SPORTS COSTUMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18954, 30 August 1923, Page 4

SPORTS COSTUMES.

CREATING AN ,ATMOSPHERE ON PLAYING FIELDS. Can it be (asks a correspondent of the Manchester Guardian) that the costume affected at Troon by Walter Hagen, the great American golfer, will have a permanent effect on our games? It seems that Hagen played in a peacock blue knitted jacket, a light heliotrope sweater, a black bow, very light grey tweed knickerbockers and grey stockings, and white buckskin shoes with black facings. It is added that “ho looked the least excited man on the course,” and one can quite believe it; excitement and perhaps envy would bo the attitude for his beholder. There are still some surly old purists in the matter of golf, costume, and a plus player from the North was heard to say lately that he would like to make a bonfire of all the linen jackets much affected by city players who make time for an evening round after their day's work; but it seems obvious that it would bo much easier for all clubs arranging competitions to exact a “gate,” if golfers entered into competition to outHagen Hagen. There might be special prizes also attached to these competitions with feminine judges: and a player who had torn up his card at the thirteenth hole might still carry o(F some substantial token of his prowess hy receiving the prize for the most dazzling costume. I sec (continues the correspondent) great possibilities for those county cricket clubs which are being plagued by writers in the press to give us “brighter cricket.” There would bo much larger attendances if players were given a free hand in the matter of costume. Imagine what cornpolition there might be between bowlers and batsmen with Parkin devising costumes to dazzle the eye oven of Hobbs, and Hobbs retaliating with n colour scheme which would put Cook off his leno-th for an afternoon. Even ordinary fieldsmen would have their chance, and Hitch at very silly leg in a, crimson skirl and sky-blue trousers min-hv be oven more irritating to nervous batsmen than he used to be to P. F. Warner. And think of the terrifying effect of a maroon Gregory hurtling to the bowling crease 1