Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 10th., 1936. SPORT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1936, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 10th., 1936. SPORT.

IMPORT is ever a feature of the week-end news, and the tendency is for this publicity to increase. .New pastimes are developing in importance, and the older ones for the most part keep their place in public favour. The Olympic Gaines give special interest to present happenings, and it is pleasing to note that today’s standards are mainly better than their predecessors. This suggests that, physically, there is no need for the modern young men and women to shrink from comparison with those of earlier days. Another welcome intimation is that the present Olympiad is leaching the German people that foreigners are not so bad as official propaganda declares, and that international amity is prominent at Berlin. It is to be hoped , that this new understanding will have permanent effect, on questions much more important than .sport.

Lovelock’s great victory in the 1500 metres race made athletic

history, and the tributes paid to him are fully deserved. All New Zealand was gratified at his outstanding performance, and there is a general disposition to do him honour. Like with Homer, there is dispute as to his birthplace, West. Coasters (Wlaring that the Tteeflon district has that honour, whilst his earliest years were spent at Greymouth. Temuka now claims Lovelock as “native” and Timaru recalls that Lovelock went to its Boys’ High School. The point is of little real consequence. He is a New Zealander, and that is all that matters. As to where his trophy oak-tree should be planted, Lovelock probably has his own idea on that subject. Temuka’s proposal to open “a shilling fund for Lovelock” should not be hastily launched. Lovelock’s own wishes and his amateur status must be given adequate consideration before hero-worship takes misguided shape. The best fund to commemorate Lovelock’s prowess would be one with the object of finding and developing young New Zealanders with athletic promise.

Some sports are booming, but others are not so flourishing as formerly. On the West Coast, it is disappointing to find interest in amateur boxing so small that there are not enough nominations this year, to allow the holding of the annual Coast championships. When is recalled the number of talented boxers, the Coast has provided in the past, it is scarcely believable that so sorry a development has to be recorded. The Greymouth Boxing Association should devote more of its attention as to the why and wherefore of the slump. Young Coasters are as athletic as their fathers, and given adequate encouragement and tuition, they would be able to place the West Coast again on the boxing map. Boxing, throughout New Zealand, has been overshadowed by wrestling, in recent years. It cannot be claimed that the Dominion is the better for this public enthusiasm .for imported “wrestlers,” against the native boxers. Some of the methods and tactics, associated with professional wrestling, to-day, would, in most other sports, cause the principals to be “warned off,” or disqualified for life. Another sport that has had lean times of late on the West Coast, is athletics. Whatever the cause, the effect is to be regretted, and a revival of enthusiasm would be welcomed.