WORLD OF SPORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 16

WORLD OF SPORT.

RANFURLY SHIELD RUGBY. HAWKE'S BAY V. WELLINGTON. IMPORTANT GAME TO-MORROW. What should prove to be the most momentous Rant'urly Shield match of the year will be played at Napier to-morrow, when Hawke's Bay will defend the trophy against Wellington, It was on August 9, 1922, that Hawke's Bay wrested the, shield from Wellington by 19 points to 9. Wellington has twice tried to regain possession and on each occasion stirring games have resulted. In 1923 Wellington were defeated by 10 points to 6, and last year Hawke's Bay's margin of victory was 20 points to 11. Can Wellington lift the shield this year ? Answering this question a Wellington writer states: " The success which has attended Wellington this season has buoyed up the hope that the Empire City representatives will be successful in lifting premier honours from Hawke's Bay. Clear-cut wins over the All Blacks and the Maoris were convincing evidence thatWellington has a good side this year, and that there is nothing wrong with the combination. The. fine showing a weak Wellington side made, against Canterbury at Christchurch on the King's Birthday when they were only beaten by a single point, was further proof that the Rugby standard is high this season. The only fly in the ointment is that different teams have beon played in each contest, and that the games, therefore, have not served to give the fifteen which will take lite field against Hawke's Bay the combination they would have acquired had they played together in all throe matches." Hawke's Bay's narrow escape against the combined Manawatu and Horowhenua team at Palmerston North on Saturday, tho game ending with the score 14 all, lends additional interest to to-morrow's match. On the other hand Wellington were beaten by Wairarapa by 24 points to 17 on Wednesday. Hawke's Bay has defended the shield ou 21 occasions arid there is a strong desire to eclipse Auckland's record of 26 consecutive victories. Wrestler's Clever Huso. There are tricks in every sport. A particularly amusing bluff was worked _ by the American wrestler, Michael Yokel, in a recent bout in Melbourne against Stanislaus Zbyszko, the world's heavy-weight champion wrestler, who was recently in Auckland. Zbyszko, in spito of an advantage of nearly four stone in weight, experienced one of the liveliest bouts of his career, and won by one fall in eight tenminute rounds. On one occasion the giant Pole had Yokel's toe in chancery, and was waiting for the American to "say when." Yokel was writhing in agony, and the referee was expecting the cry ol surrender. Zbyszko looked inquiringly at the referee, who asked Yokel if he had had enough torture. The American looked despairingly about, and then brought off a coup by patting Zbyszko's broad back. Tho Pole, thinking it was the pat of victory from tho referee, released his hold, wherqtfpqn Yokel, with" thW' speed of a panther, escaped and ciim'oeu on top. The Pole's look of astonishment was comical, and the .crowd roared its appreciation. Athletic Championships. Tho track and field championships of Australia and New Zealand will open.at Brisbane to-monrow. Teams representing Victoria (holders), New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, . Tasmania, and New Zealand will compete, and a ; very keen fight for tho cnampionship - shield is anticipated. Mr. E. G. . Guy, manager of the New Zealand team, stated in Sydney that, although the; team was small, his expectations were' great. Harvey was the champion hammer thrower of New Zealand, he said, and had defeated J. W. McHolm, the Australian and New Zealand champion. Cabot was described by Mr. Guy as the 1 beat mile and three-mile walker New Zealand had produced/for many years. Lay, , the youthful javelin thrower, had established some surprising records during the past six months. Regarding the Auckland members of the team, the manager said that he expected Shirley to annex more than one championship, as he was a fine all-round athlete. Savidan had also many fine performances to his credit. It is considered in Sydney that the New Zealanders will gain sufficient places to affect the final total of points. Soccer Supremacy. The Chatham Cup competition' to determine the premier Soccer football club of the Dominion by the knock-out process of elimination is now ncaring finality. A feature of the contest has been the supremacy in tho South of tho hospital clubs. In the South Island teams from ' the Sunnyside and Seaciiff hospitals fought out tho island championship, victory going to the Canterbury club after a hard tussle. The Poriraa Hospital teum are the finalists for the Wellington district and will journey to Auckland Fo meet the winners of to-morrow's game between North Shore and Huntly Thistle. Tho North Shore Club has been unfortunate in losing a number of senior players through injuries. The latest sufferer is Bradshaw, whose leg lias had to be surgically treated, and he will join his club mates, Corbett, Jones, Heyes and Mitchell on the casualty list. Naturally the North Shore selectors are finding some difficulty in getting a team for tomorrow's crucial game with Huntly. North Shore, however, have some promising juniors worthy of promotion, and with representative players like Dacre„ Baxter, Gerrard, Palmer, Woolley and 'Lipscombe, they are hopeful that the premier club trophy will again come to Auckland. Brotherhood ol Sport. "Sport makes brothers of us all," writes Frank Brown (The Count), who recently returned to Melbourne after an 'extended trip abroad. "A most striking instance occurred in Paris, Let it be understood first of all that there is hale in the heart of shattered Europe, _ The bitterness resulting from the war is ail ' too evident. Men slink by with fury burning in their eyes. It was in such an atmosphere that Hans Brsitenstratter, Gorman heavy-weight champion, showed his boldness, by accepting fin engagement to fight Francis Charles, the. French champion, in Paris. The scene was set jn the Veladrome d' Hiver. "Many thousands of Frenchmen were Bitting round the ringside. Breitenstratter. with fair hair tossing and with a look ,of desperation in his blue eyes, stepped in'Co the ring, the first German who had faced a French crowd since the war. He had every right to expect terrible hostility, but be was deceived. Breitenstratter represented sport, and the Frenchmen im- j mediately put their race hatred aside, | stood to their feet, and cheered him to the echo. ' "Never have I been so impressed. I glowed with pleasure at the sight. To think that sport could so soften -the hatred that is diseasing the heart of Europe! It was wonderful—inspiring. Breitenstrat ter was beaten—carried out, a limp, bloodied figure, downed by the mighty right of the Frenchman—but that mattered little. It was the . spirit 1 of the game that mattered, the spirit that turned bitter men into generous rivals. It was sport."