only 16 when he was selected to represent Wairarapa at cricket against A. H. Gilligan’s M.C.C. team in January, 1930, the schoolboy player making 1 and 19 not out. The all-round ability shown by his father in earlier years has been repeated by Ken, and at Wairarapa High School he was the junior athletic champion, and represented the school in the Wellington inter-collegiate championships* specialising in the sprints and hurdles.

Going from Wairarapa High School to Southland Boys’ High School, Ken Uttley was a member of the Southland first eleven for two seasons, captaining it in his last year, and he also filled the centre three-quarter berth in the first fifteen for two years. While at school he represented Southland at cricket for two seasons, playing against North Otago and Otago, his highest contribution being a soundly-compiled 40 against North Otago at Oamaru. As a schoolboy Ken Uttley showed rare promise as an athlete, but going on to the University he did not have the time to devote both to athletics and cricket, and thus a potential champion was lost to the track sport. He won the senior athletic championship of Southland Boys’ High School on two occasions, and running the 120yds hurdles in 16 4-ssee broke the school record. He also established a school record for the hop, step, and jump of 40ft Sin. - _ He represented his school twice at the Otago secondary schools’ championship meeting, winning the _ 120yds hurdles title at Invercargill in the then record time of 16 2-ssec, the 100yds in 10 4-ssec, and tho 220yds in 23 l-ssec. His time for the furlong equalled the existing record, but was not passed owing to the favouring breeze. The following year at Dunedin he crashed in the 120yds hurdles, but won tho 100yds and also the furlong. Ken came to Otago University at the beginning of 1932, and very soon made his mark in Otago sport. He was a very speedy and dashing centre three-quarter in the University A team in the 1932-33-34 seasons, and, making his first appearance for Otago when he was only a day or two over 19, he wore the province’s dark blue livery in each of those years, though he was unable to go on tour with the representative side. He played for New Zealand University against Sydney University in 1933 in the three tests at Christchurch, Auckland, and Dunedin respectively, and gave up football at the end of the 1934 season.

As a batsman and fieldsman Ken Uttley takes rank with New Zealand’s best, and he makes no secret of the fact that he regards fielding as the best part of the game. His enthusiasm for this branch of the game was developed by Ted Badcock, from whom he had the benefit of coaching while he was at Wairarapa High School, though he has had as much coaching from his father as from anyone else.

He has been a member of the University first eleven for the last five seasons, and is club captain at the present time. He has been most successful in the club games, and since coming to Dunedin has five centuries to his credit, one of his most attractive displays being given when he hit up 171 against Carisbrook. Ken’s first century in representative cricket was his 145 against Canterbury last season, but he has made many good scores for Otago during the four seasons he has represented the province in Plunket Shield games. In his first season for Otago his best tally was 62, and he headed the batting averages, a performance he repeated last season when he finished third in the New Zealand averages with 72. He has represented the South Island twice—against North Island in 193536 season and Allen’s M.O.C. team last season. In the former game he made 37 in the second innings and against the Englishmen 21. Ken expresses his keenness for fielding when he says ho likes to field “ anywhere around the fence,” and It is a sheer delight to watch this tine young player cutting off the boundaries times without number in a catch. He is a great favourite with the spectators, who appreciate a trier in the field, and his brilliant work has earned him acclaim throughout the Dominion.