TOPICAL TUTTLE

Evening Star, Issue 23552, 16 April 1940, Page 11

TOPICAL TUTTLE

IBy H.P.S.]

NOTES FROM THE PLAYING ■ FIELDS I

Tenhis Champion as Footballer. Denis Coombe, former New ■, Zealand singles champion at tennis, seems to be discovering unsuspected talents as a footballer. He is not only a fine forward in the Rugby team of the New Zealand anti-tank unit in England, but also the team’s goal kicker, ; /. Auckland Wrestling President/ ■ George Henning, who was re-elected president of the Auckland Wrestling Association recently, thus enters upon his niilth consecutive year in that office. He was elected president when the association was formed in 1931-32, is the only man t<) have held the presidency, and is the association s only life member. i , Army Teams in International. Twenty-five thousand spectators attended a Rugby match between the British and French Army teams recently in Paris. It was the first Rugby match between the' two countries in nine years, because : of differences about past incidents. The enthusiasm shown by French spectators for the spectacular play of some of the British players was as great as that of the : ByCOO' British “Tommies” who came to clifer their side. The British team won by a score of 36 to 3, but there were no hard feelings., A Family Tradition. Of particular interest to tennis players • was the recent wedding of Miss Betty Griffiths, youngest daughter of E. W. Griffiths, of Auckland,' to Eric Dickie, second son of Mrs 0.: J/Dickie, of Hawera. Not only are the, bride and bridegroom wellknown players, but the bride’s father, ;E. W. Griffiths, has at various times won all three Auckland titles, and the bride ; . groom’s father was a member of the famous pair of Wallace and Dickie, several times New Zealand doubles champions. , Boy’s Phenomenal Golf. * Arthur Thompson, aged 14, recently became the first golfer to break par;, in competition at the Avoca Club's course in Sydney since it was altered 18 months ago. Thompson did 60. Par is 62. Thompson had an eagle 2 at the 287yds, sixteenth hole. ’ His tee shot fell pin high, 30yds from the green. He holed his chip. He sooted a birdie 2 at the ninth, but was two , over par when he turned for home. His 27 for the last nine holes was four under par. This beat Alan Waterson, former Australian amateur champion’s record of 28, made two months ago. Thompson scored birdies at the eleventh, fourteenth, and eighteenth holes. A powerfully-built lad, he stands sft 7in. Profits to Patriotic Funds. The .Otago Wrestling'Association has . already deemed to give its net profits of matches in the coming season to. the Patriotic' Fund,. and ,an Auckland writer comments on similar action by the Auckland Wrestling Association. He says that; this fine gesture is almost sure to be adopted by the other associations throughout New Zealand. As the Auckland Association is donating its net profits .to the Patriotic Fund, “ Lofty " has obtained permission to -wrestle in Auckland alone. The army life agrees with the massive New Zealand champion, who says be is in the pink of condition- and is looking forward to octopusclamping the importations, especially M’Cready. ’.’.'L Victoria’s Best Bowler. i Tall Lisle Nagel, who once caused a sensation by bowling out an English team in Melbourne,- has taken 82- wickets for the Melbourne Club in competition games this season (says an exchange). It is believed to be, a Victorian record. Nagel, who is vajjfllii - 6ffc„ eip-rwhat difference does ajv.JPcK .'or‘two make Up there —-is reckoned the best bowler in Victoria. He docs not play shield cricket these days, because he has; a good executive job, .and is not prepared to sacrifice his future to cricket. There is no doubt about hia'bowlipg,.skill, and ho would be a champion in England, . , ■ ■ i Has Turned To Bowls. ■ The good-fellowship associated with Rugby is one of the aspects of thfe game which those who have not played the game perhaps find it hard to understand. It is'possibly because, something”of--the same kind is associated with bowls that so many old Rugby players eventually find their way to the green. The latest, devotee is the former All Black,’ Eon. Stewart’, who was a competitor in a. tournament ; at -Invercargill recently. Stewart, now resident in Southland, was one of the greatest ‘forwards of his time)- and the; record* of the South Canterbury player in international Rugby was a very fine one indeed. He appeared for New Zealand against New South Wales in 1923, toured Great Britain as a member of the Invincible All Blacks of 1924, played for New -Zealand against New South Wales ‘in the Dominion in 1925,. and against the British team in "1930, . was a member, of the touring All Black side in Australia in .1926, and of the New Zealand team which visited South Africa in 1928. Big Fight Recalled. A correspondent writes asking for the date of the professional boxing contest between Tommy Donovan and Pete Sarron at Dunedin. The bout, which was fought at the Speedway (now Tonga Park), was held <6n the afternoon of May 3, 1930. The decision; went to Donovan on points. - / Control of the Ball. Control of the ball is the secret of’sue-, cess in all ball games, and this is made the keynote of the film produced by the 1935 All Black Cyril Pepper- for the Auckland Rugby Union. A copy of the film, which is-in two parts, was shown to members of the Otago Rugby Union on Monday night, and proved most interesting. It should be of real value to local footballers, who will no doubt be afforded an opportunity of viewing it at an early date.