Searchlight on Sport

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19371, 8 July 1937, Page 8

Searchlight on Sport

(By “Four-Forty.”)

The Mnrylebone Cricket Club recently celebrated its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. In 178 G a Jacobite, Thomas Lord, was a member of a club called the "White Conduit” and after a split Lord decided to move to a new ground. Eventually he settled down where Lords now is. The ground cost £18,333 Gs 8d but is now probably worth more than £2,000,000, The M.C.C. has a tie of red and yellow stripes which about 7000 members can wear, if they feel like doing so. If you want to join this club it usually takes about 20 years to do so. It is no longer allowable to put your son’s name do\vn at birth for membership, for he must wait until he is 14 years of age. This is the ground where the New Zealand cricket team played their first test match at the beginning of the week.

At the Sydney Sports Ground on a recent Sunday 30,117 paid admission of £852 to witness an athletic and cycling carnival in aid of certain charities. The attendance was 2000 short of the record for the ground. In a race against a cyclist and a greyhound F. Bradley, the winner of. this year’s Stawell Gift, won by 13yds. from the cyclist, J. Beer, with (he dog Ivd. further back. Bradley and Beer both received 40yds. start in the 100yds.

The oldest amateur harrier club in Australia is the Melbourne Harrier Club, which was formed in 1890. Two of its original members, B. J. Parkinson and J. Newton, were present at the annual four-mile teams race held recently.

Is this a record? An application for a trainers’ license has been made to the New .South Wales Cycling League by Mrs. H. Worthington. Asked to nominate her charge, she replied: “My husband.” The “boys” say that this was a hit under the be' for Harry, it being recognised that cyclist must always do what his *rr"’ er says.

Alf (“Snowy”) Burns lost his Australian professional sculling chan pionship when he was defeated by Evans Paddon on the Richmond River recently. Bums has held the title since 1926, when he was handed th r title by Jim Paddon, the father of thr Present holder. In the race for flv till? this season Burns used n new boat bruit bV George To •’••r.. w’rh. I’nddon preferred on* Ivvlt «r> T.ugl l ues and which was lift, longer a l ' Jin. extra in the beam than the one that Bums used. The measurements of the men were:— Burns Paddon.

Now that Paddon has won this race it is expected that overtures will be made to Bobby Pearce, the world’s champion, to defend his title in Australia early next season. Pearce is also an Australian, but has been living in America for some years.

W. E. Merritt, the ex-Canterbury and New Zealand slow bowler, opened the season well in the Lancashire league matches. Playing against the East Lancashire team, which includes G. L. Constantine, the famous West Indian, Merritt made 70 runs and took three wickets.

The enthusiasm for the game of lawn tennis in France is well demonstrated by the fact that 15,000 children have been given lessons during the last few months at the Stade Roland Garros, Paris, \bv Jean Borotra, Suzanne Lenglen and other famous players.

The following are the record attendances for Rugby, League and Association matches played in New Zealand:—Rugby.—4s,2so people saw tire third test against Great Britain played at Eden Park, Auckland, 1930. League. —38,500 people at the first test between New Zealand and England played on the Auckland Domain, 1920. Association. —26,000 people saw the match between Auckland and Chinese Universities played on the Domain, 1924. By the interest that is being taken in the visit of the South African Rugby team this year it appears as though the Rugby figures will be greatly exceeded this season.

The English amateur soccer team will play two matches in Sydney, and it is expected that over 50,000 people will see them in action. The matches are to be played on the Cricket Ground, and the first will be against New South Wales and the second the first test match against Australia.

Don Bradman, besides making a name for himself as a cricketer and golfer, may yet become a champion in another sport. In his first interclub match at squash racquets he defeated G. A. Turnbull, a brother of Don Turnbull, in a match that lasted for 45 minutes, by 5—9, 9—l, 9—7. 9—7. Don Turnbull is the squash racquet champion of South Australia, and on Bradman’s display ho is expected to fully extend him when they meet. According to Mr. A. T. Campbell, Chicago’s recreation director, if Bradman was as good at baseball a® he is at cricket lie would make GO.OOf dollars (£12,000) in a six months’ baseball season in the U.S.A., bid Bradman will not play the game.

Eddie Spillane, the Canterbury and South Island representative who went to England in 1929 to play League for Wigan, is returning to his homeland. He is rated as the best scrum half that New Zealand has produced, according to overseas views. After two seasons with Wigan he transferred to Keighley, and last season became captain and coach for Bradford Northern, which club lie brought to the front.

Golfers may soon be able to insure themselves against holing out in one. The idea originated in Auckland, New Zealand, and is being taken up by Lloyd's brokers in England. One broker said that if sufficient business could be obtained it would be a very good risk. “The company would pay £5. I think it could be done in England for a very small premium,” he said, “just n matter of a few shillings a year.” In a recent test carried out in New York 1085 strokes failed to produce a hole in one.—Cape Argus.

BASKETBALL IN WAIROA MID-WEEK. MATCHES Aigi'i o ‘.V-iS a ica’.UTC of some of the basketball mid-week games played yesterday in vVairoa, and the results are as follow: — A Grade.—High School A 30 beat Redwing 3; Rovers 12 beat Waiau 6; Wanderers beat United. ■ B Grade.—High School A 15 beat Convent A 12.

33 years Age 23 years list 41b. Weight 12st 121b. 5ft. 8] in. Height 6ft. Gft. 2in. Reach' 6ft.2Jin. 38in. Chest (normal) 41in. 40 Jin. Chest (expanded) 43Jin. 32Jin. Waist 32-fin. 40in. Hips 41in. 21 Jin. Thigh 23£in. 14Jin. Calf 14Jin. 12in. Upper arm lliin. 12in. Forearm 11 jin. 7Jin. Wrist 7in.