DON BRADMAN

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1932, Page 2

DON BRADMAN

WILL HE PLAY IN TESTS. CONTRACTS COME FIRST. SYDNEY, October 7. Since I wrote la'-'t Don Bradman has been asked by the Board of Control to give it an assuranc 6 that he is solely a professional journalist. He has answered that ho-cannot give this assurance for hid contracts include engagements that are not journalistic. He therefore assumes that the board, in terms of its previous edict, refuses to consider him as eligible for the tests against the Englishmen—and there, for the moment, the matter stands.

But, naturally, there is a great deai to be said before the incident can be regarded as closed. The terms of Bradman's contract with Associated Newspapers have been published, and they secm to cover the case in a manner that should be acceptable to the board. In the first place, he contracted not to write about or comment on or criticise any player “prior to March 24, 1932,” when the currency of th e board’s lastissued regulation on this question expired. His contract, therefore, provided against any defiance of the board’s authority up to that dafe. Further, the contract specifies that Bradman “shall not. at any time, be asked to comment upon the prospects of selection of any cricketer or cricketers for lany First-class match.” This, again, may bo **;garded as effectually preventing Bradman from indulging in journalistic work of the type that ha* caused unpleasantness in the past. Finally, the contract binds Bradman to render service throughout the year— Winter iae well as summer—so that it may fairly be contended that he is, in regard to this contract, permanently employed in the journalistic profession. WILL BOARD “STRETCH A POINT?”

In view of all this? it should not be impossible for the Board of Control to stretch a point in Bradman’s favour, more especially as the board has. decided that Fingleton, because he is a profeission.al journalist, may make comments in newspapers as much as h e pleases. The board must also take into account the great weight of public opinion which favours-Bradman and would be hostile to the board if it interpreted its own rule too rig-diy. The 'Melbourne “Sun Pictorial” speaks for a great many people when it asks why Bradman alone “should be expected to sacrifice part of his income to help his country to victory at cricket.’ (One of the greatest of Australian cricketers and V captains, Joe Darling, has .stated publicly that the board should make up to Bradman any loss that he might sustain through surrendering his contracts, and that, if it refused to do this, and 'he wore "in Bradman’s place h e would not play-

WILL HONOUR HIS CONTRACTS. Curiously enough, the same plan of guaranteeing Bradman against loas has been ‘suggested at Home by th e editor of “Wisden’s" writing in the “Sunday Times.” Of course, 31T the British sporting papers are clamorous in their demand that a way must be found out of this “impasse,” for they agree that the tests without Bradman would be a fiasco too tragic to contemplate. But here, again, Bradman’s own views must be consulted, and in response to the suggestion that he might be released 'from his contract, he has answered that, as the acceptance of this contract, enabled him to remain in Australia, he must 'abide loyally by its conditions.

The whole incident is certainly unfortunate, but it, is likely to do good on one direcion by reminding people in general that the days of rigid anatmrism in .sport are over. Very few men can afford to devote sufficient time to any sport to reach and retain championship form for long, and therefore the conception of “expenses” now entertained by most controlling bodies is both elastic and generous. Amateurism in cricket is not what it was- before tests and touring teams were invented.

BRADMAN’S CONTRACT. (Australian Press Association) SYDNEY, October 14. The Associated 1 Newspapers,, Limited, which have Don Bradman under contract, published the statement that until such time as Bradman breaks the Board of Control rule about playerwriters, the Board cannot penalise him. Cricketing circles interpret this to mean that Bradman will not be expected to write about the Tests or anv n+her first-class matches, and 'that therefore ho is unlikely to come into conflict with the Board.

BOARD’S FRESH MOVE. SYDNEY, October 14. The New South Wales Cricket Association is making a move next week to end' tile deadlock between Don Bradman and the Board of Control. It is expected that a satisfactory solution will he reached.