TOPICAL TATTLE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4324, 27 July 1937, Page 2

TOPICAL TATTLE

NEWSY NOTES ON SPORT Coached By Post. Hardy Ballington, the 24-year-old Durban long-distance runner, who recently broke the 13-year-old LondonBrighton record, held by another South African, Arthur Newton, will go down in history as the athlete who owes his success to a “ correspondence course. For the past five years he has been coached by post by Newton, who has taken great interest in him. British Sculler for Sydney. Advice has been received that a sculler will be included in the team to represent England at the British Empire Games in Sydney next year, but apparently it is not the intention of the English authorities to be represented in either the four-oar or eightoar Empire championships. No mention of such crews is made in reference to the English team which, it is understood, will comprise 46 competitors. New Zealand will include a sculler, an eight, and a four in its team of 70 competitors, and it is believed that Canada will be represented by a sculler at least.

Tennis for Tuckey. It has been cabled from London that Tuckey, the gunner player, who has appeared for England in the Davis Cup doubles, is leaving the army and will devote himself to “ business.” An Australian critic hazards a guess that the “ business ” will consist in hooking up with some leading firm dealing in tennis goods. It is about the only course open to Tuckey. To continue his military career, with all its limitations as to leave and service abroad, would entail his neglecting his tennis, and that is not to be thought of.

Well-known Bowler Passes. A very well-known figure on Auckland bowling greens was tlie late Mr C. E. Hardley, a member of the West End Club, whose death occurred last month. Mr Hardley’s consistent participation in many bowling contests, both Dominion and local, and his extensive travelling made him most popular in bowling circles. He scored many successes, and twice Avon Dominion honours. Apart from being outstanding as a player, Mr Hardley performed A'aluable executiA r e Avork for his club.

Woman Cricketer’s Feat. Miss Peggy Antonio, of the Australian women’s cricket team, has accomplished a feat no mere male cricketer ever dreamed about. It it recorded in the journal of the Women’s Cricket Association:— . . she ran halfway up the pitch to a ball . . missed it, and quick as a flash turned round, caught it up, and hit it hard past the ears of the wicketkeeper. .

Great American Collegiate Swimmer. Outstanding in the scholastic sAvimming field in the United States last season were the striking exploits of David Tyler, a student at the Public High School of Hartford, Connecticut, and he stamped himself as one of the greatest young sAvimmers ever developed in cracking four high school marks. He slashed the time for 220 yds free style, short course, from 2min 18 l-osec to 2min 15 3-ssec, and he brought _the figures for 20vds courses from 53 l-ssec for 100 yds to "52 3-ssec for 100 yds, 2min IS l-osec to 2min 13 l-osec for 220 yds, and smin 2 3-osec to 4min 52sec for 440 yds.

Improves with Age. “ Uncle ” Tom Payne is a walker of no mean ability, and, like wine, ho improves with age. He is only 55 years young, remarks a London critic. ft seems remarkable that a man who won a 24-hour endurance test at the White City in 1909 by covering 127 miles 543 yds should, still be walking with the best. Still more remarkable is the fact that Uncle Tom started walking as a cure for chest trouble. He has retired from the sport at least four times.

The Stocking Maker. A man who went through the Great War without receiving a wound, and returned to Cape Town to lose the sight of both eyes in a blasting accident at the docks, had the contract for the supply of 87 pairs of stockings in green and gold for the Springboks. He is L. F. (“Bill”) Horstman, who threads 84 needles in the process of making a single stocking. This sightless man also made 30 pairs of stockings for the junior Springboks who toured the Argentine, and 30 pairs for the South Africans who played against the Wallabies.

Page’s Birthday Present. M. L. Page, the New Zealand cricket captain, will not in a hurry forget his first day of the present English tour. It happened to be his birthday, and it would have been appropriate had he managed to name the toss of the coin correctly. But he did not, and worse was to follow. The score-board showed a big round 0 against his name, and before that could be erased he had cocked an easy catch to Fishiock off Alf Cover’s bowling.

Not for Empire Games. Whatever expectations might have been entertained regarding the selection of reinstated athletes for New Zealand Empire Games teams, the N.Z.A.A.A. has now made it very clear that it does not intend to raise the question at the conference to be held in Sydney at the time of the 1938 Games. At the last meeting of the council the problem was reopened for discussion, but a motion that the N.Z.A.A.A. should refer the matter to the centres before making a final decision, and an amendment that the Empire Games rule should be relaxed to allow reinstated athletes to compete were both heavily defeated. And there, so far as the present council is concerned, the matter ends.

Report Denied. The report which has appeared in various parts of the Dominion to the effect that George Aitken, former All Black captain, was seriously ill at Han-

mer. is incorrect (says a northern writer). Writing from Christchurch, Mr Aitken states that the report is completely unfounded. Ho has not been ill nor has he ever been to ilanmer. He is, ho says, at a loss to understand how such a statement could have emanated.

To Tour India. Frank Tarrant, the well-known Australian cricketer and organiser of Australian touring teams, lias returned to Australia from India to sign up E. Bromley, the ex-Australian test player and a member of the last Australian side to tour England, for a second four of India. Bromley had a wonderfully successful season in India last year, and Tarrant has been commissioned by the Maharajah of Patiala to secure Bromley's appointment for a further season.