PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12495, 10 July 1926, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

RUGBY TO-DAY all Kug-by eyes will be on the Show Ground, Sydney, where the All BUa-ks play their first Te>o against, tlte New South Waks representative team. With Svonsou and Stevenson unlikely to play the New .Zealanders may be weakened in the three-quarter line, hub on the. other hambN'cw South Wales will lack Owen Crossnian, Lawton, and Wallace, who may be supposed t<> be their star backs. Ciossman was not picked, the others Lave been untit. The New South Welshmen have been optimistic concerning their chances, and ilioir team has been training hard. .But though they have some big forwards it will be extraordinnry if they find themselves equal to the All Blacks, since most, of the pack will be new to big football. Behind the serum the advantage should bo all to the New Zealanders, but as the team .will not yet have its land legs the game may be a close one. As in 1924 the Australians may win. But that is (doubtful, to say the least. To-day’s Test over the following is the itinerary for the remainder of the New Zealand team’s tour:—July 14th, play New South Wales at University Oval; July 17th. play second Test at Showground ; July :20th, third Test at Showground; July 21st, leave for Melbourne; July 22nd, back in Sydney; July 28th, play match; July 30th, leave for Wellington bv Marama. • • * » There are a big proportion of new Homes in this year's Maori team (says the “Dunedin Star' 7 ). Only some nine or ten were in the 1922 or 1923 teams, and the average age of the team is about twenty-two. Ncpia. 8011, l’otaka, and S. Gemmed have each secured their New Zeaiand cap with the All Blacks. Fahvnssor and Phillips have play eel for the North and South Island respectively. and Barclay, Kingi (.the diminutive half), Hingston (a solid forward), and Ain tone (a “sporting parson”) arc old members of the Maori teams of a few seasons ago. • * * * Can University A continue on its unbeaten wav in the second round, on the five Saturdays when it will probably meet Pirates, Alhambra, Kaikorai, Southern, and University B? (asks the “Dunedin Star 77 ). Judging by its display in recent games, the team will have.-tQ play better football if it is tu win the competition. While the team has speedy, backs, it has not given the. sparkling displays of ’Varsity teams of former. years, and several of its matches in the first round were won by a very narrow margin. There has been a lack of understanding among the tacks, and not enough concerted play emong the forwards. * * * * A Southlander criticises New Zealand’s Rugby captain:—“Porter did a lot of work, much of it of a character far from being commendable. I have objected to Porter’s play repeatedly on that account, and his latest effort indicates no improvemnet. One of his tricks is not putting the ball truly in the scrum, and at least one North Island try came after he had done this on Saturday. There was no need for it either, as North were getting the hall from, almost every scrum, and had a big score already to their credit. Repeatedly the crowd roared at Porter to play the game, and on occasions when the referee caught him you would hear the cries: ‘Caught that 'time, Porter.’ ‘You can’t always get Rway with it Porter.’ ” Dr. “Billy” Fea, the ex-Otago University and New Zealand five-eighth, whose dazzling play delighted Dunedin crowds some years back, has been appointed to coach the South Canterbury representative team. • * * • Is it possible for a Rugby team to •core 10 points without its opponents handling the ball in play? asks a northern paper. This sounds like one of the riddles frequently asked by aged followers of the game, but it has actually occurred at Auckland this season. A Ponsonby junior player scored for his team just as a spell ended, and the try was converted. Ponsonby immediatey kicked off for the next apell and another player, following up fast, secured the ball l>efore any of his opponents and scored another try, pvhich was also converted. Ibis is perfectly possible, but nevertheless it an extremely rare occurrence. • * * ■* Hazlett is versatile ! The _ Pirate Rearguard as' constituted on Saturday had a unique personnel, for not only jflid it include a ‘’fern leaf” lorward *s centre three-quarter, but it also boasted an All Black (elect) forward, /W. Hazlett, as full-back (says the Southland Times”). The latter, of course, was desirous o 1 keeping well out of the way of the more strenuous stuff in view of the fact that he will shortly be engaged in the more formidable task of upholding the Dominion’s Rugby prestige, and while it is not suggested that he would have won ithe same honours as a full-back as he has as a forward, his game on Saturday ,\vas good enough for the needs of his side. Once he allowed himself to be caught in possession^—and incidentally provided a splendid chance for the opponents to increase their tally—and a feature of his play was liis penchant for coming up and associating himself •with the reargard on attack. Not many people these days take so little interest in Rugby that they are junfamiiiar with the names of football celebrities, but a good specimen came jfco light in a Wanganui hotel after the match with Taranaki. In the bar a double-eyed Rugby enthusiast buttonholed a keen motoring enthusiast, and for live minutes held him in conversation about Falwofcser. ‘Falwasser,” fcaid the motoring man, later to a friend. “For all I know he was talking about a new six-cylinder engine.” : The programme for the next Olympic Games shows that there will ho no ftugby football. Previously this branch of sport has been catered for, hut the entries have rarely included teams representative of the leading Rugby football countries 'The elimination of Rugby from the programme at Amsterdam in 1928 occasioned no little 1 surprise at a recent meeting of the 'Olympic Council of New South Wales. [The information before the meeting showed that hockey for men had beer, included in the programme, and that "Yachting, which was not hold in the Paris games, was again one of the competitions. No other city in Au.-dralia takes its football as seriously as Melbourne. On :n recent Saturday in Melbourne, 162,[6CO people watched tho various Australian cole football games. In Svdiiev. on tho same dav. 19,300 attended Wall codes of football. The attendfances in Svclnev were made up as follows: Ite'iguo Rugby 31.000. Rugby T’nion (jOUO, Australian rules 6000, and Kocoer 2700. Proceedings at tho Chresteliuroh fftughy referees’ meeting the other •evening were rudely interrupted by .loud laughter. This is what happened:— A question was put regarding a ♦reach, and Mr .lack Peeke'gave wlmt ft* considered should be the referees’ ruling. “But suopusing.’’ said a member with a w rinki- d and perplexed brow. ‘‘Mipp'.dng )];»• riderra didn’t notice aiiy breach, wlqtl would ho (te'

IN THE LIMELIGHT

No. 10—H. GRENFELL This week we have Hi. Grenfell Old Boys’ centre three-quarter and per--1 Imps tiie most promising young back in ! Velliiigtem). Grenfell is a product ;of (he Wellington College, where in ] 1922 lie gained his “cap.” He wa«s I then filling the full-back position, and i played a prominent part in the tourjnament of that year. Hie following jvear he moved up to centre threej quarter, and on leaving college was •placed in that position in the Old Boys’ sidte. It was last year that he eivught the eye of the selectors, and played for Wellington against _ Wnirurapa and also took part in the northern tour. This year Grenfell seems to be assured of a place in the side to meet Hawke’s Bay for the .Ranfurly Shield. Playing for the senior A representatives against a senior B fifteen he gave the best demonstration of centre play since the days of George Aitken at his best, and many judges of the game consider him a cut above the Rhodes scholar. Grenfell also acquitted himself well against the 1926 All Blacks. He has great pace and runs his wings into position with fine judgment. He can also go on his own, and his fast swerving run is puzzling to the opposition. This season he has had a hard row to hoe in the Old Boys’ side, owing to the weakness of the men inside of him. hut in each game he has stood out whether in attack or defence. It is interesting to note that Grenfell is a son of Mr W. A. W. Grenfell, who filled the full-back position for the Otago representative fifteen in the early 90’s. Little River was tremendously elated over the suocess of “Tom” Robinsou, the genial and big Maori threequarter, in gaining a place iu the New’ Zealand Maori team. E'iiysieally, Robinson is the beau ideal of a, threequarter. He is built on the lines of an All Black line-out forward, and ho has pace and a swerve—a difficult man to stop when, with the ball under his arm, he goes for the lino.' Reports of his performance in the Maori trial games m the North Island are enthusiastic. It is stated that he “put it all over” Falwasser, liis immediate opponent. ' The biggest man playing football in Australia is said to be H. Liebke, who plays Rugby League tor Queensland. Liebke, who is 22, stands 6ft 4in, and weighs lo stone 7Jib. His span from finger tip to finger tip, with arms outstretched, is 6ft 7£in. With arms extended above his head he stretches Bft His chest when normal measures 43£in. Thigh and calf measurements are and 16in respectively. When not in serious training Liebke tips the scale at 16 stone 61b. What do the Brownlie brothers say to this ? 0•• • • Amateur players who represent New South Wales in Rugby League in future are to secure an honour cap and a' blazer, not to exceed £3 3s. Those players who represented New South Wales against Queensland twice recently are to receive £5 os. The reserves who attended for the first match against Queensland are to receive £1 for loss of time. For the Newcastle match £1 5s is to be given to players and reserves who made the trip, and os for personal expenses on Sunday. The committee recommended that this, should apply only to those that played and trained. Training allowances were £1 per day for loss of time for each man. HARRIERS (By “Pacemaker. - ”) To-day’s fixtures—Brooklyn, at Island Bay; Hutt Valley; Olympic, at Boys’ Institute; Scottish, Hislop memorial race, at Miramar; Wellington, Lyall Bav. o*oo Last week's big event was held at Miramar in the form of a 10-mile race for the Vosseler shield. The weather was fair, but most of the runners found the going very heavy. Although this year’s fastest time was about 4 minutes slower than last year’s, the average running was as good. o*oo Bibhy, who registered fastest time, 1 hour 7 minutes, ran a well judged race, and hv leaving Kent when he did, showed that he has not been running ail these years for nothing. Kent has been running for several year v s now, and has many creditable performances to his name. His running last Saturday shows that he is in particularly good form, and that he should have no difficulty in gaining a place in Hie Wellington provincial team for the New Zealand championships next month. 0 0. 0 • Cook, of Olympic, showed that he also is a likely man for the Wellington team. Olympic threw away all chances of winning anything in the teams race by not* taking into consideration the possibility of accidents. If tbey had entered," say, 12 men, instead of 10, they should have stood a good chance of relieving Hutt. Valley of tho shield. 0 0 * 0 It is a pitv that Brooklyn and Scottish were unable to enter teams. At present theso clubs are not very strong numerically, although they were represented in the race by individual runners. 0 0 0 • The race was controlled by the Wellington Harrier Clubhand though they were not successful in winning th® trophy they had tho satisfaction of knowing that all their members who started completed the distance. T. Mulcahy and J. Slmnpard ran exceptionally well, and 11. Bills improved his position in tho second lap. Next week this club will hold its B grade championship at Lyall Bay. *o*o To-day the Scottish Club are inaujfurating the Hislop memorial rose-bowl race, over a distance of approximately 10,000 meters. It is to bo a handicap event. The trophy has been generously donated by Mrs T. W. Hislop in memory of her husband, the late Hon. T. W. Hislop, M.L.C., who was for many years an ardent supporter of the club. The response for notes from club renorter« for this column has been very disappointing. It is impossible for the writer to gain first-hand information of tho doings of each club, and full justice to the doings of individual runners can onlv he gained by personal observation and criticism. Ted Scott, the Now Zealand press-man-middleweight, may not have sot the Thames on fire by his boxinfe since reaching England, but there is no doubting his grit (says tho Melbourne “Globe”). He has shown it in a couple of contests, and his latest illustration was x>r°vided in a match against Bergeron, champion of Norway, at Stockholm, Inst week. On the train trip he crushed bis hand, and when he reached Stockholm lie had to have hospital treatment. An operation was performed the night before the fight, and everybody expected Scott would drop out. Not so. Tie went on with the engagement. 1 hough restricted to one hand for attack. Naturally he was beaten on points, hut. the authorities were so impressed by Ids that thov have arranged a return contest. Well done \

SOCCER

Now that the first round of the F.A. trophy is a thing of tho past tho Wellington Association and selectors will b© able to look round and consider wliat is to be don© to get together a team to go down to Ot-a’go. That some radical changes are necessary is apparent, and it remains to be seen to what extent Wellington will profit by the lesson learned last Saturday.

No time should be lost in looking, for good men, making a selection and getting them fit, but the W.F.A. might well take a leaf out of Auckland’s book, and suspend club games on one Saturday and jday a reps. v. tho rest match on the Basin. Such a game would undoubtedly be an attraction. When the representative men have been selected other selectors should pick the rest, and such a match would be particularly interesting. A real try out is wanted, and the Wellington team never had any try out beyond the rep. trial match at Kelburn.

That a responsible official of the W.F.A. should make such audible and sarcastic comment to tho selectors on the Basin Reserve last Saturday was surely an exhibition of bad taste. Such observations might well have been reserved for an occasion less public. Some people seem to have no idea of the fitness of things. The selectors have a lot to put up with.

One question which will have to be faced is the selection of a goalkeeper. Tarrant, owing to his present illness, will be practically out of the question, and Ewing’s display last Saturday was

not up to representative standard by a long way. McVean 'as his supporters, but his displays have not all been first-class. This brings us down to the only goalie" left for consideration, and that is Porteous, of Hospital. Wc fully appreciate the reason which has led to the exclusion of Porteous from representative teams in recent years, and it may reasonably be urged that he has now seen the error of liis ways, and if selected his conduct would be in keeping with that- of the rest' of the team. #0«0 Porteous is undoubtedly one of the best goalies in Wellington at the present time, and Wellington will need his services. Fewer goals have been scored against him than any goalie in the association. Let bygones he bygones, and give a good man an opportunity to show that he has made good. How a weak man between the sticks will let a side down Wellington knows to its cost, and a little common sense and magnanimity on the part of those concerned will result in the next W cllington team being a much stronger one than that which lost to Auckland. # A member of the New Zealand Council who believes in looking ahead intends to unfold a scheme in the neaT future in the direction of establishing a colonial football club in the Old Country. The idea is that the Dominions—Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand—should form a company or constitutional body which should purchase a ground somewhere near London. It would no doubt be necessarv to secure tho sanction of the English Football Association to the scheme, but if the Dominion associations are unanimous in the project there seems no reason why it should not eventuate. # The next step would be to secure admission to one of the leagues, say the third Southern Division, ana also to enter for the English Cup. One of the Dominions —say Canada to start with would send about 30 of her best players to the Old Country. A hostel should be provided on the ground, with offices and tho usual equipment, grandstands, etc., and a permanent manager ana staff appointed. For the first year a Canadian team would battle for its place in whichever division it was admitted to. At the end of the year the whole thing would be handed over to South Africa as possibly the next strongest association, and they would do their best to improve on the position as vacated by Canada. Then would come Australia and New Zealand, so that every fourth year one of the Dominions would send a team Home to play in the class of football in which it would find its place. * * 0 * In view of the publicity which such a scheme would give to the Dominions possibly the Governments concerned would bo willing to subsidise the scheme until it became established, especially in securing the ground. Plenty of London provincial games draw local crowds of 5000 and upwards, thing liko the third division should de considerably bettor than that. o*** Supposing the Dominions were prepared to consider the scheme it would probably take five years to get in going order. Canada, and in fact all the Dominions, would lie in a much stronger position by that time, and the standard of plav improved if only by reason of the importation of players from the Old Country in the intervening vonrs. It would thus be eight or ten vears before Australia s or New Zealand’s turn came, by which tune i.lir* game in both countries should infinitely superior to what it is to-day. iv: the population of this country will

have increased tremendously in that time. What matter if the team lost every match in the first year. It would be a question of finding the level upon which the Dominions coukl meet "Home teams upon something like even terms, although to start with the third division is aiming rather high. Some of the members of the New Zealand Council do not realise wbat is tho standard of play even iu the third division, and the experiences of a New Zealand team for one season in the third division would probably give them a huge shock. That the Dominion players would profit by .the lessons they would learn cannot be doubted, and the value of those lessons to our local clubs on their return to New Zealand cannot be estimated, hut it would improve the standard of play in New Zealand beyond measure. They would be able to act as coaches to tho different clubs, and the result would so improve the game that Soccer would make much greater headway. Some such scheme is necessary to bring the dominions together. In the past we have advocated a Dominion conference to placo SocceT on a stronger footing, and to have a definite scheme for an interchange or visits to and from overseas. Ordinary touring teams, the negotiations for which are usually conducted from year to year, are always somewhat hazardous and prolonged and are always liable to a sudden hitch in the negotiations knocking the thing on the head as was the case with Australia this year. Even so the players are continually travelling about, jostled from pillar to post, hardly sleep twice m the same bed, and what with feting and entertainment are fairly well done up at the end of the trip. What is wanted is a definite arrangement as to the payment of cost of assembly, steamer, and train fares, hotel expenses, allowances to players, medical attention, trainers, etc. Once these matters were definitely decided upon by the four Dominions negotiations for exchanges or visits could bo much more easily arranged. The question of division of profits would also be settled onco and foi all To-day Y.M.C.A. and Hospital meet at the Basin Reserve in the local final of the Chatham Cup, and there is. so little difference between the position of th© teams in the league table that the outcome is hard to sec. Hospital will be a very hard team to beat, but Y.M.C.A. have a knack of rising to the occasion. Tho old club lias had some nasty setbacks with its players in the way of losses and injuries, but with all the reverses arc second in the league, with Hospital two points ahead. It will bn a kern and hard game, and tho result should be decided by about the best in Hire©*

BOXING

The Canterbury amateur boxing championship© will be held, in the Caledonian Hall on July 21st and 22nd. A bumper entry is expected this year, and probably country districts will be well represented. Some of the English boxing enthusiasts still hold the hope that one day Phil Scott will be a contender for the heavy-weight crown of the world, but it looks very much as if their hopes will never be realised, for though ho boxes well he lacks tho fury, stamina and enthusiasm for his work that are evssential in one of tho world’s champion class. Trevor Wignall, England’s groaUifife authority on boxing, does not incliulo him in the first four heavyweights after Jack Dempsey. Although Dempsey, after sparring with Scott in England, said that ho was full of promise. 11l Wignall’s opinion Tommy Milligan, the middle-weight, and Elky Clark* the flyweight, are the only British boxers at present likely to wear a world’s crown, and he thinks Frankie Gonaro would be too good £or Clark. Speed and a good reach, allied to the first-class knowledge of the fighting business, were the main attributes that carried Ignacio Fernandez to victory over Midget Kilburn at Sydney recently. The stocky little American gave the fans a great “run for their money,” and though he was beaten, he was far from disgraced.. Indeed, as he left the ring, lie received an oration that brought a smile to his battered face. Kilburn had over half a stone pull in the weights, but the long roach and height of the Manila man more than off Vet this. Tho Manila hoy is only a bantam-weight, and

since coming ao Austialia has fought right out of his class. Any Australian bantams would be “pie” for the brown-skinned youth, and perforce he took on - the feathers. He lias completely gone through the ranks of the nine-stoners, and this says a deal for him. He is one of the classiest little scrappers to come to Australia, and though he has three defeats at the hands of Grime, he has an excellent record. Taking with them good Australian money, Len Johnson and his father have sailed for England According to Slam Sullivan, who looked after Johnson, the English boxer is to meet Tommy Milligan for a £ISOO purse. He is also to meet Ted Moore, Jack Hood, and others. Patsy Burke reckons “Old 1 Bill” Johnson is going, to buy a hotel in England. When Len gets through with all his big fights in England he is very generously g* ing to visit Australia again and earn some more of the product of the Sydney mint.

GOLF

The Hutt-Miramar match last Saturday enabled 24 juniors from each club, ahead of whom aro at least SO others in each club, to got some experience in match play against outside players. That there was a difference of only one match on the 24 games played speaks well for tho standard of handicapping.

Here's news for you Scotsmen. Andrew Hamilton, secretary of the Hint Club, holed out in one at Potiki, Miramar's sixth, on Saturday, and the usual celebration followed. But next day, at Hutt, his elubmatcs demanded that they should have the chance to mark the event, and the hole proved considerably more expensive than Hamilton could have anticipated. Evidently ho did not know that tradition demanded only one bottle. Actually the matter ended at Miramar. • • * • Johnsonville have a promising boy in A. F. Clapcott, who won the club stroke competition held last Saturday. Clapcott, still on a 21* handicap, plays a nice, easy prime, and with greater consistency will find his handicap much lower very soon. • * • • K. Daniell, who won the president's handicap at Ranui, failed to qualify for the captain's tnvohv. • • • * If young E. C. Gorton, who beat Professor Rankine Brown so badly in the Hutt-Miramar teams match on Saturday, shows that he can hold his form, he will not long bo among the juniors. •** • * The winner of the Kirk ball this week was Berry, with a score of 33. Mr R. C. Kirk, himself, did a 33 on the course last Saturday, but not in tho competition. • * # # Raimi, who aro now going in quest of

the Nathan Cup, will rely on their top eix men this time. The match will be played on July 27th. Hutt, since winning the cup from Ranui some weeks ago, have staved off challenges by TVaiwetu, Miramar, and Masterton. and Manawotu are said to be in the offing. • ♦ * * It's a great game! Dunbar Sloane was four down when going to the seventh in his first match with K. Daniell for the president's trophy at Ranui, and squared the match on the last green. Sloane was five uo with six holes to be played the second time the men met, and lost the game! Sloane missed a twelve inch put on the last green to square the matdh. Two more cases of strong finishing. C. Moxted was five down with 6ix to go in his match with E. Biden when Kama and Moraington mot. Inst week-end, and went on to win four of the remaining holes and halve two. A. J. Murray was two down with four to go. and squared his game with T. Campbell. * • * • Hutt have found that they possess too many players to hold the tombstone match, which is listed for to-do.y, and there will be an alteration to the programme in consequence. Instead there will be played a medal in which the competitors will play m uoublc couples, and start at the Ist and 10th tees. This will relieve the congestion caused bv 80 players attempting to get round the course. A tombstone match, with everyone beginning at the same tee, would* be impossible. • • • * • Tho Atkins Cup competition, played at Waiwetu on handicap, provided a surprise last week-end. when A. StunnclU a comparative beginner on a 24 hanni 8 * cap, boat H. R. Adamson an B—6 man. 2 up. Stunncll was once five up, and the lend wa« too much for Adamson. * • * • The eclectic competition, played at Manor Park for the past four week-ends for a trophy presented by the late Fred Hood, has just finished. Edward Pankhurst was the winner, with a score of 77 —28—M. * # * Miss N. Lee, a promising girl, was the winner of the silver spoon competition, plnved at Waiwetu la<st week-end. The trnnhy is for a bogey competition. • • • • Waiwetu intend to put on an all-day competition shortly to raise funds for the Blind Institute in Auckland. The exact form has not vet been decided, but four-ball and two-ball matches will bo played by both men and woincn, and the minimum entrance fee will be is. Bigger fees will not be refused^ A GREAT PLAYER In tho British amateur championship at Muirfield there . was no match mor© eagerly looked forward to than that between Bobby Jones and .Robert Harris, whose names appeared in the same section of the draw, and who, provided they survived the earlier rounds, must clash in tho fourth round. .Tones was amateur champion of America, Harris was amateur champion of Britain—it was an international match of the first quality, and several thousand spectators turned out to see it. As often happens in coif, the match was a disappointment, for Harris equlu make no fight of it. “It wasn't, a battle, but a rout." Mr Bernard Darwin wrote, "but it gave the spectators the chance of seeing the best golfer in the world bin best." That opinion from Mr Darwin is of interest One of tho foremost British amateur golfers, and one of the best of the golf writers of to-day, Mr Darwin would not refer to Jones as the best golfer in tho world" without weighing his words. # # # At. the first hole {4soyds) Jones started with a 3, holing a pitch from tho edge •Tones ivns down in -I. wliMo ■ *' nliorl with his second and took •' the third (SSiiyds) .Tunes was Iflit from Hie pin with his second and holed Irmitt. Again Harris had a sound l>»r hnt lost (he hole. .Tones imule a me--of the short fourth 'Hflydsd. as he hm’ ■ done several times before, taking a m

it, and Harris won with a par 3. The fifth (507yds) and sixth. (458yds) Jones got in merciless fours and won them both. Harris getting par s's. At the seventh (170yds) -Tones got his three ami won, Harris taking 4. Another 4 at the eighth (465yds par 5) put Jones 6 up. und the ninth (475yds) was 'halved in par

Notwithstanding his 5 at tho .short fourth, .Tones was out in 35 as against, a par of 38. Going on he got the tenth green (459yds) in two great shots and holed tho putt for 3 and a win. At the eleventh (359yds) both got fours, and at the twelfth (380yds) Jones was down in 4 again to Harris's 5 and the match went to tho American. 8 up and 6. As Bernard Darwin said, the 3 at the tenth was enough to break anybody's heart, and Harris could do no more than carry >tli© hopeless struggle to the twelfth green. Bobby Jones’s visit to Britain in 1926 will long be remembered not only for his win in the open championship, but also for his signal defeat of Harris in the amateur championship, and his rout of Cyril Tolley (generally regarded as the best amateur match player in England) in the Walker Cup , matches at St. Andrews, 12 up. and 11 to play.

Mr W. C. Fownes, jun., president of the United States Coif Association, and several of his colleagues on the executive committee, accompanied the American Walker Cup team to England. All Fownes has been for some time chairman of the Implements Committee of tho U.S.G.A., and it is a matter ot common knowledge that in consequence of exhaustive experiments, he is strongly in favour of altering the specifications limiting the size and weight of the ball. He believes that tho use of a slightly larger and lighter ball will improve the game for all classes of players.

“The easiest shot in golf/’ suggests Toppum, “is neither the conceded putt nor the practice swing at a cigar butt. It is the dream shot played before you have swung a club for tlie new season. This shot, without fail, rises gracefully and sails from 250 to 300 yards down the middle of the course. I never have missed one in my life. They are all perfect. Playing these dream shots with every club I have frequently gone around my home course in 56, which is 12 under the course record. And f might add something like 43 under my o\Vh be«t record.’ Poalino, the Basque woodchopper, had an easy task in felling the Englishman, Harry Drake, in their encounter at the Cirque de Paris. He walked up and delivered two or three apparently feeble punches and Drake collapsed. That was all very nice for tho Spaniard, but did not meet with the approval of the customers (says an' Australian writer.) Five thousand yelling Frenchmen threw eggs, apples, bananas, electric light bulbs and sundry other missiles in their effort to emphasise their point of view. They screamed invective as only Frenchmen can. When a Frenchman is in a good mood, lie is very, very good; but when in a had mood- hois horrid. He speaks with his voice, his arms, legs, face and ears. He leaves nothing to the imagination. • Tho crowd broke their own record on this occasion, and after they had expressed themselves the lot walked out.

HOCKEY SENIOR. A GRACE.

His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Charles Fergusson, has accepted the position of patron of the Now Zealand Hockey Association. As the New Zealand team filed out to plav the Indian Army side in the first hockey Tbrt, the band struck up “God Defend New Zealand.” Well, you can dr:. 7, own conclusions. The Wairarapa Association has agreed to send a team to play Wellington on July 31st. The Wellington Association agreed to endeavour to arrange a match at Carterton next Saturday. Air Ash Edwards is to select the Wellington team for Carterton, and Mr T. J, Brennan to manage it. In consequence of a report from the chairman of the grounds committee, that an early game was played at Karon Park when all early games had been declared postponed, the W.H.A. resolved that it be a rule of the association that on any occasion when early games are postponed on account of the state of grounds no players shall play or practice before the commencement of 3 o’clock games. *#*-■» At a recent meeting of the executive of the Now Zealand Association, a cablegram was received from the

Indian Reform League, Fiji, askin" for a match against the Indiui Armv team, but the request was rejected, owing to travelling difficulties.

The Canterbury Association has entered a challenge for the Znnol Cup.

At the weekly meeting of the Wel- , lington Association, the resigna- ‘ tipn from the position of chairman of | the management committee by Mr P. j J. Atkinson, was received with great ! regret. Mr Atkinson fins been forced i to this decision owing to business reasons, and his loss will be felt by the 1 executive very keenly. Members ! took the opportunity of expressing ; their appreciation of Mr Atkinson’s 1 services, and lie will be the guest of I the executive at their annual dinner I on the 21st.

“I would ask all young players to , concentrate on stick work as much as possible, remembering that hockey is essentially a game played with tho I stick,” said Captain D. T. Cowan. 1 prior to the Indian Army team’s ■ departure from Christchurch. “The stick, in conjunction with the eye, should bft called upon to do all the work throughout the game. I hav? noticed a tendency to use too heavi a stick. This is’ an error, whethet the ground be wet or dry. and I aidvise that no stick heavier than 220 zbe used. To quicken up the game, the foot should be used as seldom as possible by the full-back: never, if possible, bv the halves, and never by the forwards. If the ground is very rough, the hand could he used occasionally in conjunction with the stick, in stopping- In training a hockey team, I do not allow either the halves or tho forwards to tkc anything but their sticks. Like everything else, players will find that practice makes perfect v

A bout aT t l .e Melbourne Stadium recently grrVv one wag an excellent opportunity. One boxer, Mayne, proved himself an excellent taker: lefts rained on his face as if from a compressed air riveter. It was during cme of his many taking periods that a galleryite yelled out: “Send him Home as an extra wicketkeeper; he doesn’t miss a thing!”

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