THE Y.M.C.A. GYM.

Hawera Star, Volume L, 26 April 1930, Page 10

THE Y.M.C.A. GYM.

ONE OF ITS PRODUCTS

(By “Physical Culturist.”)

(Ail! Rights Reserved.) On looking through an old scrap book the other evening I came across a clipoing from the ‘‘Wairarapa Dailv Times*’ of July 16, 1909. This scrap of paper opened up a flood of memories. To begin with it reads as follows: “Y.M.C.A.—SOME DETAILS OF ITS CURRICULUM. To the Editor. Sir,— Kindly grant me space to comment on some of the effusions-of the Y.M.C.A. correspondents. ‘Veritas’ says that ‘a great many men nrefer to enter into their evening amusements without the preliminary of a’ prayer or a hymn.’ Further on lie says ‘of course, I don’t know if it is the custom to open every evening at. the. Y.M.C.A. with a. prayer or a hymn.’ The two statements are con- ; tradictory. First he makes an assertion ; then lie admits ignorance with regard to the opening ceremonies. Well, for his information, and also for the information of those who want tip know, I may inform him that the opening ceremony at the physical culture classes is generally a few rounds with the gloves to start with; the same religious ceremony ends the evening’s amusement. ‘Veritas’ is welcome to a friendly spar. The Debating Society is commenced and ended something like a road hoard meeting. The members never insult each other, and are on the best of terms with one another.”

The name of the writer is obliterated. Nevertheless, the foregoing serves to show that the board members of the Y.M.C.A. were not conservative. Neither were the members of tlie physical culture classes a. namby-pamby lot. Thereby hinges a story which lias the merit of being true. It is was appointed physical director to the Y.M.C.A. and given carte blanche as to the conduct of the classes. Always being fond of a rally with the gloves, I was soon to find I did not have it on my own. 1 Some husky youths and men joined the classes, which were timed to commence at 8 p.m. To keep myself near the mark, I used to be ready at 7.30 to box with any of the boys* who were inclined, with the resuit that before 8 o'clock all members would answer the roll. It was not a •case of who would spar, but who could get the gloves. One of the first to join my class was one Roy Messenger, who, with his chum, Oscar Gallie, remained a pupil until I resigned, a year or so before the wav. Both of these fine lads made the supreme sacrifice, Roy Messenger being reported missing, and Captain Oscar Gallie being blown from liis gun in France. Roy Messenger was one of Wairarapa’s "best sprint runners. If memory is not astray, he finished second in the 220 yards championship at one of the meetings of the New Zealand A.A.A. championships. Messenger was a striking example of the hereditary daw, being cousin to the ex-champion half-nailer, Hector Burke, and also cousin to the present champion Randolph Rose. To these could be added other names, on which for the present I need not enlarge. But to my story. In my first glove rally with Roy I soon realised he was keen to learn. No matter how hard he Was hit, he took it with a grin, always coming back for more on the off chance of getting home a punch. For sheer aggressiveness lie was hard to beat. Roy took many a punch before be learned bis lesson, viz., that a hard, straight left stops most rushers. Bering eager to learn, he could soon beat most of his chums with footwork, drawing leads and countering. At this elate lioth Roy and Oscar were employed as stock agents by the firm of Daigety and Co., their occupation taking" them much among stations of the Wairarapa. One evening, after a hard day at a stock sale, Roy, with others on the way to headquarters, as was the custom, nulled in at the Royal Oak to refresh the inner man. It so happened that drinking at the bar of the hotel were two men who in those days used to have much of their own wav when it came to fisticuffs. We will call them A. and B; as a matter of fact, both names .started with the letter A. When these two men got together and the wine got. in they were nasty snags to meet in a row. To their credit, he it said, at any other time they were likeable fellows. The Roval Oak used to be, and I believe still is, within a couple of miles of Carterton on the road to Greytown. When the Mnstertonians entered the bar thev exchanged greetings with A and B. who soon after left. After wetting their whistles the

stock agents followed suit, going to tlie back yard, where they had hitched their horses. They each gathered up the reins • placing one .foot in the stirrup they mounted their steeds — except Itoy, whose saddle .slipped from the horse’s back, slithering under its belly, and to the surprise of lliis comrades depositing Messenger on the ground. Just then hearty laughter from a knot of men grouped in the shade of the trees at the far end of the yard disclosed an old senseless joke which oftimes caused accidents when played on new chums on the stations. Gathering himself up and suspecting who were the jokers, our friend determined to teach them a lesson. Quickly advancing to the group under tlie trees, lie said: “Now. which is the blighter who slackened my girth?”

Secure in ibis own strength and the support to be expected from his pal, A stepped forward, saying, “X am, X did it. What have you got to say about it?” “Just that,” said the stock agent as he landed a stinging left oil the nose from which the blood flowed as lie staggered backward. Before lie could recover his surprise a right hand crashed just under the heart, buckling the ribs, as with a thud he toppled to the ground, from where it was seen he’d had enough. Turning to B, ltoy said: “It is your turn now. Tou can have it how you like,” but the other hero of a (hundred rough and tumbles had seen enough. The next evening Oscar Gallie was the first of the usual crowd to arrive in the classroom, when he told his story to me. Rov Messenger was absent that night, ‘but at the next practice I drew the story from liis own lips, and later I heard it from others who were there. Roy himself was fond of harmless practical jokes, of which the writer lias reason to remember, and none would laugh more heartily than he when one recoiled upon himself. I Merry, light-hearted, full of fun —lie could be serious when there was work to do. Roy was a favourite with all who knew '.him, both stationholder and .shepherd alike, and a deep gloom settled over the Wairarapa: when tlie news filtered through he was listed with the missing. There are some athletes who have .been known .by their deeds, whose memory never dies; of such a one was he. During the recent athletic championships at Wanganui this writer was present in a room full of athletes where reminiscences were being exchanged by the elders, one of which was the incident at the Royal Oak, which caused me to open up mv scrap hook to find how long ago it all happened.