BOWLING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 December 1928, Page 3

BOWLING NOTES.

THE HAWERA CLUB. (By “Diteller.”) The particularly good spell of fine weather, until the last tew day®, lias enabled; the club to fulfill all its first four engagements in the shield competition. Having completed the first round, it can be said that the club are in a commanding position with four wins and no losses. The i\st game in the second round against our neighbours, the Park Oiub, to have been played on Wednesday of this week, was postponed on account of so many of the players from each chib assisting in the Dixon Banner competition, and this game will be played at a future date to be arranged. Our selector has a hard task in selecting, teams these days with such a big list of players to choose from; still he does hi® work earnestly and well. When one considers there are now about eighty playing members in the club, it is net an easy matter to pick six or eight rinks and please everybody. However, the rinks that have represented the club in the first round have f uiilv justified the selectors’ choice. A very pleasing factor in the “good old game” is the increasing, number of younger men who are joining its ranks. Once upon a time it was a rare thing to see a bowler of any consequence unless he had developed at least forty-five around the waist, grew a sideboard or a befitting heard, but in this advanced age of ours. a. great number of our keenest and best bowlers are well below fority-five in years and circumference! From the older and naturally more experienced players one _ can always learn something, and it is surprising how* many of these grand old men retain their skill on the green, it is no uncommon thing to see several of our club’s prominent members who have long since pastsed “'three score and ten” playing their younger opponents to a standstill and severely trouncing them. There is a great fraternity among bowlers the world over, and it d'oesn’t matter whether ho be young or old, it’s just the same to them. The. pleasure of visiting other clubs and being visited i,s one of the greatest _ privileges, and certainly cements the big chain of friendship that at present exists with all lovers of the noble art.

CLUB COMPETITIONS. Interest- is running high these cla.yy in the various events being pLayed, and as iies always on the cards at bowls, surprises are the order of the day. In the champion .singles, T. Herbert (popularly known to us ais “Fite”) recently soundly defeated several worthy opponents, demonstrating that he has lost none of his ability to ‘‘get them there.” He is playing very wUd just now, and promises to he very hard to head off at- the finish. In the same section, M. .1. Squire is -playing consistently and has quite a number of wins to lus credit. Jjfc looks as if Herbert and Squire will provide the finalist in their section. Tn section B t-he vetera.n ‘‘Bob” Hicks has struck form and is a length, or two in front of the others, with Spiers hits ) i rarest o ppone n t. There are a good many games yet to Ire played and there is plenty of time for '.some of the others to bent them to the post for post-sertion honours. However, the standard of play is very biieih in the champion siualies, with low scoring and exciting finishes. CHAMPION PATHS. This i« always an interesting competition and in A section M. .T. Squire and! -T. Winks Tin vet been t-lio- meat siieeessful so far. having won all their games to date in good style, while A. E. Wills and W. Robertson are proving a good combination also. Tn section B the number of games played have pot been many, but the Herbert-Maslin combination have a

very good chance of seeing the final!; still tnere are two others in, “Ned” Foden and Bobert Tait, will© will be causing some of them a lot of worry before it is all over. THE “BISON” CUP. This is an open singles handicap competition, ancl it has created a great deal of interest and enthusiasm, particularly a.s this is the first year it has been p.ayed for. In section A it seems aa if Jack Benwiek had “betted.” He has twelve consecutive wins to his credit, with one game yet, to inlay against ‘’Teddy’ Dillon, It. would be hard to pick the runnerup in this isectibn, as the majority ol the others still have a. chance. So fair, A. E. Wills and J. Tidswell appear to be in the running. In t-,action B, T. CorkiJl Tims a gjotod lead, with, eight wins out of nine games to his credit. His only defeat so far was at the hands of George Watts, who is always a “dark horse.” Several others in this section have good Chances of getting .into the semi-finals, but apart from the two leaders in their respective sections, it is too early to predict the four finalist®.

THE JUNIOR CUP. Amongst the younger player® for tli-e Bennett and Sutton trophy some sur-i prisingly good, games have been played. W. Neiii'Sion seems to be more than holding liis own ,but there is the secrecy of the sealed handicap to be taken into consideration and one cannot tell until the “numbers are up!” Quite a number of these younger players exhibit a good knowledge of the game, and it only requires confidence; and general practise to become better than the average player. Bowling to the beginner is something akin to marriage—the first forty years are the worst! The Hawera Club will be represented at the Dominion tournament in the New Year holidays by at least one rink that null worthily uphold the club’s name whether they win or not, and several individual competitors in the singles and pairs. There will! also be a rink at the East Coast bowling tournament at Hastings at New Year. It is rumoured that this rink have been in steady training for some time past and although not exactly “all skips.” they will probably go a long way (getting to Hostings!)