LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS.

-MATCH IAT HAMILTON. (BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Monday. A tennis match between St. Andrew's and the Frank ton Club* resulted in a win tor the' former by 10 sets to 5, or 111 games to 85 BOXING. S.UITH-CI.ABBY CONTEST. Looking heavier and stronger than lie lias over before appeared, Dave Smith nevertheless only succeeded in making a draw of his contest with .Jimmy Clabby at the Stadium (says the Sydney Morning Herald, in reporting the New Zealand boxer's latest contest). The contest was brought off under most adverso weather conditions. The day had been fearfully oppressive, and when the tune for the contest, drew near there was every indication of an approaching storm. The men wore hurried into the, ring, but before a start could be made a sharp shower fell. Then, as the weather appeared to hav.o cleared up. the contest was started. Early in the eighth round, however, another shower fell. For three rounds the men boxed in the rain, and then the weather cleared again. This tint©, however, the rain held off until after the end of the contest, but the damage was dona The canvas covering of the ring was saturated, and in places so slippery that the men could not properly keep their feet on it. At the. end of the 10th round Smith t<-.ck his boots off and boxed in his socles, and a round later Olabby followed his example. The contest was a good one, although. neither man showed to the "best advantage. Smith had a decided lead up to the last fewrounds, but then slowed up and allowed Clabby to do the forcing,. with the result that the referee. Mr. " Snowy " Baker, gave his decision in favour of a draw. There was not a very great deal between the men at the finish, but what there was favoured Smith, and it seemed as if then* was a largo j enough surplus of points in his favour to have allowed of his gaining the decision. S. STATEMENT BY JACK JOHNSON. An explanation why he would not. meet Bombardier Wells in Paris has been written 'or Boxing by Jack Johnson. Ho.says:— "Well, in the first place, 1 was sick of ill the controversy that had been going on >v©r since Wells and I had first signed irticles, and I could not be sure that fresh .roubles would not arise as soon as I had igreod to any rearrangement of tho original proposition, I had agreed to several postponements already. There fiad been new mil fresh schemes put forward almost daily is to our training arrangements. I had got into trouble over my music-hall contracts, vnd was being threatened with other legal proceedings if I failed to carry them out. vnd then there were my Australian engagements as well, which I had been compelled x> cancel. The ■ thins: did not look good Miough to me, any way- I did not seo ivhere the crowd wero coming from to make ihe thing a profitable speculation for tho promoter, and that locked like more trouble >f a kind which lias never had any appeal io me. "Then there was the picture scheme. I was not to come into this at all under the signed contracts unloss I lost; and supposing I had, I guess, there would have been i whole lot of people -to say that I had done so on purpose. And this again was a possibility which failed to appeal to mo at all. 2>n>j never can tell when an accident is Ifoing to occur in a boxing contest. Besides, Wells appeared so hopeful of success that I did not seo why I should risk so much for so little. *"I had wasted a lot of time as it. was, Mii from all appearances looked like having to waste a* whole, lot more if I was going to go on with the match, and as I had already reeeved a big share of all that was point* to come to mo in any event, but ivhich only just about compensated mo for my lost time. I 1 did not quite sen wiser© the iffair was going to pay me. In the first place. I would have to break my training in order to wind up my outstanding musichall contracts, and then would havo to go through it all again. It did not look good enough to me, especially with all those other whit© hopes talking so loudly in the States, where- there seemed to bo plenty of good monev about. So I just concluded to let the whole thing slide."

DAVE SMITH TO LEAVE FOR ENGLANDPrior to engaging in his contest with Clubby, Dave Smith stated that he would leave for England by tho steamer Ostertey on April 7. NOTES AND "COMMENTS. The London National Sporting Club has decided that no contest carried out by the dub shall exceed 15 rounds, except championships, which shall be limited to 20 rounds. So far ns championships are concerned, it has been decided that a siide. stake of £50 each will bo sufficient when tho fly-weight 'belt is at stake. In tho other classes the side stake must be £100 each, except tho heavy-weight, where it shall be £200 each. Some articles associated with the prize* ring were sold by auction in London on December 19. One of the lots put up was a two-handled silver cup, bearing the inscription: "Presented to Bendigo, the champion of England, by a few friends, as a token of respect for his undoubted honesty, etc., in the ring. June, 1850." After fairly spirited bidding this was sold for £27, while a couple of belts were knocked down at £8 15s- One of the belts was massively mounted, and was won by Bendigo from Ben Caunt in 1845, while the second was supposed to be the first championship belt of the world, won by Bendigo from Jim Ward. A massive gold watch, chain, and seal, also formerly the property of Bendigo, had been entered, but they were I withdrawn. ' . ■ "..