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Evening Star, Issue 24136, 5 March 1942, Page 10

[ TOPICAL NEWS AND NOTES [By Hookeii.] j Veteran Cricketer's Record. Mr J. H. Don Miller, secretary of the Y..M.G.A., has a fine record as an allrounder in sport, and played senior cricket in the north for many years. When he came to Dunedin some years ago Don announced that he did not intend to take his cricket too seriously, and dropped down to second grade A. However, during the last 10 years he has been a large factor in tha good performances made by Y.M.C.A. elevens, and since the Albion-Y.M.C.A. clubs combined has helped along the amalgamated club considerably. His record as a batsman and bowler in second grade A and intermediate grade games during the last decade must just about constitute a record, and it is well worth detailing. Hero it ist —Batting—l 932-33, 517 runs (average 27.35); 1933-34, 522 (43.50); 1934-35, 320 (20.00); 1935-36, 153 (17.00); 1936-37, 267 (22.30); 1937-38, 424 (30.4) ; 1938-39, 161 (12.4) ; 1939-40, 356 (29.6); 1940-41, 396 (32.00): 1941-42 (to date), 170. Bowling—l 932-33, 85 wickets : (average 9.59); 1933-34, 61 wickels 8.39); 1934-35, 66 wickets (8.6); 1935-36, 57 wickets (7.30); 1936-37, 59 wickets (8.90); 1937-38, 44 wickets (11.5); 1938-39, 42 wickets (14.2); .1.939-40, 79 wickets (10.2) ; 1940-41, 53 wiekete (9.90); 1941-42 (to dale), 46 wickels (9.50). Promising Field Athletes. North Otago has produced some of tho country's greatest field athletes, and the Club's prestige was enhanced by the performances of a trio of juniors at the championship meeting on the Caledonian Ground on Saturday. They wero I. Gardiner, G. Clarke, and K. O'Connor. Gardiner, a lad of splendid physique, has outstanding natural ability, and his performances wero impressive— 42ft, Bin in the shot putt and 122 ft in the discus. He also collected a second in the javelin and third in the broad jump. O'Connor was only l-*in worse in the discus, and did 37ft BJ-in with the shot. This youngster is a fine all-rounder, being a good miler, and has raptained St. Kevin's College at, cricket and Rugby. Clarke, a Waitaki boy, recorded 42ft 31in in the hop, step, and jump and 19ft, in the broad jump, and with the pace he has should develop into a first-rate performer. No Loss of Form. Since the Otago championships in December Miss Islay Piirdie has not done much training for competitive swimming, but the national champion has demonstrated that the work she has done in the 'urf has not affected her form. In tho Kiwi Club championships last week she had a leisurely swim over tho furlong, but registered 3uiin 2 2-ssec, without having to extend herself at any stage. She will contest, both free styje and back stroke events at the interprovincial carnival between Otago and Southland on March 21. Incentive for Lady Sprinters. The Otago Ladies' Amateur Athletic Cluh lias among its vice-presidents one man who is not only an enthusiast, but an optimist as well. He is impressed with the quality of lady runners in Otago, and has offered a trophy worth £5 to the first local competitor to break Usee for 100yds. The New Zealand record is Usee, held jointly by two Empire Games runners, the late Doreen Lumley (Auckland) and Decima Norman (Australia), since 1939. The mark will not bo easily broken, but the rising stars locally will now have added incentive to succeed. Tutoring Soldier Boxers. Archie Leckio simply cannot resist the lure of the boxing game, and this grand old veteran is doing excellent work as instructor of a boxing class drawn from men at one of the Otago military camps. He has the help of Roy Stevens, Otago amateur middle-weight champion, and some 40' soldiers are learning the noble art from Mr Leckic, one of the Dominion's finest fight mentors. It is 37 years since Archie won the New Zealand "amateur middle-weight title as a prelude to winning the professional title, but tho old fire-horse is as full of enthusiasm as ever, and carries the burden of the passing years very lightly. Nelson " Sunspot." For the first time in the history of swimming at Nelson 60sec has been broken for tho 100yds free style by a local exponent. This feat was accomplished recently by L. Barry in the intermediate championship. He recorded 59 4-ssec. Barry will be recalled by Dunedin enthusiasts. A small red-headed youngster, he was known as tho Nelson " sunspot " .when he competed here at, the New Zealand Centennial junior championships in 1940, the designation coming from the wide smile always worn by the little fellow, who won three titles—--100 and 220 yards junior free style and 75yds back stroke. Barry began his swimming in Southland, where he was a member of the Murihiku Club. He is a son

of Mr K. '(" Dick") Barry, a former | Southland roprosontnlivc Rugby forward and an old playing member of the Southern football Club, Dunedin. Encouraging the Young Idea. Mr Reuben Diniick, the power behind athletic activities in North Otago, so to speak, is a man of ideas and vision, and in spite of severe]} - depleted ranks because of the war has evolved a long-range plan which should assure the club in Oamaru of a bright future. There are no seniors left, and junior ranks have also been affected by Territorial call-ups. Mr Dimick is building up a strong future reserve, however, with groups of young athletos in the under--14 and under-12 classes. He has alwajs maintained that there is a place in athletics for every normal child, and he has 140 members from these groups in the North Otago Olub. Special training is being given them in field evenls. Javelins were shaved down so that small girls could throw them. The youngsters are trained to throw a tennis ball first, and one girl who spent two years training with the tennis ball and who is still under 14 has made such development with the javelin that she recently threw it 83ft 6in, a remarkable effort for a girl of that age. Army Hurdler's Success. I'imr nlhlntic titles in two weeks is the achievement of A. G. Robertson. Armv hurdler. flf collected the 220yds and 410yds hurdles ni the war-rime championship meeting, and Ihe following week the 120yd< and '22oyds junior hurdles in 18 3.-5 | -cc and 28 4-s?ce respectively. There wis an edge to his. form that was missing the previous week, Robertson is a strong runner and a good hurdler, capable of smart performances. Fast Breast Stroke Exponents. It was a worth-while effort on the part, of Lorraine Kearn-- to defeat; . Marjorie Hughes in 92 J-ssec. in the 100yds breast, stroke junior girls' championship of the Kiwi Swimming Club last week. There has never been much to clioone between the two girls, but Jli.ss Hughes had the edga ut the Otago championships and showed line form in" winning the 75yds and 100yds breast stroke titles. On this occasion Miss Kearns gained a slight initial advantage which she maintained (o Ihe finish. The lime was excellent for a junior girl, and it has encouraged Miss Kearns to endeavour to establish New Zealand records for 75yds anil 100yds breit-f stroke in her division. Lady Sprinter's Treble. I'earla Malone showed all the qualities of a champion in winning the 75yds, 100yds,, and 220yds titles at the Otago women's athletic championship meeting on Saturday. Hcv form throughout the season has been progressive, and reaching top form on the day and in the face of strong opposition, she scored convincingly. Miss Malone first represented Otago in New Zealand championship competition iu 1938 at Christchurch, and was regarded as unlucky in the 220yds at Wauganui last year. Her trainer, Mr W. J. !>uff, deserves a word of praise also. A. keen worker for women's athletics, Miss Malone is secretary of the Dunedin Ladies' Club and of the. local Women's Advisory Committee. Brilliant Batting Display. The former Xcw Zealand representative ciicketcr, R. O. Talbot, whr. is still one of the most attractive batsmen in Otago to walch when he. is going, was in lively mood on Saturday when playing for Carisbrook against Dunedin. The iatier have relied greatly upon G. J Robertson, the representative all-rounder, and they sadly missed him. None of the others offered Talbot any trouble, and the Carisbrook batsman's 113 (retired) in a lotail of 150 was put together in 80 minutes. Although he gave a lxird chance early in the innings, this did not detract from as fine a display of aggressive batting as has been seen here for some time' Talbot's tally included four 6's and eleven 4's. Rowing Result Reversed. Port Chalmers, heading North End in the senior four-oared race at the Raver.sliournc regatta on Saturday, reversed the result of the fours at the North End regatta in December when North End gained first place. The crews were almost identical, but in the North End four F. W. Kggers resumed his seat in place of J. Ohisholm. On the previous occasion Port shaped rather disappointingly because of lack of training together, but it was a different story this time. The placings were fairly well divided, Port securing two firsts, North End two firsts and four seconds, and Queen's Drive two firsts and two seconds. Hurricane Hitting. Saturday's matches provided some hard hitting, and l.es Groves, the High School Old Boys' all-rounder, was at, his best in running up a st . orc of 100 not out. in 50 minutes against Albion-Y.M.C.A. Groves is always > exhilarating when he starts to use the long handle, and in one over on Saturday he hit A. Sinclair for three 6's. His total included four 6's and seven 4's. Before this he had taken three wickets for 28 runs. The Old Boys' player has been pretty successful of late, and certainly seems to bo enjoying his one-day cricket. Brothers Outstanding. The brothers Nelson- were the outstanding runners at the junior championship meeting last week. Harold did not break any of his records, but won the half, mile, and three miles, turning in good times, and showing no signs of being all out. Indeed, in every race he. finished full of running in spite, of the troublesome wind. The national junior champion runs his races to a carefully prepared schedule and under the conditions prevailing wisely did not make any record-breaking efforts. Still, 4.45 for the mile, 15.57 1-5 for the three miles, and 2.8 l-ssec for the half were good under the circumstances. Garnet, who is only 17 and nearly two years younger than the champion, ran exceedingly weil for second place in each if these events. A I all, nicely-limbed youngster, he has bright prospects on the. running track. Dyson Wins Again. The New Zealand 100 yards men's breast stroke and ex-Ofago champion. Sergeant VV. H. Dvson, completed the double at Wellington last Saturday when ho won the Wellington 220 yards men's breast stroke i championship in 3min 15 2-ssec. Dyson won the 100 yards title a few weeks ago. Tho 220yds time was well below his best, but he has been able to do little regular training for competitive swimming. New Dominion Record. Nancy Hanlin, who broke her own New Zen land record at the Otago women's championship meeting on Saturday with 33ft 2|_in for the shot putt, is one of the | Dominion's most versatile women athletes, 3 being useful at nearly every event on the ' list. Besides the shot putt, she won the 80 metres hurdles in 14 l-ssec, gained second place in the javelin throw, and third in the broad jump. Her record; performance was very popular, for she is now a land girl in Central Otago, and has had more limited opportunities for training than when she was here. A Busy Week-end. Aquatic circles in South Otago. will experience a busy week-end. The Balclufha Amateur Swimming and Surf Life Saving Club is holding a carnival at its headquarters on Saturday, and tho following day it will open its new pavilion at Kaka Point. Interesting features will be the appearance of th'-ec ladies' surf/life-saving teams from St. Clair, St. Kilda, and Balclufha. Among the well-known swimmers who will bo taking part, in life-saving competition are Misses Islay Purdie, Winnie Dunn, Marv Stewart, Elma Abcrnethy, Alice Gillies, and Chrissic Knowl'cs, all of whom have represented Otago in New Zealand championship competition. Boxing Activity. Vic Pyster, one of Dunedin's most enthusiastic boxing trainei-%, is now carrying on a gymnasium above Messrs Moncrfeff and Stewart's in Princes street on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 9.30, p.m. He has boys' classes from 5 to 7.30. these being followed by classes for the bigger lads. '

I The following will represent. Alliambra. Football Club in a bowls match against Opoho at Opoho on Saturday afternoon:— ■J, Hamann, G. King, W. Renmclc, G. Nelson; W. Griffin, C. Trewern, J. l>ey, J. Knowles: G. Spence, G. Mckenzie, W. Robertson, .1. Sutherland; J. Spence., E. Booth, W. Douchrass, I. Grant; J. Leggett, 0 Fortune, W. Colvin, .1. Coulter: M. Hig»ins H Russell, B. Gray. J. Crawford; AV. Trewern. A. Morgan, AY. Oss, B. Edwards ; .T. RcMzlewood, R. McKenzie, J. Foster, J. McUralh.