TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 22890, 23 February 1938, Page 4

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT Former Otago Groundsman. Mr H. C. Watson, Eden Park groundsman, and former Otago cricket representative, assisted at the nets last week during representative practice (says the Auckland ‘ Herald ’). He can still keep a good length, and turn the ball both ways. In his best days in Otago and Canterbury Mr Watson •was a fine opening batsman.

Engaged To Champion. Miss Nancy Lyle, who was a member of the English lawn tennis team which visited New Zealand two years ago, has become engaged to Captain Glover, champion player of the Royal Navy. The other members of the touring team on that occasion were F. J. Perry, G. P. Hughes, and Misses Dorothy Round and Evelyn Dearman. Eight-ball Over Saves Time.

Sir Pelham Warner revealed recently that if eight balls were bowled in an over instead of six a saving of one hour 40 minutes a match could be effected. These figures are the result Of a stop-watch test made during the England v.'New Zealand matches. Started At Six.

South Africa’s foremost woman athlete, Miss Barbara Burke, now 20 years old, first started athletics when she was six. Running against girls her own age she was never beaten, even as a child. So good was she that at the age of 13 she was back on the scratch mark with the mature women sprinters of her province, Transvaal.

Boxing Trainer. Mr I. Kutner, who trained the New Zealand Empire Games boxers in Sydney, manages Dick Humphreys, who ranks second to Jack Carroll among Australian welter-weights. In former years Mr .Kutner trained Jack Heeney, father of Darcy Heeney, the member of the present New Zealand team, both as an amateur and a professional.

Oxford Rugby Captain. H. D. Freakes (Rhodes University College, South Africa, and Magdalen) has been elected captain of the Oxford University Rugby Club for next season.

Injured Leg Muscle. F. W. Byerley, former Auckland representative cricketer and footballer, pulled a leg muscle while fielding in a recent series of senior matches under the control of the Auckland Cricket Association. He will bo unable to play, again this season. Byerley will be remembered for an aggressive 77 against South Africa in 1932. Chicago Rugby Club.

A representative of the Chicago Rugby Club is due to arrive in Glasgow within the next few days in connection with .a proposed tour of Scotland this year.

Maorilanders In League Rugby. , The Taranaki Maori footballer, R. ~ Hohaia, arrived in London recently from New Zealand. He will play Rugby League for Bradford Northern And intends to stay with another New Zealander in the club, G. Harrison. They will be joined shortly by the former Rugby All Black full-back, G. Gilbert, who is on his way to Engand and will also play for Bradford Northern.

Boxing Judge. Mr G. Watchorn, a prominent business man in Palmerston North, was selected as one of the judges for the final boxing events at the Empire Games in Sydney. He formerly won the amateur welter-weight championship of New Zealand and was runner-up in the Australian championship.

New Zealand Police Team. The New Zealand police team selected- to take part in the New South Wales sports carnival at Sydney on March 5 sailed from Auckland by the Awatea to-day. The events are open to Police Force competitors in Australia and New Zealand._ In addition to athletic events, of which there is a full programme, there will be squad drill competitions, tug-o’-war, wrestling, and boxing championships. Fast "Sydney Track.

: “ The fastest tracks Eve ever run on,” said Europe’s sprint champion, C. Holmes, of 'England, concerning the sprint and circular tracks at the Sydney Cricket' Ground. C. H. Matthews, who smashed all Australian records in the Games three miles event, and might have bettered Paavo Nurmi’s figures •had he known how close be was to them, echoed the remark. ■“ I don’t see how you could get anything faster,” said Matthews. “Do you know, my spikes were as clean as a hound’s tooth when I finished. There’s a ton of pace in that grass.”

Thras Brothers’ Deaths. With the funeral of Mr R. 0. Muras, Bt Newcastle, England, recently, ended the story of three brothers, united in a common love of bowling, who died one after the other. Mr Muras, a noted bowler and immediate past president of the English Bowling Association; died suddenly at his home in the city on December 20. His brother, William, died the same night on hearing of the news. Robert, the third brother, collapsed at William’s funeral and did not recover. Grimmett Not Interested. Immediately Clarrie Grimmet missed selection in the Australian: team for England, Lancashire County League Club got in touch with the veteran googly star and made him an offer. “ Scarlet ” replied that he was definitely not interested. Champion’s Death. The death is announced of Edwin Herbert Montague, who represented Britain at the 1903 Olympic Games. In 1907 he won the quarter-mile amateur championship in 52 3-ssec, and in the following year won the L.A.C. 600yds championship in Imin llsec, which equalled the world’s record. He also played Soccer for Surrey. Montague, who was 52 years of age last April, served in the war with the London Rifle Brigade. Speedy Treatment. Walsh, the Mill wall centre forward, strained a muscle in his thigh during the match at Brighton recently. Mr George Max, the London osteopath, who was director-in-charge of the team, ran from the directors’ box, laid Walsh on a table, and put the muscle right inside a minute. Walsh returned to the field and played brilliantly. In the ordinary way his injury would have kept him on the sick list for six weeks or two mouths,,