FOURS COMMENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23244, 13 January 1939, Page 12

FOURS COMMENCE

PLAY THIS MORNING RECORD NUMBER ENTERED PROSPECTS OF THE TEAMS The last of the three championship events to be commenced will be staged this morning when the first two rounds of tho fours will be played. The actual number of competitors in the event exceeds even the record figures of the other two fronts, namely, singles, <lO6, pairs, 748. With 220 teams -competing it means that the actual number of players totals 880. The 220 entries are divided into 22 sections, with tho convenient number of 10 trains in each section. Eight games will be played, two each day, over a four-day period. Tho rinks championship is looked upon as tho blue riband of each year's tournament and consequently there is always a very serious desire on the part of all players competing to achieve the honour of winning, not onlj' for their team, but also for the club they represent. The following 22 greens will be used for section play:—Devon port, Auckland, Mangcre, Epsom, Stanley, Rawhiti, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Otahuhu, Mount Eden, West End, Te Papapa, Waitemata, Carlton, Rocky Nook, Remuera, Mount Albert, Onehunga, Papatoetoc, Balmoral, St. Hcliers, Hillsboro. Previous Winners Tho winning skip of 1914, «T. Porteous, of the Wellington Club, is still an active member of the southern club and regularly takes charge of a team. Tho first Auckland winner was G. B. Osmond, a member of the Auckland Club. He won in 1917 at Wellington, his associates being J. S. Ryrie, A. R. Coltman and W. Coltman. The honour of winning tho championship more than once is hold by four skips, two North Island and two South Island. E. Jury, Karangahake, was the first to have this distinction lie won, in 1919 and 1921, the first occasion at Auckland and then at Wellington. W. Bremner, West End, the next double winner, achieved both his wins away from home, the first in Christchurch in 1926, and the second in 1929 at Wellington. R, Haworth, the now famous Canterbury player, has the proud distinction of two wins in succession, a really remarkable honour. He won in Christchurch in 1936 and in Wellington the next year. The present title-holder, H. Wilson, Linwood Club, Christchurch, is another double winner, his successes occurring in 1934 and last year, both on Dunedin greens, for which lie must have a liking. Wilson's initial success marked the first win for a Canterbury club in 20 years. Aucklanders' Successes Of the local clubs Auckland lias two wins, Osmond in 1917, and Walker in 1932; West End scored in 1926 and 1929; Karangaliape, now defunct, in 1919 and 1921; Ponsonby, 1923; and Grey Lynn in 1935. The local skip, G. A. Deare, Carlton, won with a Dunedin team in 1931. E. Harraway, Dunedin, who shares with M. Walker, Auckland, the honour of winning all throe won the rinks in the New Zealand Exhibition year, 1926, at Dunedin. . Brigliting, Hataitai, who did well here four years ago, is again present. His rink is specially strong, as it includes the cx-Thorndon skip. L. Navlor,~ and Dr. Shore, a sound player. Efford, Edgcware, one of tho 'oldest supporters of Dominion tourneys, is in the samo section as another loyal supporter of the fixtures, T. Gray, Kelburn. In section D is found the title-holder, H. Wilson. He has Brackcnridge, Lyall Bay, Dick, Ponsonby, Duncan. Remuera, P. Stewart, Mntamata, and Harris. St. John's, among others to comi>eto against, and will have to fight hard to win through. Wilson does not meet H. Wright, St. Hcliers. Prominent Perlormers Gee, Te Awamutu, and Gilbert, Karori, with perhaps Rolls, Featherston, seem to be the pick of section E. Keatlev's Rocky Nook team should do well in section. F. G. Piper, Matai, who has not missed a championship tournament for 13 years, is in this section. A great array of talent is found in section G, with Thomas, Mount Albert, Parsons, p Ponsonby, McWhannell, Hataitai, and the Australian skip, R. T. Harrison, de Launay's strong opponents in section I include Foy, Hawera, and Ewing, Stratford, The Carlton skip has a good chance in this section. Fathers and sons predominate in section K, where the two Crosses, sen. and jun., of England, and the two Jurys, Ponsonby, ar<-> thirds and skips in the respective teams. Short, Pukckohe, the Christmas winner, is in a strong section. Higginbotham, runnerup to Short, has some good ones to contend With Smart, New Plymouth, Smith, North End, and Williams, Gisborne. Section N is a real class one, there being many ex-ehanipions and presentday experts included. Walker and Ilrcmner are there, as well as Skoglund, Wellington, and N. Bell, Hamilton.