OUTDOOR GAMES

Northern Advocate, 13 October 1928, Page 12

OUTDOOR GAMES

ON FIELD AND TRACK

The Xew Zealand Tennis Association lias adopted the Davis ball for the Xew Zealand championships at Christmas. The proposed Xew Zealand Grand Prix Road Race, Christchurch to Dunedin and return, lias been discussed by road-racing cyclists, and has had a favourable reception, especially among

first-class road riders. , It is just a question, however, Avhether it Avill be possible to get sufficient riders in the Dominion capable of doing the journey. One prominent rider, when approached for his opinion of the race, stated that he Avould like to compete, but his difficulty Avould be in getting off work for the time necessary for the event. The cycle traders are keen for the race, and no doubt Avould giA'C sufficient financial support to make the race an accomplished fact.

One of the most amazing performances in the history of world’s,athletics was registered in Germany in May, when Karl Hirschfeld hurled the 161 b. shot a distance of 61ft. 9Hn., nearly the length of a cricket pitch. This staggering performance knocks to pieces the famous avoiUl’s record of .lift established by the late R. Rose (U.S.A.), aAvay back in 1909. Previously Rose’s figures never looked like being beaten. Such avas the stir created in Germany by Hirschfeld’s mammoth effort that General Wilhelm Hove, commander-in chief of the Gorman Army of Defence, issued orders that Hirschfeld, avlio is a , soldier, should be promoted from sergeant to sergeant-major in the Rifle Battalion. Perhaps it Avas just as avcll Hirsehfcld was too young to bo hurling bombs around in the Groat War.

The French tennis authorities contend that the sport of tennis is being killed in France owing to the French Government’s heavy taxation. At the Seine tribunal the French Tennis Federation had judgment given against it, and the federation had to pay a fine of 201,520 francs (at present raves of exchange about £2350) to the French Treasury, The case was the outcome of the refusal of the federation to pay taxes levied under the heading of. music halls, theatres, and other entertainment places. It had been before the Courts for several months, and it was a coincidence that the decision, which tennis officials say may ruin tennis in France, was handed down on the day when two Frenchmen were fighting for supremacy in the final at Wimbledon. The French Federation demurred at payment, claiming that tennis receipts came under the law of 1920 exempting from taxation the gate receipts of organisations with ; the aims of developing sports and physical education. The Court ruled that tennis failed to fulfil the last-named, stressing the fact that women are perfectly able to play tennis while they are unable to serve as soldiers.

Wrestling those days is packed ■with excitement (says “Solar Plexus" in the “Referee"). The Sydney Stadium was filled by about 12,000 people recently, attracted by the world’s championship match between Tliye and Nichols. The crowds witnessed a fierce, intense struggle. It was less spectacular than several others recently seen; but it tensely hold the big crowd. Slowly but surely the greater strength of Nichols seemed to be wearing Thyo down. The champion, looking worried, was gasping for breath at (he end of the rounds; but just when everyone was expecting to see him beaten he brought off a most sensational back-slam and Falling backwards, he crushed his adversary at full length, and Nichols was dazed. The challenger worried his attendants (him ing the interval, and, though ho strained hard to re-enter (he contest, (hey forcefully held him back. The referee thereupon declared Thyo the winner, amidst extraordinary cheer ing. Thye had been roughb' handled, and the bulk of the big crowd was in entire sympathy with him. Ted Thye, the champion, weighed 12,;”}, and Hugh Nichols (challenger) 12.12 J.

There has been considerable discussion in the different States of Australia over the wisdom of the decision of the Australian Bowling Council to insist upon a certain size, weight, and shape of bowl. It was unfortunate (and unpardonably foolish) from the Council’s point of view that the official test bowls suppliecf to the different States varied in bias considerably, and much dissatisfaction was expressed in places. Some of the test bowls, it is alleged, allow straighten bowls than ever before to bo used, So much dissatisfaction was felt in Victoria that g plebiscite pf qlubs was taken on the general opinion regarding the new standard bowl, and the result was made known at a meeting of the Victorian Bowling Association this month. Replies were received from eighty-five clubs, and seventyfour agreed that the new test bowl draws less on the green than other bowls. Seven replied in the negative, and four suggested that the question be referred back to the Australian Bowling Council. A motion that the Council call a special general meeting, with a view to rescinding all resolutions regarding the size, shape and bias of bowls, was followed by an amendment that the question be left in the hands of a sub-committee. The amendment was carried.

| The Australian tenuis authorities i have let themselves in for a heavy | season. In addition to the English ■ team, a party of South African girls ; will be starred in the States. The ! Englishmen are to open against Queensland at Brisbane on November Id, and will play their way to Perth, where the farewell match begins on I February 9. The undertaking looks ; profitable, but some of the official writers of the New South Wales Press Uake a gloomy view of the fact that ° « the Australian XI. will be playing - the same centres at the same time, and will probably seriously affect the tennis houses. One of them., however, 1 finds comfort in the fact that the 1 South Africans, at least, are to be •housed in private homes, thus saving !a lot of money that might otherwise j have been squandered on hotel accomi modation.

George von Elm, formerly of Salt Lake City, more recently of Los Angeles, and now of the Tam o’ Shanter Country Club, Detroit,' looks to me (writes Walter Hagen) the most dangerous contender in championship golf for the next few years. I expect 'him to win a lot of championships and give Bobby Jones his hardest competition in the corning amateur championship at Brae Burn Country Club in the Boston district in September. Yon Elm, I believe, is an even money bet to beat Jones. Just how great a figure von Elm will become depends somewhat on the amount of action Jones gets into. But I think that now Jones is practising law in Atlanta he is not going to be such a busy golf figure as formerly. The game requires constant competitive play to keep on top.

That very good friend of British professional golfers, Mr Samuel By dor, donor of the Ryder Cup, provided foflO of prize-money to be competed for by the twenty-four British professionals in order of merit on their scores in the British Open Championship at Sandwich. Archie Compston had loft for the United States, but all ihe others who had qualified by their scores in the open were on hand when Mr Ryder’s libera) prizes wore played for on the Verulam course, St. Albans, on July 12 and 13. The contest took the open championship from of four stroke rounds, and resulted in a tie between Abe Mitchell and W. H. Davies.

In a letter to a friend, Dr. J. J. Brownlee, who is now running in England, stated that the grass'and cinder tracks at Home were so much faster than New' Zealand tracks that he was convinced that Malcolm Leadbetter, the New Zealand- champion, would be equal to the best of English and American sprinters. Brownlee is running fairly well at present. * * • • The Australasian Olympic Council has been deaf, dumb, and blind to the needs of" amateur sport, in Australia (says the Sydney “Referee”). .The majority who sit upon it have, shown not the faintest knowledge of what modern sport demands, and, consequently, Australian athletes are paying the penalty in international contests. Australia cannot afford to continue to allow its prestige to perish simply < because a few gentlemen with fossilised ideas of developing sport refuse to open their eyes to what is-required- Something must be done—-and done immediately. ‘ Specialise in sport,” is now Australia’s slogan. That is the great lesson of ihe Olympic Games,

English critics place Miss Akhurst fourth in the world’s ranking list, below Miss Wills, Senorita D ’Alvarez and Miss Ryan. She thus ranks higher than any British players. Miss Boyd (Australia) was placed tenth.

Some of the people of Young, New South Wales, regard S. Watt, aged eighteen, as a coming champion' runner. Competing recently in the Old Boys’ Cup events at the Christian Brothers’ college sports, the md ran 100 yards in 10 2-usee, and 220 yards in 2-t 2-ssec.

From France comes the news that Goeliet, champion of France, exchampion of England, and twice victor over Tilden, is to visit Australia towards the end of the year with two French cults. They will play, as Borotra and his team mates did, a series of international matches, and will compote in the Australian championships. With this team in Australia, and also that of England, the game will boom as never before, and at last Australians will see the player who is probably today the greatest allround player of fthe world, taking singles, doubles and mixed doubles into consideration.

When ths trouble regarding W. T. Tilden was at its height in Paris, Samuel H. Collon, president of the United States Lawn Tennis Associa- ' on, had a two hours’ telephone conversation from Paris with the tennis in New York. The cost of a telephone call between Paris and New York is 16$ dollars per minute, so that conversation must have cost about .€IOO. It is not known who had to pay, but it is certain that Tilden did not. Anyhow, as a result of that 'onversation Tilden was reinstated. The advance sale of tickets for the challenge round between the United States and Prance at the Rolan Garros Stadium, had been at a standstill from the time that Tilden was declared ineligible, but as soon as the reinstatement was made public, the box .offices resumed activities, and had some trouble to cope with the rush. The one million franca mai'k was soon passed, and with five more days to go before the matches were to start, it was expected to reach a gate of two million francs, so possibly that expensive telephone call was a mere trifle.