SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 12

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

ON RUGBY FOOTBALL

SOME TARANAKI GIANTS

THE BAYLY’S AND THE GOOD’S

members of athletic ■ FAMILIES.

(By * * Physical Culturist. ’’)

Rummaging through, some old newspaper prints o-f 1885, I noted the following grouch by "Forward” in tie Otago Daily Times. In commenting on the result of tie Canterbury-Wel-lington match., which Wellington won, he waxed sarcastic, putting down the defeat as mainly attributable to the wonderful smartness of a few of (the Wellington backs, and the obstructive policy of Mr Johnston Thompson, who appears to have used his 16 stone of flesh to advantage as a barrier to further progress on the part of the Southerns. "Forward” paid a big compliment to Taranaki football when he, as on afterthought, wrote, "I had almost forgotten to say that i£he Wellington Club speak of trying tif secure the services of the Bayly’s to play in their team in the forthcoming match against Auckland. If they are lucky enough to get George Bayly among their fifteen, they may rely that he will give a good account of himself in any company on a football field. ’ ’

There is no occasion to waste time on clacking up the abilities of a man who is written of in the New Zealand papers as "the great half-back of 1879.” 1 *im indebted to the New Zealand Sportsman of the 17th inst for the following par: "Veterans of ’BB. It was mentioned in one of the dailies yesterday that there were two pioneers of the football field (Messrs "Sammy” Cockcroft and H. Hyland), both players of over 40 years’ standing, who had played against the first English team (known os Stoddart’s) to tour New Zealand in 1888. It is pleasing to note that there is another player in our midst, in the person of Mr R. R. (Jimmy) Leys, who not only played against that combination, but scored the last try in the match against Wanganui, which was drawn, Anderton scoring for the Englishmen. It is generally conceded that the visitors taught our players a lot of the finer points of the game. Mr Leys, who played half, represented Wanganui aud Manawatu in the late 80’s and early 90’s. A son who plays half for ’Varsity is worthily upholding the name.”

DEFEAT OF STODDART’S TEAM

Reading -the foregoing par brought back a flood of memories. In those days I also was a young Wanganui-ite and a barracker for the Blue and Blacks. Wanganui football was under a cloud. The Amber and Blacks (Taranaki reps.) had for a number of years triumphed over the river town’s representative teams. Stoddart’s team, the first English or British footballers to visit New Zealand, had won all matches played until they met the Amber and Blacks on the New Plymouth racecourse, when they were deifeated by a try to nil, the solitary try being scored by Harry Good. The Taranaki team on that historic day was: H. Kivell, A. Bayly (captain), A. Good, D. Coghill, C. Bayly, R, Tate, H. Hine, H. Good, T. Joll, W. £nook, —. Oheyne, C. E. Major, J. B. Veale, A. Pearce and Whitehead. A return match was played and won by the Englishmen by 11 to 3—a try for Taranaki scored by the late J. Lambie.

As the writer was in those days a non-resident of Taranaki and an opposition barracker, it may not he out of place to state that, for the return match, Taranaki, for various reasons, could not get the same team together again. For the subsequent victories of the province this may not have been an unmixed blessing, as it put the Bugby pliayeTS right on their mettle, at home and abroad. Following the second match against Taranaki, the victorious Englishmen played the Wanganui representatives on St. John’s Hill, when Stoddart’s men received their second surprise on this coast. The river town toeballers played as they had never played before. The visitors had the only score, by Anderton, a great player, and the game all but won, when Jimmy Eeys put Wanganui on the Bugby football map by scoring a try, immediately after which the whistle blew, the match thus ending in a draw. Leys became for the time being Wanganui’s football hero. Jimmy at that date was a sturdy lad of sixteen years, a Wanganui collegian. His father was Captain Leys, for many years the popular skipper of the S.S. Wallaby, trading principally between Wanganui and the West Coast of the South Island. The Wanganui Collegiate School in the 80’s and 90’s was noted for its fine athletes, cricketers and footballers. One of Jimmy Leys’ fellow collegians was Mr A. Good, of Hawera, who also played against the Englishmen.

I have mentioned that for some time Wanganui football had been somewhat under a cloud. At any rate Taranaki for some years had developed a habit of numbering the latter town’s representatives amongst its victims. The following year, possibly not realising that Wanganui had profited by its dedefeats, the Amber and Blacks invaded their stronghold, meeting with the first reverse for several years by the Wanganui players. This was one of the most strenuous games ever played on the Recreation Ground. Taranaki played a hard and fast game, but Wanganui rose to the occasion and responded with spirit and vigour. The inclusion of some young players had considerably strengthened Wanganui’s football. Amongst the number wctc Jimmy Beys and Fred Mason, while the little Wanganui veteran half-back, Ban Kitchen, probably played the game of his life; at any rate in that match he was outstanding.

“ • ALAN GOOD’S RECORD. If I am not in error, some of Taranaki’s players that day were A. Bayly, C. E. Major, Harry and Alan Good, Pearce, H. Kivell, T. Hompton, and one of the Lambie’s. As a team they were in physique a fine fifteen, well set up, strong and fast. However, it was not their day out. One of Taranaki’s best athletes was one of the three-quarter backs, Alan Good, some of whoso performances I hope to review at an early date. Just here it may not be out of place to note a few I have noted in an old scrap book. While a pupil at Wanganui Collegiate School in 1887 he established the school record high jump

TENNIS

EASIER DATES

April 6,7, 9, 10—Nelson championships and handicaps at Busbar. April 6,7, 9, 10 —Canterbury Tournament at Easter. April 6,7, 9, 10 —North Auckland champoinships and handicaps, at Whangarei. April 6,7, 9, 10—North Island championships, at Hamilton. April 6,7, 9, 10 —Otago championships and handicaps, at Dunedin. April 6,7, 9, 10—Wellington Easter tournament, at Miramar.

NOTES. Private advices received in Wellington last week are to the effect thati E. !>• Andrews, who last summer was single® champion of the Dominion, and who went to England at the beginning of the present New Zealand season, was doing well at squash racquets for liis university. He was No. 1 for Cambridge against Oxford in the inter- ’ Varsity match at Queen’®, when P. V. I’. Cazalet beat him 10-8, 9-4, 9-6. At one stage of the first set the New Zeaiander led 8-1, but he was unable to retain his position against the greater experience of the Englishman. Andrews evidently is keeping his eye in during the winter season, and there is every possibility that lxis squash racquets practice will improve his overhead work at tennis, it is generally agreed at Cambridge that since his arrival in England Andrews’® game has improved considerably as a result of the constant good practice he has been able to indulge in. When it was announced that a team had been entered to play in one of the “zones.” preliminary to the actual Davis Cup contest, it was generally assumed that “those to be sent would represent the highest grade New Zealand tennis to-day. As it was beyond the wildest flights of imagination that this Dominion could l win the Cup, the experience, it was rightly considered, would be of the utmost value to our young champions and lead to that development which can come only to the younger players who are at the age to take advantage of the chance of playing against such superior players. l]hese 'expectations have received a rude disillusionment in the statement that J. C. Peacock, F. M. B. Fisher, and R. T. Young were likely to be in the team. Peacock, fine player as he was 20 years ago, when he battled with Swanston in the first-class contests, is a “has been”; Fisher may almost be called not a New Zealander, and besides is distinctly a veteran, and Young is generally considered not good enough. Andrews is of the type and at the age right for selection, and if the others are insisted upon, the whole object, of the challenge is lost, and it were better surely to abandon the effort.

The Lawn Terms Association of Fingiam d has about £30,000 in hand, and at the annual meeting they were strongly criticised on the ground that they should spend the money in attempting to improve the standard of day instead of merely hoarding it. Furth er.it was stated that there were British players who only required to improve their game half-fifteen in order to jump up to the form of the best French and American players. This timely and constructive criticism lias at once had good result. The L.T.A. have made a most dmporbant. appointment. In order that the leading players may have the best practice before the Davis Cup ties and the championships take place, Karel Kozaluh, the Czecho-Slovakian professional, has been encaged to spend ,six weeks in London. Kozelwh is one of the best players in the world. He has just regained the piofessional championship, and lie should be able to strengthen the weak points in the play of British players. It i® the first time anything of this sort has been attempted. Players hitherto have had to muddle along without expert advice, and under these conditions progress was bound to be slow and unsatisfactory. Kozelub, who played in Britain last summer as a partner in exhibition matches with Suzanne Lenglen, has a brother, .T. Kozeluh, who is an amateur. He was one of the final eight survivors in the last AVimbledon championship- The professional held a similar engagement in Berlin last season, and he was paid at the rate of £6O a week. When the L.T.A. opened negotiations with him, this was the pay he asked. He has, however, .agreed to go to London for a smaller fee.

of sft l£in. On November 10, 1891, at the Wanganui Amateur Athletic Club sports, inaugural meeting on Collegiate School ground, he tied with J. J. Bryce for second in the high jump, won by Piper. The latter, I believe, was also a Hawera man. 440 yards, A. Good, scratch, first, a very exciting race; at half-distance Good went to the front and won by two yards from W. T. Whiteman second, T. H. Drummond off 15 yards being ten yards away third. Long jump, A. Good, 20ft 2in, 1; Piper, 19ft 6 jin, 2; 300 yards championship, A. Good 1, R. H. Eockell 2. This was a hollow affair, Good winning with ease. Ladies’ Bracelet: W. L. Whiteman, 8 yards, 1; T. H. Drummond, 12 yards, 2; A. Good, scratch, 3. This was the best race of the day; after an exciting finish Whiteman won by a yard, Drummond a yard in front of Good. A younger brother, H. Good, also had some fine performances to his credit in his college days at Wanganui. I note one year he scored three wins, a second and third. The next year he scored six firsts, winning in succession, three 120 yards hurdle races, both handicap and open races. Another brother, William, was also a good all-rounder, particularly at all-round jumping, while as far back as 1885 H. E. Good was one of Tar ana id's first fifteen. Erom the early days the Goods have been one of several great athletic families..