TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICAL TATTLE

H.P.S.

Famous Springbok Family. _ On© of the most interesting seleo* tions in the recent Western Province fifteen which met South-Westerns was that of Johannes Morkel, flank forward. Johannes, who is but 19, is a son ,of the famous Gerhard Morkel, well known to New Zealanders as a full-back in the 1921 Sprinkbok side. Phil' Moestert tips young Morkel for South, African honours one day. The latest Morkel to win Western Province honours is also a fine cricketerho mad© top score (34) for the Combined Country eleven against the M.C.C. team last year. He hit both Verity and Goddard for 6’s. He is a firstclass wicket-keeper, too. Ordered Off for Applauding. Everybody, knows you can’t question the referee’s decisions, but now it appears that League players cannot even applaud them (says a Melbourne paper). Allegedly for clapping the referee. R. Cassidy, Canowindra forward, was ordered from the field during the match between Canowindra and Bathurst. Subsquently he received a severe reprimand. The incident followed a try scored by T. Clyburn, Canowindra’* flying winger. A Golf, Record? What is regarded as a golf record for Australia, if not for the world, was created at Sandon Point golf course, Bulli, when in one day four players holed in one at the same hole. It is 85yds long. The players were A. Edmondson (Woonona), E. Everingham (Wollongong), Miss Crowther (Austinmer), and a Sydney visitor, Mr Stephenson. _ As drinks are on the club when this feat is achieved at Sandon Point, the club had an expensive day. Judge Played Hockey. The June copy of the ‘ New Zealand Law Journal ’ states; “One may reflect without emotion on a High Court Judge playing I^, sound game of golf; but, there is a certain,. in th* •thought of so exalted bird advanceda personage playing Rugby, Soccer, or hookey. The late Sir William Tudball,. Judge of the High Court of Allahabad, who died the other day, it is recorded, played hockey after his appointment to the High Court Bench. ‘ The Chief Justice of the day,’ according to the * Times,’ ‘ rather frowned upon his continuing to play hockey, a sport in which he gained some repute.’ ” Dearer Golf. Crows axe making golf dearer in South Wales, where hundreds of golf balls have been stolen from courses during the past few weeks. Golfers are offering rewards to caddies who bring them dead crows or eggs. More than 20 balls a week are stolen by the birds. The crows are getting so bold that they often soar lazily above the players until balls have been hit toward the greens. Then they dart down and snatch them up, carrying them off to their nests. One player lost five balls, stolen by crows, during the course of a single round. Big Wood-chopping Match, According to the Southland ‘ Daily News,’ there is every likelihood of a match being staged betwen John Pont, Southland’s eveteran axeman, and Cyril Hayes, the Southland and Otago champion axeman, at the Caledonian Society’s carnival at Invercargill Civio Theatre on September 1. In the final of the 15in underhand championship on May 29 Pont was in wonderful form, and had it not been for being pinched for wood he might have won the title—it was the first time in 20 years that Pont did not finish correctly—the error being caused by missing his mark on one side of his scarf by IJin, the chalk mark not being very visible in the light. Negotiations are now in train, and though Hayes met with a. severe car accident after the May carnival, it is expected he will accept the challenge for. a special match as soon as he is fit. Hayes is well known in Dunedin as an ex-Otago heavy-weight champion boxer. Fight in London. Joe Louis is planning a trip to England. Mikq Jacobs, his trainer, will not turn down anything in the nature of a substantial offer for Louis to fight there, and on© London promoter is already working along these lines. The idea is that the world champion shall have one contest in England about the middle of August and then return to America to meet Lou Nova,