GENERAL SPORTS NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22822, 1 September 1937, Page 20

GENERAL SPORTS NEWS

ENGLISH BOXING BOOM ERRATIC PUTTING IN GOLF RUGBY HALFBACK'S INJURY Alf Blatch, the Australian lightweight professional boxer, who lost his two fights in America, is returning to Australia by the Aorangi, which leaves San Francisco to-day. R. E. S. Wyatt, the former English cricket captain, has scored over 29,000 runs. Only two other amateurs have exceeded this mark —W. G. Grace, 54,896, and C. B. Fry, 30,406. For the Farr-Louis fight the topprice for a seat was reported to be £4 ]2s, and the cheapest 10s. Baseball parks are better'suited to big fights than football grounds, being circular, so those in the "bleachers" are not badly off, especially as many patrons take binoculars with them. Since Henry Cotton became the world's leading golfer, he has received more offers for tournaments, exhibitions and demonstrations than any,, other golfer in the last quarter of a century. He is doing so well in England, in fact, that he declined an offer to compete in the 10,000 dollars tournament at Chicago. Under the Creswell Stand at Adelaide Oval is the cricket school in charge of C, E. Pellew and C. V. Grimmett. Recently Hon Bradinan was a visitor, not intending to _ become active. Doffing his coat, and in ordinary garb he took a bat. and, without pads or gloves, faced the bowling. Those looking on wondered at what they saw. "A freak," they said. There is to be a return cricket fixture at Sidmouth, Devon, this month between the local club and Hinton St. George, Somerset, 'ihe "return ' was agreed on by the rival captains when the clubs last met. As that was IU3 years ago the feeling in Sidmouth is that the game is now overdue. Hence the hustle by the two captains to fix it for September. The hold which boxing is obtaining in England is shown by the progress being made with the new stadium at Earl s Court, London. 1 his building is costing no less than £1.500.000. 1 wice the size of St. Paul's Cathedral, it is five times as large as the famous Albert j Hall Seating accommodation is being provided for 30,000, and there is also a garage with room for 2000 cars. Arrangements are under way for Joe Louis to appear for the opening of the stadium in October. For six years America has proved too strong 'for England in the ladies international tennis contest for the Wightman Cup. This year at l'orest Hills England was without its champion, Miss Dorothy Bound, and the issue was practically decided on the first day, when the home team won the three matches. Small wonder when Miss Alice Marble and Miss Helen Jacobs were on the court against Misses Hardwick and Stammers, respectively. Miss Marble won 4—6, 6—2, G—4, and Miss Jacobs, 6—l, 4 —6, 6 —4. Members of the Melbourne Cricket Club and their subscriptions are a tremendous factor in success of cricket in their city. Last season's club receipts reached *£44,324, members' subscriptions and entrance fees making £35.995, an advance of £13,660 on the previous year. Without this annual income the club could never have built the immense double-decked outer stand. It has made Melbourne known throughout the world. These outer ground improvements ran into £84,885, mainly secured by the annual revenue from members.

Erratic putting was one of the outstanding features of an open championship tournament conducted recently by the Geelong Golf Club, Victoria. The winner, 11. Payne, who is usually a deadly putter, gave an unusual display over the first nine, sinking long ones and taking three putts at alternate holes. However,.lie later regained his touch, and on the vital final nine in the afternoon, when his long game became erratic, he finished with six one-putt greens. An incident in A. W. Jackson's round which concerns the taking of five putts from 12ft. at the lltli is worth mention.

The Waikato halfback, L. T. Russell, will not play again this season, owing to a recurrence of his shoulder injury received during the All Black trials in Wellington during July. This is very unfortunate for Russell, as he would have been a distinct prospect for the third test at Auckland, especially if New Zealand is beaten next Saturday. There seems no doubt that he is the best attacking half in New Zealand at present. Waikato, with matches against Hawke's Bay and Manawatu next week, will feel his' loss greatly, the more so as J. Broad, the promising Hamilton halfback, has been transferred to Auckland. The only other player who looks likely to justify inclusion as halfback for the Waikato team is T. Dovi, of Old Boys.

Professional tennis promoters are ready to pick the. eyes out of the amateur tennis world again, states the American correspondent of the Melbourne Globe. Two men attract them —Donald Budge, the Wimbledon champion and American Davis Cup star, ■ and the Australian, Adrian Quist. Offers are to be made to these men of such a nature that they would be foolish to reject them. The loss of Quist and Budge from the amateur ranks, following the defection of the British champion, Fred Perry, would strike a severe blow to amateur prestige. But it is money that talks. Men cannot live by sentiment alone, and 1 am reminded that Frederick John Perry will receive £30,000 for his first year as a professional. What young fellow can reject such an income?

Two well-known members of the Piha Surf Life-saving Club, M. G. Adams and W. M. Milliken, were farewelled by the club at a dinner. Adams, who was also honorary secretary of the Surf Life-saving Association (Auckland), has accepted a position in Wellington, and Milliken. a former Auckland representative .Rugby footballer, has been appointed to the British Colonial Service in Nigeria. He departs to-morrow. On behalf of the club, Adams and Milliken were each presented with a fountain pen by Messrs. C. Holt and 13. Gittos respectively. Adams also received from Dr. T. H. Petti t a Surf Association blazer in recognition of his work as secretary to that body. Regret was expressed at their loss to the Piha Club, and cood wishes were extended for their future success.

Hamilton Rugby lias suffered two further material losses in tho departure of H. Lissette and A. Rae for Wellington to join the Police Force. With the reorganisation of the police in New Zealand many new men have been taken 011 and included among these arc some prominent footballers. U. H. Ward, the AH Black, has been accepted, while Williams, the fast Canterbury loose forward, has also joined. .Roth Lissette and Rae are Hamilton representatives with good futures in the game. Lissette, Old Boys five-eighths and centre, has played for Waikato this season and as one of the most promising of Old Boys' younger players will be missed in future games. Rae has been the outstanding Technical forward in the tight work for two seasons. He is the best rucking forward the team has had for some time, and his place also will be hard to fill.