POT POURRI OF SPORT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 101, 9 April 1936, Page 12

POT POURRI OF SPORT

(BY

“OMNI.”)

The new captain of the Hastings cricket representatives is Arthur Mahoney, of the United (midweek) Club, and one of the biggest run-get-ters in the competition this season. Mahoney has already made a name for himself in hockey circles, not only in Hawke’s Bay but throughout New Zealand, for he had twice worn the Silver Fern. He first gained South Island honours at hockey in 1921, when playing in Christchurch. He secured a place in the National teams against the Indian Army side of 1926, and the following year journeyed to Australia. Two seasons later he was in Wellington and played for New Zealand against the Australians in New Zealand. Since coming to Hastings in 193] he has proved one of the Bay’s most enthusiastic players as well as an able administrator.

Signed the Pledge. The Oxford crew in their efforts to win a boat race for the first time for 13 years save up their traditional can of beer. This has always been a part of the training diet of University crews, but when the Oxford crew went into full training at Henley each man signed the pledge—ecept that a very occasional glass of champagne will be allowed at dinner. The crew, who spent a long week-end on holiday at Thorpeness, Suffolk, and occupied the whole of their hotel so that no unhealthy stranger shall bring in an influenza germ or some other aid to the Light Blues. The race last Saturday and apparently their “pledge” did not bring the reward anticipated, for they were again beaten. « » « An Early Start. Hockey in Hawke’s Bay is expected to commence at the end of the present month, which will be at least a week earlier than was the case last season. Though there might he some difficulty ever the grounds for Saturday play. Old Boys, who last season won thel championship, will be out again in full ■force, while there is a distinct possibility of Waimarama returning once again to the hockey fold. * * * The Russian Prince. Prince Obolensky, tho English Rugby international, has again demonstrated his speed, this time on the running track. Representing Brasenose College in the annual sports meeting against Wadham College at Oxford he comfortably won the lOOvds on a soaking track in 10 3-ss. He has yet to show what time he is capable of under good conditions. He also won the long jump with an effort of 19ft. Sin., thus gaining 10 points for his college, which defeated Wadham by 61 points to 31. * “ » Overseas Visit to H.B. Hawke’s Bay has been included in the itinerary of the Australian Soccer football team which will be touring New Zealand this season. The visitors arrive at Auckland on June 17, and after visiting the South Island they are due to meet Hawke’s Bay on July 9, in a mid-week game immediately following the second Test at Wellington. The team leaves Auckland on August 1, being just six weeks in the Dominion * * * Rugby At Oxford. In the final match for the Oxford University College Rugby Cup, the holders, University College, beat Brase nose by one dropped goal and two tries (10 points) 'to one try (3 points). R. A. Cooper, of Havelock North, was in the forward pack fo University, and Obolensky, the “Russian Prince.” was one of the three-quarters for Prasenose. » * * Page Still Incapacitated. New Zealanders will hear with regret that J. R. Page is still incapaci-

tated from playing Rugby because his leg trouble became manifest again while in training. He was injured early in the late New Zealand tour of Great Britain. Now at Larkhal. Lanarkshire, taking a special artillery course, he recently arranged to play for Uddingston, but the match was postponed owing to frost. Page had promised to play for the London-Scot-tish before the end of the present season. » * • Unorthodox Attire. Some surprise was expressed by a number of visitors to the courts at Windsor Park recently when two men set a precedent for scanty apparel on a tennis court. All they wore consisted of a pair of sand-shoes and shorts. The same park appears to be gaining a reputation for unorthodox apparel on its sporting fields, for during the week one woman player went the round of the golf course attired in shorts, while another was seen in the “longs,” that were one-time called “beach pyjamas. ’ ’

Nearly a Breach. Many of the spectators at the £lOO golf challenge match at Croham Hurst were surprised at seeing Allan Dailey, one of the Essex players, go forward and place an open umbrella on the ground to indicate the line of the shot to the green, says an English writer. “By doing that he has lose the hole,” said one excited onlooker, obviously n supporter of the opposing side. But George Greenwood explains that if Dailey had actually played the shot with the umbrella as a direction mark he would certainly have lost the holy, but Dailey, having walked back to the ball, instructed his caddie to remove the umbrella before the shot. * «• » Bradman As Actor. Don Bradman, during the making of a film in which he made his debut as a film actor on the Oval ground, at Sydney, came perilously near wrecking the film. He was being “shot” for a scene in the “Flying Doctor.” Bradman hit one ball to the boundarv. was bowled by the next, and then, hitting hard, nearly knocked the camera man out. * * * Growth of Soccer. A recent report of the English Football Association gives some indication of the growth of the code throughout the world. The number of players affiliated to the association is as follows: —5OOO professionals and a quarter of a million amateurs. This means about four hundred professional clubs and 40,000 amateur clubs. The figures given are onlv for the players affiliated. The small local district clubs playing in England alone and not affiliated must raise the number to well on the million mark, while the inclusion of the Continental clubs, which are increasing each season, will bring the world figures to an amazing total. * # * Ski-ing in Indta. The hut at Khilanmurg, in Kashmir, which was swept away by an avalanche erly last month, with, it is feared, fatal results to three British officers, was put up by the Ski Club of India for the use of ski-ers. Ski-ing.is steadily increasing in Northern India. The Ski Club of India now has 208 members. Its two principal centres are Gulmarg, Kashmir, and Rashmin, near Parachinar, on the Afghan border. There is always plenty of snovl in the winter months. Formerly, the difficulty was to find accommodation, but now this lack has to some extent been remedied. Accidents are rare. * * * Left-handed Tennis. There has been no left-handed singles tennis champion in France, but the title at Wimbledon has been won twice by Norman Brookes, of Australia, perhaps the greatest left-hander of all, says an English writer. He was a con-

temporary of America’s famous lefthander, Beals Wright, who beat Brookes in the Davis Cup both in England and in Australia. Of left-handed pairs there have been relatively few. One of the best known were the unrelated Dowells (Kenneth and “R.B. ”, both killed in the war), who reached the final of the All-Comers’ doubles at Wimbledon in 1910. The donor of the Davis Cup, Dwight F. Davis, another Wimbledon doubles finalist, was a lefthander—and the hardest smasher of all. * * * New Star Miler. Jack Lovelock, the great New Zealand miler, is promised strong competition if he competes in the Olympic Games at Berlin next August, comments a “Tribune” Air-Mail message. Until recently it was thought that this would come chiefly from the Americans, Glenn Cunningham and Bill Bonthron, but now another American, Gene Venzke, who hails from Pennsylvania, has blown right into the picture by beating Cunningham by throe yards.... This occurred at an indoor meeting in New York, and Vonzke’s time was 4mins. 10 2-5 secs. Cunningham is, of course, the holder of the world’s record for the mile, but of late he has seemed to be slipping. The finest race I ever saw Lovelock run was in the huge stadium of Princeton University last summer. He won with ease, with Cunningham and Bonthron well behind. * * * Popularity of Yachting. Although the total tonnage of yachts now building may have been exceeded in one or two years notable for an output of very large steam or motor yachts, it is fairly certain that the number of yachts of all kinds (excluding steam) at present under construction is the largest known, says an English writer. The greatest increases are in small sailing cruisers with auxiliary motors, motor-yachts up to 40ft. waterline length, and small racing craft of one-design type. * * » Whitton's Activities. Ivo Whitton, who has taken rest from summer golf, played his first competition game at Royal Melboune a fortnight ago, and with a card of two down from plus two was round in a creditable 75. Whitton’s putting has alwaj's been a little superior to his long game, hut in this round the reverse was the case.

A Champion Slips. The defeat of Ambrose Palmer by ths American negro, Leo Kelly, at the Sydney Stadium on Monday night, came as just as big a surprise to New Zealanders as to the Australian boxing public. It would appear that Kelly victory was due to the fact that his opponent’s vision was badly obscured by the blood which poured from the cuts inflicted near both eyes. The result of these blows was that Palmer was more or less at the mercy of the negro in rounds subsequent to the eighth, in which he sustained his first injury.