WAIROA LADIES’ CLUB.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10734, 3 November 1928, Page 9

WAIROA LADIES’ CLUB.

AN 'ENTERPRISING MOVE

The formation of a ladies’ amateur athletic club in Wairoa should be hailed with delight by the local “heads” as it will provide additional outside competition for tlieir girls, besides promoting a friendly spirit of rivalry between the two towns. That the Wairoa officials are very enthusiastic lias already been shown by tlie fact that they are seeking a match between Miss P. Stewart, their star runner, and Miss Norma Wilson, the Poverty Bay and New Zealand champion. They are also desirous of testing tlieir relay team, presumably in *vji endeavor to lift tlie Eteveneaux Gup. Match racing in amateur sport is practically unknown and should not he countenanced at any price. An open scratch race is the correct procedure. On the face of things it _ap~ pears to me that the Wairoa officials are over-ambitrous. Before ■you b*uild a house 3'ou 1 must have a solid foundation. This applies to any new athletic cLub and its members. Doubtless there is excellent material iir Wairoa. but my advice is not to-fly' too high at. the. commencement. I doubt if there is an efficient athletic coach in Wairoa. By that. I mean one-who is thoroughly conversant in the latest track methods of training. Even in the big cities they are few and far between. For all tliat, it is encouraging to know that Wairoa has formed its first amateur athletic club. The G.A.A. and H.C.have an excellent .opportunity of assisting a new organisation by sending a team to Wairoa and not asking them to come here. It would assist the l sport there, and perhaps. start amateur athletics off on the right foot. Here’s wishing the new club every success.

TRAINING OPERATIONS.

WRONG METHODS BEING USED

Training operations are- proceeding apace at the Reserve, but the. methods used by a number of novice and even old runners- show that a coach is urgently required. lam of the opinion that a series of lectures would do niueh good, especially at the commencement of the season. Talks on athletics are meeting with great success throughout the country, and if given by a sound practical man should be very beneficial. . Such'(lectures can be made very interesting, especially if the speaker is an oldathlete with many years of experience behind him.- After a series of such lectures any coach who was appointed would then have a foundation to work up. These lectures, if made open to the public, would materially assist to create an added interest in amateur athletli.es and may he the means of increasing the club membership.

PADDOCK TO RETIRE. Charley Paddock, stormy petrel of the American athletic world, and for many years the world’s fastest runner, ‘has definitely hung up his spiked shoes for all time. Paddock has announced that this time he • intends to retire for sure from sprinting and will return to- France in the near futurel where he will take up moving picture acting. Fie said he had been cas-st in a picture which had nothing to do with athletics! and has been selected on account of his histrionic ability and -not Because at one time he-was the “fastest human” in the world-; • The renowned! -American speedster-will shortly start his annual lecture ■ tour of Uv-S.A..- and this trip will takec'up about three months, and incidentally. I should say greatly swell his,,bank account. This tour has always" caused much trouble with the athletic, authorities, who considered that'Paddock was infrifigtag his amateur 'status. “Charley”, will, op greatly missed’from the cinder path, aa lie; was -undoubtedly the most sensational performer of all times. The amount of "publicity he received prior and ' subsequent to- his races was’astonishing but.i(t is said that the Californian .flash acted-as his'own press agent. -. ' , iT , •>, >

NURMI STILL COING.

; MAKES MORE . RECORDS.

‘ Cabled 'from' Berlin' (7/10/28,1' that “Paavp Nurmi;to-day<coyered 19 kilometres. 210 meters'' in, one; hour; in-, cliiding 10 miles in 50min lssec.. Both tlie-se ..are'world’s records.” ’ . .Hie distance covered by Numni-in oiie-bour, worl-cs out at- II miles 1635 yards sin. The previous record was 11. niile's 1,442 yards, 'by the late Jean Bonin (France). The 10 miles record was 50min'40 3-ssec, by. A. A.. Shrubb, Engki-nd... -Incidentally it was yepent--Lv announced that ,Ninmi, wbo competed at the 1920. 1924 and. . 1928 n'yinpiaxfs' was* about to( retire. But the famous Finn i-s still as great as eH-er. " : - ‘ ... .

who contrary to custom, had not re; peated the count over the prostrate boxer, stepped forward and declared “no contest.?’ ' -

Mr. R. Lean, manager of the Stadium, stated 1 that on Mr. Quirk’s official 'report he intended to devote the boxers’ share of the gate money to • the Lord Mayor’ S/ .Metropolitan Hospital' Fund. ' _ ‘>’ Again, in one of the preliminary bouts,’ Mr Quirk was dissatisfied with the performance, and declared “no contest.” Afterwards, discussing both cases, Mr. Quirk said that he keenly regretted that he had felt called upon to take such a serious step, but he was determined to keep the game clean.

TUNNEY’S INTENTIONS

“SITTING ON THE FENCE.”

HEENEY’S CLAIM TO THE TITLE.

LONDON, Sept. 11. We are not quite certain what Gene Tunney intends doing. In Ireland, he stated he intended retiring, but so far he lias not-definitely said tliat- he is finishing wfth the game. He would certainly make things easier if he would say “yes” or “no,” for until h© does it will not b© possible to arrange any sort of eliminating contest for tlie title. . . Tunnev need not defend his crown for at least another nine months and ■so those people who are showing anxiety as to who should hold his crown hardly know which way to> move. From what I can gather Gene- i;s “•fishing.” That is to say, he is sitting on the fence, wondering whether there is any chance of another, bid for his services at the big rate he has charged in the past. / Tex Rickard, we know, is sick to death of red tape in America and ns still hankering after staging, a fight for Tunney in England or Europe. Incidentally, Tunney is touring both. Is it,a coincidence? In the meantime Tom Keeney, tlie New Zealander, claims that with Tunney having quit he is entitled to. the world’s championship, but this c.aun must he ignored, for tne simple reason that Tunney has. only threatened to quit. Tlie world’s champion has not quit and Keeney, like the rest iff them, can seek world’s title bouts until they are t&ue in the face for all that Tunney cares. . He can turn round on them all and say, I am still champion.” Heeney’s claim for world's championship honors cannot*, ot course, be taken seriously for while Tom may be a, very fine young fellow Ins most loyal admirers will hardly support his claims. In the fiist place lie must, meet and beat l Phil Scott, 1 -the British champion, who lias twice whipped the New Zealander. It would look ludicrous if Heeney were awarded world s honors and yet be faced 'with the knowledge that he lias twice met with, defeat at the hands of Scott, who, by the' way. has no claims or aspirations as a world-beater.

THE NEXT CHAMPION—WHO?

LEADING CONTENDERS. MUCH SPECULATION IN AMERICA.

<JIy Grantland llice.) Who will be the next champion f Most of the boxing writers in America at- the present time are weighing up the contenders for the vacant heavyweight crown. They are unanimous that Gene Tunney is streets ahead of any of the aspirants for the title, and are also agreed that lunney will never fight again. Jeffries, after retiring, came back again to get £20,000 and a beating from Jack Johnson, but Tunney’s case is different. He first defeated .the former champion twice and then offered him a third chance, left an outclassed field just as Jeffries did, but when Tunney said lie was through, Tunney that ho was through. Jetfries had less than £20,000 saved up when ho retired. Tunney had. over a million. That alone makes quite a difference. ' , . Tex Rickard could draw'only., a trifle more than £125,000 with Tunney and the best contender m the field. What is he to draw with a new champion who for some years won’t even he in Tunney’s class?. For as long as Tunney is in condition, and fairly young, under thirty-five, the ■ next heavyweight king will be champion of everyone—except Tunney. And that makes quite a difference. It would be' the same if a golf star won the United States Open with Bobby Jones absent. Unless some champion beat* Bobby Jones, it does not count. Suppose we consider the mam prospects that Tunney left behind as he started on his .European jaunt with Thornton Wilder: — (1) Johnny Risko:- A game, strong, willing fighter without much boxing skill and no punch to rave about. Risko can take a lot and keep on coming in. But in more than a- hundred rounds against Paulino, Sharkey, Heeney, Delaney, Lourfvran, Stribling.-etc., he never leifc a headache i'n his wake. Risko is no set-up for any man, but he ,will never Ue the next heavy weight; champion of the world with anything he has shown so far. . , (2) Jack Sharkey: A good-boxer 'with speed, ring skill, and a fair hunch. The best prospect of the lot —when he wants to fight. But lie was knocked out by Dempsey, held to-a draw by Heeney, and whipped by Risko. You can throw outi his Delaney affair for several reasons. Shafrkey is the champion ought-to-be But in this game they, pay only tor results. Sharkey is excitable, moody and temperamental,, and shy of ring intelligence. He . rarely uses his head in a pinch. Any. man who -would drop his haijds against Dempsey m claiming a foul, leaving himself wide open, in place of dropping o ne knee, cannot Be depended-,on to outthink any, smart.; opponent, bhnrltey, in certain moods, is a dangerous customer, ; but he isn’t dependable at an ?3) tl Tom Heeney: A game, willing fighter who is only, a fair boxer. H© cannot,punch, and he is a s^o lj‘ a ' ed fighter ..with little-speed. Heeney has courage and stamina, but in fi fights I'have not seen him turn out one interesting rouna. _ , (4V Paulino Uzoudun: Another Heenev, but more colorful. Game enough and' strong enough, but a second-rate performer in most of - the details -that. Big enough and strong enough. .A fair boxerivho does • not like to mix it. About as aggressive, fis the .family cow. Did nothing particular against fehaikey, f’(fiV .Sney -All through and YvTVToiSiiy Loughrah: In many ways'the best bet of the !<&• cannot hit hard /enough to dent‘ the crust of a custard pie. Biit v lie mas speed and -brains and : boxing skill.

■ He gave Jack Dempsey a boxing lesson when Dempsey was training at Atlantic City for the first Tunney fight. He lias beaten Risko,: and he could beat ipost. of the others. If he could learn how to hit/- he would be another Tunney. Tunney is not a killer, but lie can hurt ’and cut and •jar. Loughran cannot. Loughran keeps himself in fine condition. He could amble round most of the heavyweights ana not take a punch in return. Loughran can build himself up to 183 pounds, and lie might learn how to lut a little. (8) Jack Dempsey: Always dangerous for any aggressive fighter. He can still whip a Heeney who will mix iL—but any good boxer could jab him to death.

There you have most of those left in the scramble for Tunney’s vacant throne, and outside of Dempsey there is not 300,000 dollars in any gate they could draw. The public is a glutton for punishment, but at last it has become choked up with paym; out big money for a dull show. What a I out the others? I saw Marrmer, the Illinois University heavyweight. and he is still at least two years shy, no matter what he has now. Marrmer can punch, and he has good speed. But he is only a beginner in the toughest game in the world. In a year or so he should weigh 190 pounds, and lie might amount to something in time, but not before 1930 or 1931.

Then there is Ad Warren, jimmy I)ronson’s Carolina, collegian. Warren is of the Marriher type—too raw even to be thought about in the championship class for several years. . Another college prospect, if he turns professional, is A 1 Lassnian, the football captain of New York University. Lassnian is 6ft 3m, 215 pounds in weignt. is fast- on his feet and with his hands, a good boxer, and a hard hitter. Here is a prospect if he can take it and if he can find the right training and directing. But at the moment it must lie admitted that there is no real heavyweight champion in sight who is even close to the Dempsey of 1919 or the Tunney of 1928. Tunney showed how ■ittle they had when he manhandled Heeney. the man who held them even, the man they could not whip. There is not- a good boxer in the lot outside of Loughran and Sharkey, and there isn’t a hard puncher in the entire crop. It is an odd collection upon whom T©x Rickard and 'other, promoters cast melancholy eyes when it comes to any matter of opening another gold mine.

A series of eliminations may name Tunney’s successor m tinie, hut no one will' take it seriously unless a new star comes along or one of the present chop manages to improve his output something Tike 280 cent. There may be a champion in sight—hut not for any big guarantee. And not for any 40 dollar ringside seat or 25 dollar ringside seat with all the publicity any •six promoters can churn up.

808 FITZSIMMONS

THE GREATEST COMBINATION. The following is a selection from a recent article by! Grant-land Ricedealing with the “greatest ever” in several branches of sport:— This sporting life, as some 1 philosopher has observed, may be chequered but it's never wholly dull. Not when vou have something between 10.000.000 and 40,000.000 9amp followers and participants growing a trifle red. in the face as they take up a line of sport’s pet arguments. In opening my morning mail 1 can gamble without taking a long chance that about two letters out.,of five will shout—“A bets B So-and-so and So-and-so. Who wins?”

There is the old argument, which still comes bounding along as to how Jack Dempsey would compare with the old-timers—Sullivan, Gorbett, Fitzsimmons or Jeffries. A wellknown veteran fight critic said recently when I asked him about it, that Dempsey would catch Corbett sure in two rounds —the Dempsey of Toledo—and knock him out. Another was just as sure that Dempsey would never lay a glove on the Corbett who beat Sullivan.

1 asked Corbett about it. He credits Dempsey with the greatest ring spirit, the most aggressive attack tiiat that game‘has ever known, going well beyond that of John L. Sullivan. Bub lie doesn’t believe Dempsey ever knew enough about boxing, about hitting fast men, or protecting himself against hard punchers, ±o lie rated in the first group. Dan Hickey, for example, who trained Fitzsimmons, wants to know what would happen if Dempsey had come "Tearing into Fitz with an unprotected jaw as an open target for cue of Lanky Bob’s murderous smashes. isn’t it- enough to grant each, man his speciality—Corbett as the master boxer; Jeffries as the strongest and the toughest; Fitz as the best 'combination of boxer and hitter; Johnson as the star defensive machine who caught punches as an outfielder catches a fly ball—and leave Dempsey the credit for having the greatest ring spirit on assault, of being the most dramatic single figure of the heavy-weight gamer The one point that seems to stand out is that Bob Fitzsimmons pound for pound, lexer, puncher and fight€l* was the greatest combination of them all. Jim Jeffries’ head still rings when he thinks of the terrific mauling he took from Fitz in their second l/ieeting*, until Fitz cracked both aged hands upon a rock-like jaw. The trouble is that comparisons of one' decade or one generation with another, a-re impossible, or nearly so. (It is rather straiige that Mr. Rice omitted the name of Deter Jackson from his list, seeing that quite a number. of authorities consider him to have been the greatest boxer of his time. Also there are writers who, having seen both John L. Sullivan and 1 Jack Dempsey in action, select the former as the greater fighter of the two.—‘■‘Oestus.”) \