BOWLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22100, 2 November 1933, Page 4

BOWLING

By Jack. FIXTURES December 25.—Christmas pairs tournament. North Otago tournament. December 30. —Southland Centre’s tournaJanuary 8. —New Zealand championship , tournament. . February 10.—Elderly Bowlers Day, February 21. —Otago v. Southland, at Invercargill. INTERCLUB CHAMPIONSHIP The interclub championship competition, which was commenced on Saturday afternoon, was not too well favoured in the matter of weather. A heavy shower fell shortly after play started and although it then remained fine until the games were nearly completed, the greens were rendered heavy, and many players had difficulty in “getting up.” Twenty-three clubs are taking part in the competition this season as against 22 last year, the new-comer being Waikouaiti, which entered one section (three rinks). Five clubs secured the maximum number of points (12)—Green Island, Outram, St. Clair, West Harbour, and Waikouaiti. Balmacewen and North-East Valley each won three sections out of four, gaining nine championship points, Dunedin won "four out of six sections and Kaikorai (last season’s winners) two out of three, efich gaining eight points, Caledonian following with 7 1-5 points (three secout of five).' Heavy scoring was done by some rinks. In the game between North-East Valley and Logan Park Boyland (North-East Valley) amassed 30 points to Wallace’s 3. In the same section Burleigh (North-East Valley) scored 20 to Robb’s 8, and Colbert (North-East Valley) 28 to Thompson’s 10, the totals being 78 to 28 in Valley’s favour. S. Hutchison was Logan Park’s most successful skip, his tally being 28 to Hopkins’s 13, but Sanders (Logan Park) also did well in scoring 25 to M'Donald’s 14. M'Govern (Logan Park) crashed heavily against Kirkwood (NorthEast Valley), his total being 10 to the Valley skip’s 30. Caledonian met Roslyn in four sections, winning two and losing two, and in the odd section Caledonian • had a very easy 'victory over Leith. In this section Beatson (C.) ran up the huge total of 42 to Usher’s 4. Against Roslyn J. Smith (C.) scored 30 to F. Anderson’s 12, but Jones (R.) more than made amends by defeating Aitcheson (C.) by 34 points to 6. Remarkable scoring occurred in the game, between West Harbour and Leith. In one section not one of the* three Leith rinks reached double figures, while the lowest score by West Harbour was 29. The total for the section was West Harbour 105, Leith 26. This must approach a record for interchib games. The scores were; Connor 39. Watson 9; Kay 37. Holmes 9; Silver 29, Johnston 8. Waikouaiti is to be congratulated in securing the maximum points in its first interclub game in the Dunedin Centre. The' following table gives the results of Saturday’s interclub games and the championship points scored by each club.

THE PROPER GRIP Opinion is widely divided as to the correct grip in delivering a bowl. In Dunedin probably 90 per cent, of bowlers use the side grip, and Dunedin possesses many of the foremost Singles players in the Dominion. To take a few, W. Foster, J. Scott, W. Carswell, E. Harraway, G. Deare, all adopt the side grip. “ Boomerang,” the bowls writer in the Sydney Referee, who; by the way, is an expert exponent of the game, is a staunch advocate of the thumb grip—that is, the thumb placed over the top of the bowl as near the centre as possible, and it must be admitted that “ Boomerang ” in his arguments is never illogical. In a recent article on the subject “Boomerang” says: It takes the expert billiardist to define what “ life ” —known in some shots as “side” —means in the compilation of a break, or the execution of a particular shot. That,“ life ” that is an outstanding feature of good billiards has a relation toi all ball games—tennis, cricket, baseball particularly, and, of course, bowls. All young bowlers should get a thorough knowledge of the importance of being able to put “life” into their bowls. That is one of the arguments, among many, that I advance when claiming that my grip method is the only and all-correct one. Try to imagine a man minus a thumb. He would, as a matter of compulsion, have to sit his bowl in the palm of his hand after the style of the player who places his thumb on or in the immediate vicinity of the side disc. What “ life ” could he impart to a bowl? That gives you a line to what control, or life, the player can give his bowl who places Ins thumb where it is unable to spin the object. It is also not generally known that the player who does not place his thumb oh top is forced to grass his bowl much further ahead than the man who can retain the grip and control right up to the point of delivery. The dumper, palmer, or sitter cannot as accurately gauge the number of revolutions required for a given length as the spinner or thumb-gripper. In short ends, when the green is' very keen, it is best illustrated. I remember an occasion that will illustrate my point to a nicety:— At Wellington in 1929 the green was “ fiery,” and Ardcll was giving my rink “ baby ” lengths—just the bare. Both sides were runnnlg beyond the jack in a most ludicrous fashion, particularly my fellows. A bowl dropped with the least effort went sailing way, and caused much amusement.

On such a length the palmer, or man ■who went to the side with his thumb, had no chance whatever. There was one in the rink, no matter which side, and he absolutely was unable to control his

length owing to the fact that he had to green his bowl further afield than the thumb-gripper, and lost control. I found that. here was where that “ life ”I am referring to came in. By bending well down, and making the elevation at its lowest point, almost, the fingers and thumb in unison with thef wrist were able to just spin, or flick, the bowl sufficiently to overcome any tendency to fast-running. . You would term that * touch, a s >' just as J preach in upholding the fingersthumb grip, you can only get that touch by holding the bowl with your fingers and thumb, delicately giving it that bit of life that is impossible to the palmer, or dumper. Take a set of snooker balls, 22 in number, and stand at the baulk end of the table. Now invite any man to compete with you who bowls with his thumb at the side, stipulating that he must roll the snooker balls the same as he rolls his bowls. Whereas you, if you are a finger-thumb gripper, can roll those balls to fractions of an inch to the end cushion, the other would have no control, aud invariably be beaten in a show-down, x

I issue, that ■ challenge to , any man, that, without he placed his thumb on the billiard ball, and not at the side, he would never win a game. And to pet back to our lesson, it is all a question of “ life,” making the bowl or ball part of yourself, sympathetic with the work in hand; nerve-sense, touch, control, all of which are lost to the palmer, dumper, or sitter; the man who goes to the_ side. Of course I am not out to ridicule or hurt the feelings of the player who has palmed or gone to the side all his bowling days. Rather do I sympathise; but I won’t have him interfere with, or try to undo, the good work I have in hand. August Myers takes up the correct and admirable position, for he tells his pupils to disregard certain things that he does, and to follow implicitely those laid down by “ Boomerang.” That is a fine spirit, and one which I commend to those engaged in the losing fight of opposing the thumb methods I propound.

Wins. Losses. Points. Green Island .. 3 — 12 Outram 1 ' 12 StJ Clair .. 4 — 12 Waikouaiti .. .. 1 — 12 West Harbour .. 2< 12 »Balmacewen .. 3 1 9 North-Bast Valley 3 1 9 Dunedin .. 4 2 8 Kaikorai 2 1 8 Otan'O .. .. .. 2 1 8 Caledonian .. .. 3 2 71-5 Anderson’s Bay .. 2 2 6 Port Chalmers .. 1 1 6 Roslyn .. .. ■ ... 2 2 6 Taieri .. .. .. 1 1 6 Kaituna .. 1 3 3 St. Hilda .. 1 3 3 Cavevshara .. .. 1 4 2 2-5 Fairfield , , — 1 * Leith .. .. • . ' 4 — Logan Park .. . . 3 — Mornington .. • • 3 . Tainui .. .. . .1 ' 2 —