BOWLS Without Bias

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 11

BOWLS Without Bias

(By

"Armada.")

Carlton bowlers have been and gone, and that they enjoyed their visit to the capital city goes without saying. The hospitality extended by Wellington bowlers generally was well in keeping with the high reputation they have* for all visitors to the various greens are made to feel as much at home as if they were on their own greens. And m doing the round of the greens "Armada** has been made as welcome as any of them. The Carlton howlers were a genial lot of fallows, nevertheless they were adept in getting in a few good words for Auckland city, talking about bringing bottled sunshine, etc., with them. They are good ambassadors for their province. At times one is disposed to think Wellington intent emulate them more. - • • Some of them missed a highly-divert-at Victoria green when the Aucklanders were there, perhaps because it happened on the last head when the other rinks had left the green, J. Keith, who is a typical Scot, and Marcus Marks—who ain’t—were playing in the rink of which J.S.K. was the skip, and it was the final head. Kach side had played except for the skips, and they had changed ends, the skips going to the mat and the others to the head. On turning round to look down the green, Marcus espied what looked suspiciously like a cigar lying in the middle of the green, and made tracks to-

wards it Suddenly a gust of wind blew w a yard or two down, making it look a i ore -vw! ce a pleca °* ribbon. A piece , rl wa ® of no «so to Marcus, and he turned back. J.s.K. was inst *2 bowl when he. too, espied ’the th^ t wh° n f have been in the path of his bowl. DoWn the green picked up the obstruction! put it to his nose—and then in his pocket. It was a nice fat cigar—maybe l r Laranaga (bowlers do smoke nf L^ij“ S 8 6y ? 3 ent ,Breen. “One of the- Adam and Eve' brand/' yelled Marcps down the green. “When you've ad em you 'eave" Sour grapes. But greatly enjoyed the joke, as xiia the genial Marcus himself. This himself™ he ViU b ° abie to tell a S ai nst • • • • *,W°i™,i y< 3 mi F ““TV say-men under 40, h J>V* ? old Wellington bowler tackled Armada very seriously upon B ,? bjec £ £- h ® u . tho green the «/l L. day “t ymtona, and said, without £25.S 1 5rt TO E atl , 0 J 1 *, t,1a,; physically fit men M should be ashamed to compete with old men on the bowling green. He waa most emphatic in his «ssertion that bowls is an old man s game, and that the younger men are intruders. Why, he aakedi don t they play cricket or teflS.nL» o, j.i?° l ? f °r running and rowing, ? av6 ir 4^L physical health and strength? Most of the bowlers are lUSSi. 011 tba wrong side of 50—a great number are over 60— and there is a strong master of veterans (over 70). They have not the flexible muscles and the judgment of the younger men, and are :o ° bid to change their ways. • » 4 m , young man, if he has any brains at all, makes a scientific study of the game, and what chance have the old men against him?" asked the old chan, and he pointed to a couple of younger players in the Carlton team and men-' tioned one or two loeal men. What do the young bowlers sdy td this, and old bowlers, too, for that matter? * • • • Tom MitcheU, of Carlton Club, is a «!» wlr 801 ? - , He . waa telling some of the Wellington bowlers that he had to put a set of bowls on his little Mary „ tee .P him from rolling out of bed wnen the earthquake occurred on Wednesday morning Do you know he is an old soldier .'Well, he is. He was J .? !ack t a t cil from 1871-80, and fought through JTel-el-Kebir and the first Ashanti war. He came out.to New Zealand 45 years ago, in the s.s. Triumph, which ran ashore soon after landing her passengers. She was saved, however, and was in the running for many years ?“ er - ,?? went farming in the Bay of Elenty district until he retired, and has been living in Auckland for the last, six years Bowling suits him down to the ground as his pastime. He had seven sons and daughters, and is very proud of the fact that ha has 30 grandchildren. .• • • Truscott, of Carlton, is a hard man to beat, as Harry Miyer can tell you, although the Wellington president did not get the support he might have expected from his rink. But Truscott is a very versatile player who has studied the game scientifically, and has three good shots m his repertoire. He is a good drawer, a deadly driver, and can play a yard on shot with the best of them. Judging by his play in Wellington, he is fond of a drive, too. But the good drawer will beat the driver more often than not, but ‘ when a man has three shots m his locker, that is a tune on another fiddle. Even so, if a bowler drives three or four times in succession. It spoils his judgment for drawing, and good drawing shots are prettier to watch, anyway, and more sporting, in my opinion. Granted, of course, that there are occasions when a drive is imperative. • ■* •. * During play at Island Bay on Saturday J. Conder was just delivering his bowl, when a collie dog walked on to the green and stood in front of the y ’j ■“ bowl rolled up the green the dog did not move, but lifted up its paw to let the bowl pass underneath collie * toa4^er ' intelligent * * a * Next week a little chat with two Karon veterans. • f- Eerkins has had a good many ln bhe sports fire one way and another, and his sons are building up like f „ . atl 3 ,e te»- Like father like son. rather is keen on Soccer, and was a member of the N.Z. Football Association Council at one time. The family bmi also pretty good i n the tennis line. tog d reputo r tion ra hef Proud ° f hi “ * « * .

... at em standing on the bank like a row of sparrows," was the remark "vS 3 *? , at Karori green last Saturday. Yet that is lust as it should bo, although It is only too seldom done. ‘ It is just this. When rink games are bmng played the skips stand at the hea l r- direct ihe play. Each skip must stand clear of the head when the other is civjnpr directions. When lend, No 2 and a 8 h a v ,e played .they go to the head, ana the skips fo the mat. The number t 'l r^ es s, glvc ., <lire<}tion * to their skips, while the others stand on the bank, or should do so, but m the vast-majority of oaso« they don't. And after giving l directions the No. 3 should retire some feet—bn if a dozen I helieve~-away from the ’bead. Consequently to see nearly all links ob;-t.*iving the rule at Karon was lather noteworthy, anil particularly «l this ti-iis 1.1.

heads were at the same end. It was quite tho rovoi6o at Thbrndori, where more than biib inquest was held ton the heads by the first three players on eaco Side, dragging tho game out unduly. Will tho centre insist on this rule being observed in the centre toumamefit and in the pennant games? • * * #

"Ted” Hdwse, one of tho most Congenial spirits on the Lyall Bay green, is a colt of a year's standing, and a lefthander -to boot. He is making great headway, and has had one or two pleasing little triumphs lately.' He spends

most of ‘his time "on the road,” hut in his leisure, hours if there is anything no likes better than a.gfiipe of bowls.it is two games. He is a member of the "craft," by the way. • • '<► £ Victoria Club will seKd at least one rink to the Domiriioiri tournament at Dunedin—Messrs J. ahfiß. Dixon, Hum and Snadden. They are going to do the trip in style* too* for Brother Snadden is going to take his car over the Cook Strait and motor through to Christchurch. No doubt Canterbury bowlers .will give them a suitable welcome and a game to keep their hands in* and then they go through to Dunedin. Is it a four-seater car, or bigger? * * • *

H. J. Buck, cricketer, runner,..Soccer player and bowler, manages to the game in-smite of his fairly considerable bulk, although thereJswehone or two others in tlie Thorndon iSuh .who can still give him a few pounds- to avoirdupois. f'Horrie" has had a pretty good run in sport, playing junior ejriaket, served for some years on the. ifldriagement committee of the Wellingtoa-"Crick-

et Association, had a good run at Soccer, later becoming a member of the W.F.A. and then the New Zealand Football Association Council. He had a fair measure of success in running, but -would want a hit of a start now. As he is not quite so young as he used to be, he finds the summer time on the howling green very congenial, with a lot of good comrades. He is a director of Thorndon Club, by the way. * • • 4

Karori sprung a surprise on Newtown a fortnight ago, and after a peep at them last Saturday it will not be such a great surprise if they have the "wood” on Wellington to-morrow in the pen-

nants. They are doing their utmost to bo fit, and are particularly keen to pull oil another big win. Wellington were rather pleased” when lutrori beat Newtown, as their own prospects in tho pennants were enhanced thereby. Perhaps to-morrow evening Newtown may aim appreciate the joke. The uncertainty of bowls! - ' —3X ,

W Simw, tlie uenial manager of “he used to belong to Thorndon Club, but upon taking up his residence at Karori a couple of years ago, transferred his membership to the local club, so Thorn-

don’s loss was Karori’s gain. He' does not go in much for competitions, preferring games with his fellow-members and such old pals as he meets in the pennants games. He has been guiding the fortunes of the D.l.C.sfor the past 13 years, and is still going strong. * » p * ■ . . To-morroWs pennant games are: Wellington v. Karori, Newtown v. Johnsohville, Island Bay v. Central, Kelburn v. Hataitai, in section A; while in section B the games are: Lyall Bay y. Wellington, Hutt v. Petone, Thofhddn v. Victoria, Seatouh a bye. Newtown will be recovering from their shock of a fortnight ago, and will take nb risks. Kelburn v._ Hataitai, and Thornddn y. Victoria, will be interesting games, too. Karori does not bdast of any great number of club trophies, the only one being the Charles Henderson cup, which is a rink competition in which play was proceeding last Saturday. For somo years .past it has been played for by teams selected by the skips, but this year they have reverted to the old method, the selectors classifying the rinks and each rink plays the other. The team with the most wins at the end of the season becomes the holder of the cup. The trophy was presented 12 years ago. * ♦ .» w T B.ichardß, Sedgwick, Lyall and A. Needham, of Karori, is the only rink of the club which up to the present has an unbeaten record in the pennants this season. This rink was to ft great extent responsible for the downfall of New-; town a fortnight ago dn points; George Crawford is*another reliable skip and a well-known figure on the green at Karori, and .is a good pennant fighter. He has ehtered fot the Welling-

'ton Centre tournament, and, strange to say, hds piqked two players, Richards and Lyall, from Needham's rink for hid lead and No. 3, while Hazelwood, is to be his No. 2. He must have designs oh the rink championship. •*' « • 0 The little quartette from Karori which won the. Centre 1 rinks tournament last year has again entered for the Centre rinks tournament on Boxing Day and two. following days. Well, we shall see if Messrs Tvmley, Jolly, Burn and Cooper can bring off the great event. Good luck to 'em! • * • m tt.Z.'S OLDEST* fiOWLER, 1663-1928 ' ONE OE A FAMOUS QUARTETTE. Born in the historical old town of Lanark in 1858, Mr James Brackenridge, of Newtown Bowling Club, commenced playing bowls ten years later, and has been actively, engaged in the game ever since, a oeriod of 62 veers, which nvirolv entities him to the proud record of holding the longest bowline* career in New Zealand br Australia, while it is doubtful if any other country—even . Groat Britain—can produce his equal. He ahd his little cobber at 10 veer© cf ego mted to visit the Thistln Club at Lanark, and practised so constantly that they j soon became quite efficient, and when\ 15 years of age they were made members of the club, surelv the youngest members who have ever belonged to a bowline club.' He remained with them till 1874. when 21 yqars of eqe ; at which time in hi© career he decided to emigrate to New Zealand. He landed in New Zealand by the sailing shin Nelson at Port Chalmers on tin* last day of 1874, this being the vessel's first trip to the Dominion. His first 14 years were spent in Invercargill, being a founder ofthe Southland Club, and Is tbe oldest living l member to-dav; In 1888 he came to Web lington and joined Newtown Club. After being there’ for some years he came into the city and joined Victoria, but 14 years later went back to Newtown and rejoined his old club there.

His three sons, J., J. M., and R. M. Brackenridge, have also mude a reputation for themselves in tho ancient gatuo, and the four of them hove been one of the redoubtable rinks of tho Newtown Club for several years. y however, Jack Brackenridge, who is In the . a pci T, Department, .wae transferred

to Dunedin, and this has been the beginning of the break up of a rink that nas been a powerful combination in Wellington. Jack has now joined St. Kiida, Invercargill. Mr James Brackenridge and his son, J M., were the holders of the diamond buckles, but they 'have retired from the competition, handing over the buckles to the club. E Carman and .J. Pollock were elected by the club to defend them, and they defeated the Hataitai challengers last week. Lyall Bay have in the past been 'holders of the bucklee, and a challenge from a rink may go forth to Newtown at any time. Mr James Brackenridge was a baker by trade, but retired some years ago. He contemplates a sea trip next year. „ He has three sons, four daughters, 26 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. A UNIQUE GATHERING It will be 51 years on December 31st since Mr Brackeiiridge in the Dominion on the 6.5. Nelson, on which he was the baker. Also on the boat were Mr D. Brown?- now of Oamaru, Mr Burns (father of Councillor B. G. H. Burns. Karori), and Mr John Gibb, who was bosun on. the vessel. These four met at Mr Brackenridge’s house on December 31st last and celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their landing. Y . Mr Gibb was engaged to Miss Littlelonn; a niece of the head of the Wellington firm of silversmiths, and they were married later. Mr Gibb went bacs to England in the Nelson and came back in the Canterbury, which be left, when here. He is- now living in Napier with his grand-daughter, -

(PAIRS.) ' , I.—THE DIAMOND. 1. The rink for play shall, at each end, have marked on it a diamond shaped figure 6ft long by 4ft broard, and shall be marked at half its length crosswise into two equal divisions. 2. Tho division nearest the ditch shall be known as the back division, the other the front division. 3. The distance , between the nearest points of the two diamonds must be 68ft: provided / alw'ajrs that oh any green of a less length than 110 ft the diamond at one end shall have, its nearest point six feet from the ditch, the other diamond being placed so that the nearest point shall be 68ft from tho nearest< point of a diamond at the ditch end, and a line marked 6ft away to represent the ditch. 11.-THE MAt. 1. T&b mat shall be so placed that a long end and a short end shall be played alternately. , 2. Dor playing the long end the mat shall cover the point of, the diamond farthest from the ditch, and for the short end shall cover a mark on the green 68ft from the nearest point of the diamond being played to, and 18ft from the nearest point of the other diamond. 3. On any green of a less length than 110 ft the long end mark for the mat shall be 86ft from the nearest point 'of the diamond being played to, tho short end mat being .placed in the 6ame position as a long end in sub-rule 2. i lII.—POINT BOWL. 1. A bowl called the “point bowl" shall be placed on each diamond on the end nearest the ditch so that the point of the diamond can be seen. 2. The point bowl shall not he considered to have been moved unless it is wholly outside the diamond. (This will ■ easily be ascertained by holding a score card upright on the green.) 8. If, by the effects of the play the point bowl is ’moved, it shall, remain where it rests, but shall be placed in its original position When the jack, having been played out of the diamond, is replaced in the front division. 4. Should any bowl be in such a position- as to prevent the point bowl being replaced,, the point bowl must remain where it rests. IV.—THE JACK. i 1. At the commencement of every head the jack shall be placed on a spot in the front division 18 inches from the crOßSline of the diamond, midway between the two side lines. ' - 2. If the jack is moved outside the diamond it shall be placed in its original position- and the head continued. 3. If, -When the jack is moved out of the diamond it rebounds into either division, it shall remain, where it stopß. 4. The jack shall hot be considered outside the diamond unless it is wholly out. . ■ 5- The jack shall not ho considered in the back division -unless it is Wholly out of the ffont division. 6, When , the jack is moved outside the diamond, before replacing it, any boWls in the front division shall be removed to the bank. 7. If the jack' is moved ontside the diamond by the effects of tho last bowl played it shall not be replaced, nor used for counting the score.

V.—BOWLS. 1. Each player shall use foUr bowls. 2. Any bowl shall be considered in the diamond that is not wholly outside. 8. A boWl in the diamond shall hot be i% the back division .’unless it is wholly out of the frQnt division. VI.—COUNTING THE SCORE. 1. When the jack is within the dia-: mond the bowl or bowls belonging to one side nearer to the jack than an opponent’s bowl and within the diamond, snail count.

2. If the jack is in the back division the point bowl, if still in tho .diamond, shall coUnt an extra point to the side lying the shot. 3. If the jack is outside the diamond, only marked touchers outside the diamond and not more* than six feet from the centre of tlie diamond, shall count. 4. When the jack is in the diamond; and all bowls outside diamond, there shall be no score for-that head. • fi. If tile jack is moved outside the diamond by any bowl, excepting the bowl last played, the side 60 causing it to be moved shall concede one point to their opponents* score. , . 6. If the jack is trailed, driven moved , into the ditch, or * beyond the limits of the rink, the side whose* player has been the cause shall concede tWo points their opponent’s score. VII.—HEADS. 1. All matches shall consist of 21 heads, provide that in case of equal points an

extra head or headd shall be played. 2. All heads shall count ana be recorded on the sdote card. * i N.Z.A. RULES. / When not inconsistent with the foregoing rules the rules of the Northern Bowling Association shall apply. /