THE FIELD OF SPORT

Evening Star, Issue 23725, 5 November 1940, Page 5

THE FIELD OF SPORT

TOPICAL NEWS AND NOTES

[By Hooker.]

Sydney Fight Mentor. When he was in Australia as athletic coach of the New Zealand team at the Empire Games, Mr B. R. M’Kernan met Mr Jack Dunleavy, well-known Sydney tutor, trainer, and manager of boxers, and on a subsequent visit he was able to renew acquaintance with the well-known fight mentor. More recently Mr Dunleavy suffered a serious illness, and in a letter to Mr M’Kernan he states that he just heat the count. He had double pneumonia and part of the time was kept alive with oxygen. However, ho is up and about again, but is not yet working. At the time of writing (October 16) the New South Wales amateur championships were being held, and a few boys from Dunleavy’s gym. were taking part. Last year Jack’s pupils won the fly, bantam, light, welter, middle, and heavy-weight championships, but most of them have gone to the war. Jack had only one, Arthur Kell, defending his title. He gives news of Ted Turner, well-known sport commentator, who was popular with members of the New Zealand team at the Empire Games, and who arranged for broadcasts by the team. Ted is a wrestling referee as well as a radio man nowadays.

Honour To Administrators. A decision to recommend the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association to institute the award of life memberships of the association was made at the annual conference of its affiliated centres. The awards, it was agreed, should be made by at least a four-fifths voting majority. Furthermore, it was unanimously decided to recommend that Mr Baxter O’Neill, of Christchurch, the’association’s honorary secretary for the last 22 years, and Mr P. N. Bundle, of Wellington, a former secretary, should be the first to receive the honour. Mr Rundle, who is well known throughout Now Zealand as an official of many amateur sports, was manager of the New Zealand team at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932. The remit that life membership be instituted came from Otago, and the local centre also recommended Mr O’Neill as the first life member, the nomination of Mr Rundle being made by the Wellington Centre, of which Mr Rundle has been president. Some years ago Mr Rundle was president of the Otago Swimming Centre, and for five years he was also secretary of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, holding office during the last war.

Another All Black For Service. M. N. Corner, Auckland and New Zealand representative Rugby half-back, will enter camp next week, either Ngaruawahia or Papakura. Corner retired from Rugby a few seasons ago, but returned to the field to assist Takapuna in the junior grade, and has continued to play for the suburban fifteen since. Ho was vice-captain of the side which won this year’s Auckland senior championship, W. E. Hadley, another former All Black, being captain.

Dempsey Hangs Gloves Up. After Jack Dempsey had belted the daylights out of a couple of wrestlers he was inundated with challenges from retired fighters, including Mickey Walker, Jack Johnson, and Tom Sharkey, but he vas slated so much by critics that he has decided to hang up his gloves for all time, in spite of suggestions that he should meet Sharkey, Willard, Braddock, or even Tunney in a four-round bout on a fight bill in aid of the Red Cross.

Rugby in New South Wales. New South Wales Rugby Union should be delighted with a profit of £IBO on a very confused season. It shows that the decision to carry on was justified. No concession was made to the sport at the expense of the war effort. On the contrary, £SOO was gathered for different funds and £I,OOO lent to the Government free of interest.

A Brand Drop. Gerry Brand, South African Rugby fullback, who was in New Zealand with the 1937 Springboks, was responsible for the only points scored by the Sea Point (Cape Town) B.H.S. Old Boys when they played the present team recently. A badly-judged kick landed in his arms about 45yds out, and the dropped kick went true between the uprights. Gerry was playing full-back, and he did so well that after the game he was asked why he had retired. He did a lot towards keeping the present team from winning by more than 9-4.

Another Trumper. Victor Trumpet, of Manly, New South Wales, sou of the immortal Victor, is gradually working his way into the ranks of “ possibles ” for State cricket selection as a fast bowler. He has plenty of pace and may easily catch the eye of the selector this year. It would give many people a thrill to see the name “ Trumper ” on the scoring board again as a member of a State side, comments au Australian writer.

Kingston Returns. ,C. N. ■ Kingston, 1921 All Black full-back and former Taranaki representative cricketer, has returned to senior grade cricket at New Plymouth. Last Saturday, on his initial appearance, he rattled up a chanceless 77 against an Air Eorce eleven. He scored at the rate of about a run a minute, and not once, when making his first 50, did he lift the ball off the ground. It was like the Kingston of the old days. No matter how the field was placed he always found an opening. The bowling may not have been of the T. L. Pritchard standard, but it wasn’t bad. Kingston just took command with excellent footwork and splendid timing. In- one over he hit up 26. His total included one 6 and 10 4’s.

Council of Sport Formed. Sport in Otago as a whole should benefit by the formation of the Otago Provincial Council of Sport, which came into being last week and whose deliberations in an advisory nature should be of advantage to all concerned. No fewer than 24 controlling associations were represented at the meeting, at which the council was set up and an executive appointed under the chairmanship of Hr W. A. Jenkins. One of the questions which exercised the minds of delegates at the preliminary meeting a few weeks ago was the need for more adequate playing areas in the city, especially so far as some of the secondary schools are concerned, and this is a matter in which the new Council of Sport should be able to do good work in the future. Another matter which the council will be able to get ahead with very early is the compilation of a register of sports bodies and clubs throughout Otago, and, although the provision of a headquarters for sport in Dunedin may be in the distant future, there is no reason why the Council of Sport should not in the course of time at least be able to concern itself with the acquiring of temporary quarters for such a purpose. There is much scope for a body which will really be the united voice of all sports organisations, and much gooa should result from its formation.