THE PLAYGROUND.

Southland Times, Issue 17230, 28 December 1912, Page 10

THE PLAYGROUND.

PAST AND FUTURE ATHLETICS CRICKET, BOWLING, ETC. EDITED BT “ ONLOOKER.*

The 4.7 th annual gathering and games Of the Caledonian Society of Southland take place on Wednesday next. Long distance runner A. fouling appears to have come had: to form, but lie will need to make liny while the sun chines as 11. .McLeod and McQueeen have ■rityays to po reckoned with. .a. black fox reared on an estate at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, during the last seven years produced forty-five descendants, which were sold for £43,00h. Figures of this nature have to be placed to the discredit of the fair sex.

Australian crack, and carried oft this big annual event with a score of 2660 miles.

It transpires that the time for the recent Walker-I’ostle match, won by the former, was 0 3-3 th secs, not 0 2-sth secs, as cabled. With Jack Donaldson and C. E. Holway Keg. Walker and A. B. Postle are the fastest sprinters In the world. Some time ago Walker, Postle. and Donaldson figured in a tliroe-cornered contest, over several distances, and the Victorian proved victorious. Postle is considered to be on the down grade, hut still he would have had to put up a phenomenal run to beat the South African. The time is very much slower than Donaldson's world's best of 9 3-8 secs, and places Walker on a still liiger pedestal in the athletic world, Pos tie's (the “Crimson Flash") best distance is SO yards, and over that stretcli he would no doubt prove t\ alker's superior.

A boom in wrestling Is expected In London. Lemm is first in the field with a challenge to Georges HackenBchmiclt. /

A record was recently established in London for a one-day dog show, the entry for, the Kensington Canine Society's exhibition numbering 270!. The driver of a hearse was fined £2 the other day for exceeding ttie speed limit. It was a motor hearse, and it happened, of course, in New A ork. Guessing the number of pips in a marrow is said to be the latest pastime among the inhabitants of Great Baddaw. Essex, and It threatens to become a craze.

There is a chance of Australia being well represented in the big European road races next season, for U. Klrkham and J. Wilson, of Victoria, and F. Keefe of Tasmania, are thinking of going to France with the object of competing in such events as the BordeauParis, Paris Rouhalx, Tour de France, etc. It would indeed be interesting to see Klrkham (at ills best) pitted against the crack European road riders, but to have a chance of success in the big classic contests, it would be necessary for him to join one of the road racing trade teams, for in France and Germany the best riders are retained by the leading cycle manufacturers. who in turn make most elaborate arrangements for the welfare of their representatives when competing in any of the classic road events. Without such assistance, even a rider of the calibre of Klrkham would bo at a great disadvantage. With a view to assisting Klnkham In this direction, the Dunlop Rubber Company have instructed their representative in Europe to Immediately approach the leading cycle manufacturers in France and see if an engagement can be secured for'Klrkham, and his great chum. J. Wilson, who is himself a rider of no mean order.

The Juvenile catch-entry events at the Lumsden Caledonian Society's games on Christmas Day, comprising wrestling, walking and running, were the most interesting that have ever come under tjie notice of the writer. An athleticloving community and president R. Hewitt were responsible. It is reported that a whirlwind which passed over the town of Que Que, Basutoland, carried a sheep two hundred yards and dropped it down a farmhouse chimney In to the parlour. The kitchen Would have been more convenient. The growth of American baseball is shown by the fact that, whereas in 1903 the spectators of the eight games for the World's Championship numbered 100.429, this year the same number of matches drew a. total attendance of 252,037.

A Sydney cablegram of December 27 states that matters connected with the rowing championship of Australia are badly tangled. Pearce’s time for acceptance of challenges by Towns, Felton. and Paddon expired on Tuesday night. Pearce states that although he covered. Felton’s deposit, he does not intend to row until he returns after meeting Barry. This means that he has practically forfeited the Australian championship. The question of who takes the title remains to be solved. Felton challenged from the Richmond Elver, but withdrew it and sent a challenge to Sydney. Before it arrived Towns and Paddon challenged and each claims priority. The programme for the annual sports meeting of the Limehllls Athletic Club, to take place on Wednesday, January 15th, has been placed on issue. The sports list comprises twenty-four events, and runners, jumpers, wrestlers, pipers, and dancers have beep catered fof. In lining a boy 2s fid for stealing a golf ball from Chingford golf course, the chairman of the magistrates at Waltham Abbey said that it golf players generally would refuse to buy balls from lads like the accused there would ,not be so many lost balls. The latest curiosity in the way Of joint-stock enterprises Is a company to undertake the malnte-nance of British prestige in athletic sports—at least (says Truth) that is its professed object. It is called Olympic Games, Limited. The printed particulars omit to mention the directors or any other officers of the company. The Irish Athletic Society’s programme for March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) was Issued during the week. The increase In the prize money for the long distance races is meeting with universal approval.

It will be remembered that mention was made in this column last week of a hamper of racing pigeons held at Stewart Island on behalf of the AA elllngton Homing Club, News Is to hand that the birds were subsequently despatched on their long journey and the winners put up record club time, homing early across Cook Strait on the morning of the second day. If asked to select the best six long distance road cycle riders Australasia has produced since 1900, the writer would place them in the following order of merit :—D. Kirkham Ist, J. Arnst 2nd. T. Larcombe 3rd, E. A. Pearson, the N.S.AV. amateur, 4th, F. T. Keefe sth, and I. R. Munro 6th. The two greatest road achievements are unquestionably Kirkham’s unpaced out and home "hundred” In 1 hours 30 minutes, and Pearson's Sydnfey-Melbourmi record of 572 miles In 19 hours.

Messrs Allen Doone (the well-known Irish actor) and Custance, who left Adelaide recently in an endeavour to establish a record between Adelaide and Sydney in a ear of 40 h.p., met with 6.. lot of -bad luck on the section from Melbourne to Sydney, after putting up a fine performance as far as the Victorian capital. Eight miles on the Sydney side of Albury. on Monday afternoon, a wheel broke and caused the record seekers to abandon the drive as a record, but they decided to continue the journey by road Just the same. and. as no previous record exists between Adelaide and Sydney. their time would have stood on record, whatever it was. More bad luck attended them the following day. however. for at Ficton a tyre blew out, and practically wrecked the car, although its occupants were uninjured. This ended the drive.

The honour of having secured the biggest bag of stags in the season of 1912 has fallen (says the Evening Standard) to Sir John Stirling-Max well, in whose forest of Corrour, in Inverness-shire, no fewer than 149 stags have fallen. Seventy stags Is the average annual yield of the Corrour forest, which extends to about 56.000 acres. Many of the best beasts were left untouched; but those killed included an imperial. The idea of reserving 56.000 acres for the upkeep of deer by one owner is hard to realise in New Zealand. It is safe to say that fishermen from all parts of the world have been whipping Southland’s streams during the Christmas holidays. ' The rivers all proved in good condition, but the weather at times was too close and there was a lack of wind. Pedestrian J. D, Forbes, of Gore, is running in magnificent form this season. Early in the season he accounted for the Orepuki Sheffield Handicap and on Boxing Day set the seal on his fame by carrying iff the Longridge and Balfour Sheffield Handicap (135 yards) from scratch.

Some angling record", of recent days are furnished by a well-known trout hunter :—Fishing in the Aparima river one evening this week Mr G. A. McKinnon captured ten fish aggregating 331bs in weight. The heaviest was 6% lbs and the lightest DAI lbs. During a week spent on the AA’alau river Messrs McGrath and Mclvor caught 50 fish weighing in total 2001bs Artificial and natural minnows were used to lure the trout to creel. BOZXNO. The Sydney Stadium contest to-night will be between Jean Poesy (France) and Herb, McCoy (Victoria). On New Year's Day Sydney ringsldcrs will see Maoriland Dave Smith in action against Ercole de Bal-sac (France) for the first time since he set out to visit England a«d America. Sam McVea lias probably deterloated in class during the past twelve months, as it was not his best form to be outpointed in twelve of thirteen rounds by Sam Langford on Boxing Day and finally stop a knock-out punch. It is hard to say how many times these negroes have met in the hempen square. The local ex-amateur feather weight Tommy “Thompson’’ Is leaving Invercargill next week on Ills way to Sydney, where he intends to follow his trade as an engineer and possibly figure In the Ting. His many friends will wish Tommy all kinds of good luck on his departure, as he is a very steady lad who long ago realised that to succeed as a boxer a man must sternly face many temptations which ordinary citizens do not lose much sleep over.

One bantam exhibited at the English International Poultry Show is said to have been unique. This extraordinary bird is a little white-bearded hen, and her owner, M. Van tier Veen, of The Hague, values her at £IOOO She is the only bird of this species in the world, and M. Van der Veen has spent six years in evolving iter from numerous crosses between other types.

Alfred Goullet, the Australian cyclist, who has ridden with great success in America this season, made an auspicious debut before the Parisian cycling public at the opening of the Winter track in Paris. Goullet not only defeated Victor Dupre, one of the fastest riders in Europe, in straight heats in a match race, but won bis heat in the “Overture Prize" in handy style. The Evening News is responsible for the latest dog story. A farmer living In Edale, in the same house with his son, was reading in his kitchen when a sheepdog belonging to his son came and tore down the paper from the fanner’s hands. When the farmer stooped to pick the paper up the dog took off his cap and went away with it. When the son came in wearing the cap the fattier naturally inquired where lie had got the cap from, and was told that the son. being out in the fields without his hat, had said to the dog, "Fetch my cap." The dog had then gone straight off and returned, bringing the father's cap.

Youhg Fitzsimmons, the ex-amateur heavy-weight champion of Xew Zealand, has secured a match at Sydney Stadium. He is to meet William Rudd at one time of Maoriland. If Rudd is in the humor "Fitz” will know that he has been in a tight. The Gaumont Co. of Australia, Ltd,, executed a film record of the recent Poesy-Keys bout, which was won by the former. This is claimed to be the first fight "movie” taken by artificial Igiht in Australasia. It Is announced that Ad Wolgast intends to visit England next month In search of a match with Malt Wells or Freddie Welsh, The fallen world's lightweight champion will not find Welsh, however, as the clever man from Wales, according to a cable to an Australia exchange, lias already set out for America to try and force a match for the world's premiership title with Willie Ritchie, "Cestus” wrote in London Sportsman subsequent to Welsh’s defeat of Matt Wells: —"in view of the disparaging remarks made in certain quarters about Welsh and his method of boxing, it was pleasing to find the contest supported as It was. Those who talked, or rather wrote, of not going across the street to see Welsh box again will no doubt be sorry to hear that the theatre was packed as it never has been since Peter Jackson and Frank Slavin fought their memorable battle on May JO, 1893. Mr Beilinson hath faith in the man and tiie interest that would be taken In a return contest between the two. and his judgment was proved by the. splendid gathering that tilled the old club. There was much enthusiasm at the meeting held on the day following the match, and it is said that Welsh hugged and kissed the belt after it had been handed him by Mr Bettinson. The dearest wish of his heart is to win jt outright, and now he lias only to score once more to make the trophy his absolute property, in the course of a speech he made, Mr Bettinson criticised some of the critics, and. referring to the difference of opinion, said this "was quite oorhmon when men who had been in the game two minutes thought they knew as much as those who had been in it fifty." T was not present, and unfortunately missed the manager’s dissertation on this head, ns well as his remarks about tho storm over the kidney punch, which he stated was brought about by certain hysterical members of the Press. lie added tiie kidney punch was only used against a man who wots fouling by holding, T was quite prepared to hear him give both winner and loser credit for putting up an excellent battle—“a fine example of spirited boxing." as he called it.

A notable bicycle ride lias Just been accomplished in America by a one-armed boy. named Otto Killitt, who rode from New York to .Sat; fT-ancisco (3875 miles) in SI days. The actual riding time was 63 days.

It is claimed that a half-bred bull terrier bred by Air E. Hughes, the wellknown wrestler and footballer, and owned by Air AI. Johnson, of the railway service, was recently taken to North Otago to ,a pig-hunting competition. The Invercargill dog is sail' to have beaten the opposition almost pointless.

From the Ist January, 1913, Victorian motorists will have to pay the following annual taxation fees :—.Motor cycle 5s each, motor ears not exceeding 6-1-2 h.p. £1 is each.'cars fi >m 6-1/2 h.p. to 12 h.p. £2 2s each, from 12 h.p. to 16 h.p. £3 3s each, from tfi h.p. to 26 h.p. £1 is, 26 h.p. to 33 h.p. £5 ss. and exceeding 33 h.p. £6 6s each. Alotor waggons are to lie taxed £3 3s.

The following events wgre decided at t/e Liimsden Caledonian Society's sports after our representative left for town -Quoits : Lindsay I, AT i toll el I 2. U 7>,-ivies 3. Youngest dancer; Aliss Doris A i. ’ock.

The annual »w York six days' bicycle teams’ rice — tlm biggest event of its kind held in the wor'd —was conclniled las' Saturday night, ami resulted in a win for the Rntl-Kogler team, with Bedell-Mitton second. (Mark-Hill (Australia) third, and ltool-1 lehir fourth. These four teams finished up with equal scores at the termination of (lie six days, and a miie sprint race was held to decide tli" prize winners. The mileage covered was 27G1 miles a laps, which Is considerably below the record of 2727 miles established by .Messrs IMacKarlan I ami .Moran in this event in lOOS. XV. Butt (Ciernianyt, who was a member of the winning team, is well known In cycling cdrcles in tills country, having raced in Australia a few years back. He teamed in 1909 with A. J. Clark, the

"The Amateur" pithily sums up flic | Welsh -.Mohogan bailie in Sydney RefeI reo: —".Marks shall he awarded for ‘attack,’ direct clean hits with the knuckle part of the glove of either hand on any part of the front or sides of the head, or

body above the belt; ‘defence,’ guarding, slipping, ducking or getting away. Where contestants are otherwise equal, the majority of marks shall be given to the one who does most of the leading off. or who displays the better style.” In the foregoing paragraph is given, word for word, one of the National Sporting Club's rules. Now, what chance had Hugliie Mohegan of winning under such conditions? I am not saying anything against the rule; but how far could our champion light-weight go towards acting up to it? He would fulfil conditions in most respects, but bo must be beaten in "style,” because the Knglish referee very properly looks upon the crouch as an abomination. Yet Hugliie Mehogan can stand erect and do as well as the best of them. Didn’t we see him act so with Arthur Douglas particularly, and one or two others?

BOWLING. (Notes by "Toucher'’}. An incident that occurred at the N.Z. Association meeting tiiree years ago is recalled by the following (though differing in sonic respects), clipped from the Sydney Arrow :—How keenly they play the game in Victoria we already know. Here is a case that would not occur in Sydney, because none of our bowlers could be induced to step in and do the needful, though the law allows it. and reasonable men might not see any more in the act than the reijuirements of play: At the Kootscray green the other day, in the match East Camberwell v. Cheltenham, bowls belonging to a. Camberwell ■ man were objected to by a Cheltenham player as not being up to "standard" exactions. This in face of the fact that the Implements of play were hall-marked witli the official stamp as being the "real Mackay." In the circumstances it might very reasonably be imagined that no protest would be listened to. The Association's approval of the woods was impressed upon them, and as the Association is the only body to which appeal could be made, it must surely stultify itself if consideration of any sort were given tire matter. However, it is stated that the V.B.A- will be approached, and that that court is sure to go into tlie thing. The position lias a flavour of comic opera about it. Evidently referring to the above, "Boomerang” (Melbourne) writes; —"It is said that, although the bias lias been increased, there are a number of bowls that to all appearances are just as straight as they used to be. It Is always open, according to the rule, for an opponent to challenge another’s bowls, and the fact that the imprint of the fester is on the surface is no protection to the owner as far as a challenge is concerned. The owner, however, can always feel safe, providing that his bowls have not warped, and become of insufficient bias in consequence. Wooden bowls are. more liable to warp in places sucli as Adelaide and up North (New South Wales and Queensland), and should a player’s bowls bear the stamp and have insufficient bias, from any cause whatever, the stamp then is no protection. This rule is imperative, as discs are easily removed, and a little bit of lead does tlie rest. If bowls were simple sent in once a year as a check, it is obvious that, with removable discs, anything can happen to them in tlie interim. We do not say that anyone would descend to such tricks, but tlie loophole would be there. The composition bowls are not liable to abuse in this way, as the disc is moulded into the bowl.”, Every skip, and every other bowler, should read this extract from "The Complete Bowler,” by J. A. Manson (“Jack High") :—"The skip, driver, or director of a rink is not put into that post casually. No bowler should be elected to serve as skip excepting for specific reasons patent to his fellows. Though he fills the position of an autocrat lie must not wield his power autocratically. He ought to know the laws by heart and be able to cite the rubric for or against any disputed point that may crop up during play. He must be a thorough general, quick to seize possibilities, sagacious to conceal his plan as long as may bo from his adversary, and of sound judgment, so that he may settle promptly the best line of play at any crisis. He must be a man of the world and have a sympathetic knowledge of human nature. Peevish, cross-grained, ill-tempered, dour men are by nature unqualified for a post in which tact and the gift of managing men are supremely essential. "Occasionally a skip may notice one of his men more interested in an adjoining rink or game than in his own, and he will be justified in quietly checking such slackness: but to lecture or hector a man ‘before folk’ is the blundering of a bully. When a diplomatic skip has set a player a task which the latter doesn’t like, or if he is not himself quite sure of the best possible shot to attempt, he will always allow a man a chance of offering a counter opinion. ‘What do you see?’ he asks, and should tjie skip believe tlie alternative plan sufficiently' promising he will sanction it. “W. W. Mitchell set a high value on the skip’s knowledge of human nature. ‘Never disparage the play of your own side,’ he wrote, ‘but rather try to find something to commend in every' bowl (save a really bad one; for indiscriminate praise is worthless and depreciates eulogy of shots that deserve approval). Nevertheless, while encouraging his men by discreet praise of good shots, the skip should not be too demonstrative. A noisy skip is a nuisance, not so much, perhaps, to his own rink, who may have been broken in to his eccentricities, as to players in adjoining rinks, who might be disturbed by wild yells or ludicrous gestures.’ "As last player, grave responsibilityrests upon the skip, whose last bowl may have to avert disaster in the shape of a heavy adverse score, to save, or to win a game. Being the tactician of his rink, he not only closely superintends his own men’s play and watches the vicissitudes of every end, but also keenly observes the plan and play of the rival general. Years of play may not make a competent skip, for much depends on the man apart from the player, upon his gift of strong, swift, and sure decision, upon his handling of his fellows. In short, the ideal skip, like the poet, is born, and not made. “One stroke falls to the lot of the skip pretty often, and that is the drive. It comes to him because lie must never allow an earlier player to fire. A hostile bowl on the jack seems to have an irritating effect on certain skips, who do not scruple to bid, it may be. the second man, 'Pick off this bowl.’ The position can be more effectually dealt with otherwise than by sacrificing at least one bowl of the skip's side. . . . No ship should make a habit of driving, since excessive resort to it inevitably spoils his hand for the finer shades of play frequently- necessary towards the close of an end. Having to kill the bias of his bowl when firing, a skip who glories in his prowess as a driver unconsciously falls into the mode of drawing with narrow bias and ultimately becomes useless unless he abandon the error of his ways. "Had I not seen many instances to the contrary, I should not have presumed to counsel the skip to win modestly and to lose with good temper. Some skips have a good conceit of themselves: the vanity of some is amusing, that of others offensive. Crowing over a victory is ill-mannered, while to sulk nr jietray annoyance at defeat is illnatured." The ,strenuousness of howls—sometimes. East week Mr Thorne, of Victoria Park Club, and a skipper in the New South Wales team for Melbourne, played a match of 44 heads lasting from 10 a.m. till after 1 p.m., and at 2 o’clock, the same day, began another contest (as skipper of his rink) which did not end till 28 heads were counted. The Australian bowling meeting, to be held in Melbourne from December 24 to January 2. 1313, will be the most important event ever held in Australia, and the entries from Victorian players alone for the inter-state matches number 138, while for tlie Single-handed Championship of Australia the number of players that are expected to enter may exceed 100. Tlie whole of the six States will be largely represented- most of them by their best players. IDEAL GOLF. NEW BALLS AND NEW BOOK. Golf in Groat Britain is a revelation (writes the correspondent of a Sydney paper). The links are so much better, the club-houses are so much more handsome. the life of the golfer is so much more sociable. Nearly all the links are from end to end like beautiful howling greens. Tlie club-houses are lovely old mansions, and between the members there is a Freemasonry which is wholly delightful. You can play golf, you can play billiards, you can play bridge, or

Charley Griffin apparently is not yet out of the game, though little is heard of him nowadays. On going through files which arrived by tho last American mail I came across a brief reference to a contest at New Bedgord, Mass., on October 7, in which Griffin was a principal. His opponent was H. Stone, who secured a points decision, after twelve rounds. Tlie Scotchman, strange to say. seeing what a first-class fighting man lie lias ever been, has never cut much of a figure in the pugilistic world, though now and again someone a shade above the average lias come to light. Lately Scotia's star, pugill.stically speaking, has shone brightly, for one of its sons, to wit, Johnny Mathieson, lias loomed largely in the sporting world. He first came to real notice by a totally unexpected. but none the less convincing, victory over the well - known Harry Lewis, and a few months later he falloyed up tills success by lowering tho colours of the equally well-known Dixie Kid. Now British sporting writers arts beginning to sit up and speculate as to bis future prospects.

The English Amateur Boxing Association cleared £473 0s t!d over the last championship meeting, and finished up the season with a credit balance of £l3B 0s 2. The Association lias £2610 4s Sd invested, and casli in hand amounting to £ll9 6s 7d. so that it can be regarded as being throughly sound financially. At tho annual meeting of the English Amateur Boxing Association the Polytechnic B.C. brought forward a proposition to alter tiie rules in the direction of giving a prize to the runner-up in each weight in the English championships. The proposition received no support from the other bodies, the principal argument against it being that the only real honour attached to a championship was the first prize, that a second prize would lead to an overwhelming entry, and that the adoption of the proposal would be a blow at the true spirit of the competition. In New Zealand the system is to award the winner of a dominion championship with a gold medal and the runner-up with a trophy. THE ENGLISH CHAMPION? ‘A REFORMED CHARACTER.'

The London Times has (lie following about Mehegan’s opponent Welsh: — “Welsh, although only in his 26th year is a veteran of the ring, but his record is inferior to Jim Driscoll’s. He lias inexhaustible stamina, and. according to Jeffries, is the strongest, constitutionally, of this generation of lightweight boxers. His methods will never be popular with those w,ho prefer the clean, up-stahdlng English style, of which Matt Wells is a fine exponent: but he is amazingly clever as a practitioner of the American system of boxing with its variegated trickery, so mucli of which is essentially unfair—unfair, although not so manifestly foul as to involve disqualification. “In Ins recent fight with Wells Welsh was warned for holding. The referee stopped the firht to address him in solemn tones. Twice or three times his head Insisted on jarring the other’s chin in the old familiar fashion; but on the whole it must be confessed that lie fought in a clean and sportsmanlike style, and this refreshing fact was soon noticed by the spectators, who applauded him much more than usual. “It was a fast and clever fight, and, above all. it was as clean a contest in which there is much In-fightlng can well be—a fact which will always be remembered to the winner’s credit. The next time we have to introduce Welsh we shall speak of him as a reformed character. It may be that Wells has not yet recovered his former stamina fully. He was not quite his old self against Welsh, though better than he was against Mehegan.” FOOTBALL. RUGBY SOUTH AFRICAN’S OX TOUR. SCOTLAND. IRELAND, AND WALES BEATEN. The .South African footballers now touring in the United Kingdom put the crowning touch to their already splendid list of successes recently. They heat Wales, that country of speedy, stern battlers on the football field, by three points—a penalty goal. Details of the contest have not yet been supplied. That it was won by a penalty goat is, however, sufficient indication in Itself of a strenuous struggle. A feature of the tour lias been the Soutli Africans’ success against representative international teams. Scot'and went down before the Springboks by 16 points to nil. Then they went across to Ireland and trounced Erin’s internationals roundly, the score being 38 to nil. Then everyone sat hack and said, “Wait till they meet Wales.” They have met Wales, and beaten Wales, by the narrowest of margins To dale the Africans’ record is : For. Against. Somerset .... 24 3 Cornwall 15 6 Monmouth .. ~ 16 0 Glamorgan .... 35 3 Llanelly .. ~ , 8 7 Newport .... 3 9 London .... 12 8 Army and Navy .. 18 16 East Midlands . . 1 * 5 Oxford .... 6 0 Midlands .... 25 3 Cambridge .... 24 0 London .... 8 10 North of England . . 17 0 Scotland .... 1C 0 Glasgow .. 38 3 Ireland .... 38 0 Ulster .... 19 0 North of England ..21 S Wales .... 3 0 Total .. .. 378 79 Matches played 21, won 19, lost 2. BASEBALL BUSINESS. WHAT IT REALLY IS. The announcement that the famous American League White Sox baseball team has its eyes on Australia as a ’tween seasons training ground, followed closely by the arivnl in Sydney of an envoy whose duty it was to consult a sports promoter here on the proposition, and enquire as to the possibilities offered by Australia in the direction indicated. draws attention to the strict business principles that govern the big bail game of America in its professional branches. The Yankees, we may he sure, will not come here unless l hey can see money in it. ft is to serve their own purpose of training that they are looking to Australia, hut they expect some guarantee for expenses. It is all business witli big baseball in America. ft is proposed (hat the White Sox should train and select their men in the off season here, so that they might win more games, and so lie worth more money to the men who control them. So numb a business is it that the log league clubs have scouts, men of keenness, always spying out likely players and buying them, as a rule, as cheaply as possible. For instance. Ty Cobb, said to be the greatest player of Ihe ball game ever seen, cost the Detroit American League Cluli. whose scout possessed keen judgment. only i.i dollars. But the price isn’t always low. New York Naliona! League dub paid 11,090 dollars for Maniuard, and Pittsburg flub purchased O’Toole, an untried pitcher, for 22.500 dollars. Competition is keen; the demand always exceeds the supply, for laseball in America is a

strenuous game, and men go stale sooner or later. Options are taken over men. sometimes over a whole Hub (for selection), and there is often as much diplomacy over securing a baseball player ns there is over a stock exchange deal.

Tv Cobh has been mentioned. Before Ids discovery he got 0.) dollars a month: now lie collects Ui.OOi) dollars a season. Baseball Is a business.

you can gossip. Golf is played better. The best amateur in Great Britain is a long way in advance of tlie best amateur in Australia. The best professional in Australia is not in tlie same class as tlie best professional in Great Britain.

Tlie standard is higher, the teaching is better, and there is something in the atmosphere which makes one play bettor golf. The links are not easier. Bogey is a very hard man to heat, although the courses are not splashed with pits or hillocks as if there had been an outbreak of earthy smallpox. They are built to extend every player to bis utmost, but nut to make it impossible for the average golfer to put in a good card. tu Australia many of the links have been made detestable by tlie surplus potholes and bunkers, which are a nightmare to even the best player. There is no end of trouble on any course in Gnat Britain, but il is trouble which the golfer for the most part makes for himseli. If lie is off the line he will find any number of difficulties in regaining what lie lost by his carelessness, by his unscientific play.

It is on the ggeens that games are won, good wood-playing can all be brought to nought by Indifferent putting, and it Is on the greens that you meet the most serious trouble. On none of the good courses are there more than one or two perfectly flat billiard-table greens. They are full of indentations and little holes which require most careful study. As the grass is kept short, there is no excuse save bad judgment in strengtli or misdirection. Wiien in an afternoon you add to the tricks of the contour of the greens climatic conditions you have to be remarkably expert or a wonderfully fortunate player if you are going to prosper consistently on them. At 2 o’clock the gpass is as fast as greased lightning, at half-past 4, wiien the first grey mists of evening arc gathering, they will become damp, and there will he a mantle of moisture which will slow down the hall fully 50 per cent.

A search for the really reliable ball is still being continued. The ball with the brambles is falling into disrepute. It Is maintained that it does not carry truly, because the air gets between the brambles, amt it does not run hfaly on tlie green, because the putter striking one bramble does not impart movement through the true centre of the ball. For this reason the ball with its indentations made on the principle of the early dimples has come into favour, and it certainly has a longer flight, and it is more reliable when putting. “Winds like those which we have in Australia are not met with here. The o -inary breeze is regarded as a high wind. A stiff north wind, such as we have, would probably be called a tornado. It may be the condition of the atmosphere, but you find that you get at least 20 to 30 yards further with your iron clubs than you do in Sydney. Again, it may be the bulk I have only tried two, one the “Zodiac,” the other the Arch-Colonel, and with neither of them could I find a fault. There may be dozens of others equally good. 1 believe there are, because 1 saw other players play with them, and going round .with small scores. I can only speak of tlie two I have tried. Etiquette is more strict on the tees and between the greens than it is with us. If you speak, or if you move anywhere near the player who is addressing the ball, you will receive a sharp reproof which will make the blood mantle to your cheeks. Golf is played severely, strictly, and every rule is rigidly interpreted and applied; but with it all there is a delightful politeness which characterises the man whom you meet out on the links. Playing with a fellow-Aus-tralian I made an abominable slice. The sun got into my eyes and also in the eyes of my caddie, and neither of us could accurately follow its flight. I thought it went over the right, where a gentleman was playing with a lady. I asked him if It had gone anywhere near him. He pointed out tlie direction in which he thought-it had fallen, and then he added. “I don’t think you quite completed your stroke." which in Australia would have been phrased, "You did not go through; what else could you expect?" The caddies are wonderful boys. They know the game, and they know the links; but it is pitiable to see the number of husky youths who will hang round the links all day long to earn perhaps 15s per week, when. If they went over the seas, they could earn four times as much. There is no work for them elsewhere, so they fasten on to the golf links. A caddie is paid Is per round, but you pay Is 4d, 2d of which goes to the club, which has a caddie master, and 2d is taken by Mr Lloyd George for the National Exchequer. The caddie master has to. train properly the boys who are engaged by members, and that he does it well is proved by tlie, fact that even the professionals implicitly rely upon them. Sherlock, for instance, was playing at Stoke Pogis at the last green. He took out his mashle. The caddie advised him to use tlie mid-iron. He used the mid-iron. He reached the green he reached the rough beyond the green, he reached the club-house beyond the rough, and he reached the open beyond the clubhouse, but he did not complain. For once the caddie had made a mistake. The caddie will never make it again. Caddies, too, look after divots with scrupu r uous care, they replace them as if they were treasures of priceless value, and any player who keeps on chopping up the links receives a polite but firm request to go ploughing elsewhere. Every golfer who takes an interest in his game is at the moment wholeheartedly absorbing a new book by P. A. Vaile. entitled, "The Soul of Golf” (Macmillan and Co.). It is in many respects revolutionary, but it is also distinctly heartening to the ordinary player. Mr Vaile attacks and destroys many of the rules laid down by the champions, which they, as a fact, never observe themselves. For example, he demonstrates conclusively that a flick of the wrists at the moment of impact is impossible, that It is not the follow-through which .gives distance and direction to the drive, but the swing which precedes the striking of the ball, and that it is not the keeping the eye on the ball, but the immovability of the head, which assures accuracy, and that the weight must be on the left, and not on the right leg. These are only a few of the fallacies whicli Mr Vaile exposes. and the book will well repay close studying by any golfer. It certainly is a most informative, and the most instructiye lliat 1 have chanced upon. It will not, of course, enable anybody to cut down tlie cost of golfing. Expense is exceedingly high In Australia, but it is nothing to the outlay that is essential in London. Here is the most ordinary clay’s golf'.—Subscription. 2s ; railway fare to links, Is Gd; caddies and tips. 4s; lunch, 2s; afternoon tea, Cd ; drinks, Is : depreciation on ball, 2s. This is about the minimum, but it is very much easier to spend a pound. CRICKET NOTES. (By "Cover Point.") It is a great pily with the perfect weather which has been prevailing (hat there have been no cricket matches locally. Time was when town clubs used to make it a point of visiting count'> clubs or vice versa, but this cus'om owing to other attractions, has fallen ! nto abeyance. Last year there was a Hawke Cup contest, and had the conditions not been altered, Rugby Park would probably have been occupied this Christmas. Otago have once more gone down to Canterbury, and by the large margin of 111 runs. They led by 67 runs on the first innings, but Canterbury made amends on again going to the wickets, while Otago evidently cracked up ind'v. At the time these notes were penned the exact scores were not known. Neither team was at its full strength. Lusk was a not aide absentee from Canterbury; he has been in good scoring mood in club matches and he would be severely missed. Some Canterbury, scribes also considered that in one or two cases the best men had not been chosen. The Victorian, Tucliwull, of whom great tilings are spoken as a bat. withdrew at the last minute from the Otago team, and his place was taken by Bannerman, brother to the player of that ilk in local circles. The latest advice from the other side apropos of the scandal about the recent English tour is that the Board of Control has decided not to take evidence publicly in connection with the charges of alleged misconduct on the part of certain members of the Australian Eleven. Tlie news that owing to the New Zealand Cricket Association declining to provide £65 for contingent expenses, the New South Wales team’s proposed tour of New Zealand lias been abandoned, will cause regret in all cricketing centres where the visit was being eagerly anticipated. In Invercargill, it is well known, players were looking forward with pleasure to seeing some famous performers in action, especially as there will be no opportunity of getting a match with the South Melbourne team. It is to be hoped that some settlement wilt be arrived at, so that New Zealand may not lose the benefits which would accrue from such a visit. Victor Trumpet', who was out for a blob in the first innings of New Smith Wales against Australia, and made '1 in the second, compiled 127 in Sydney the other day in brilliant fashion. He compiled his score in 7S minutes bitting one 6 and IS 4's. The innings is said by those who saw it to have hfe?n In keeping with the best form of his palmiest days. Against South Australia lie was bowled both innings by Whil'y. On the same day that Trumpet' made his 127. R. B. Minnett compiled 205 and E. Coffey 200 not out. An ambidexterous bowler, an aboriginal named Jack Coombes. is proving most disconcerting to batsmen in the Brcwarrina district, in New South \) alec; Coombes bowls with either right or left arm—generally with his left. H’ is one of the finest bowlers and batsmen in viie country districts. In a match between Brewarrina and Byrock (be other day he made top score, scouring 58 runs, and also secured the bowling average. E. R. Mayne. on his return to Austrahas stated that some of the um-

piring in England was distinctly bad, and was especially emphatic in referring to the "run out” in Bardsley’s case in the test match at Kennington Oval. He entertains no doubt that if the Australians won the toss in that match the "rubber” would have come to Australia. Hazlitt, he says, bowled exceedingly well at times. In the early part of the season, in May, they had beautiful weather, shaped really well, and thought they were in for a good time, both for weather and finance. . But when the rain came, and the days went glooming down in wet and dreariness, he thought England about the worst place in the world for cricket, and longed for a peep at the clear blue of his own South Australian sky. VALUABLE HINTS. (By Harry Trott, captain of the South Melbourne team, now touring New Zealand). FOR BATSMEN. Always play for your side and forget self. Take no notice of outsiders who tell you how to bat. Remember you are the best judge of the bowling when at the wickets. Get the pace of the bowling and .ibtwicket, and try to play yourself in before trying to knock the pickets off the fence. Remember the bowler has to get you out: don’t get yourself out. It’s your head against his. If you can keep the ball along the carpet you cannot be caught out. Over 80 per cent, of batsmen are caught. Remember the match is never lost until the other side has won it. If you make a bad stroke, or are missed in the field don’t threw your wicket away, but profit by the mistake. When you get 50 go for the 100; ■when there on for the second century. Watch the bowler’s hand; back up a couple of yards when at the non-strik-er’s end. Remember that it is the striker's call for all strokes made in front of the wicket, and the non-strik-er’s call for all strokes made behind the wicket. Always call out loudly "Yes” when you are going to run, and “No” when you do not intend to. FOR BOWLERS. Remember that you have ten men fielding beside yourself, and they, are all waiting to accept catches. Don’t bowl too much at the wicket: good batsmen are not bowled every ball, but they are sometimes tempted to make a mls-hit. It’s your head against the batsman’s. If a catch is dropped or a ball misflelded when you are bowling take the incident philosophically, and remember the fieldsman is more disgusted at the miss than you are. Use your brains as well as your muscle, and endeavour to find out a batsman's weakness. Don’t feed him on good strokes, but try to block them. Don’t think of your average, but bowl to get the batsmen out. Place your field according to the peculiarities of the batsman. Bowling against the wind is rather an advantage than otherwise, os it often helps a swerve and alters the pace of the ball. Don’t get too far away from your wicket when the batsmen are running, as you are there to take the ball from the field. FOR FIELDSMEN. There’s only one captain or. one side, and lie expects loyalty from his team. He may make mistakes, but your growling will not Improve matters. Keenness, good-fellowship, and good fielding has won more matches than anything else. Don’t skylark on the field when the batsmen are at the wickets, but play the game. Mid-off and cover-point should endeavour to anticipate the batsman’s stroke, and always make a couple of yards towards the ball. Slip and third man should back up the wicket-keeper when the ball is being returned from the off-field, mid-on backing up the bowler. As players get little or no fielding practice at the nets, it is a good policy to try to improve your catching and fielding by throwing the ball about between the fall of wickets. Always return the ball to the wicket-keeper or bowler on the full, as this saves a few seconds, which often runs a batsman out. Always see that your hoots are properly spiked before entering the field. EAST MELBOURNE v. WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, December 27. The cricket match. East Melbourne y. Wellington advanced another stage this afternoon. Wellington was disposed of for 223, four runs behind the visitors first innings’ score. Midlnne 43. Phillips 43, Blamires 27, and Beechy 24 were the best batsmen for the local team. Kyle took five for 41, Trott two for 45. McCormick one for S. In South Melbourne’s second innings two wickets have fallen for 4 7 runs—Sykes 5, Scott 6, Ciller (not out! 17, McCormick (not out) 14. The match resumes to-morrow T . CANTERBURY DEFEAT OTAGO. DUNEDIN, December 27. The cricket match Canterbury v. Otago concluded this afternoon, the visitors winning by 111 runs. Canterbury made 316 runs in the second innings. Patrick 80, Sandman 58, Hayes 57, Reese 2!). Sims 20, making a grand total of 453. Otago required 250 to win, but were disposed of for 138 in the second innings. The chief scorers were Austin 50, McFarlane 22, Siedeberg 15, Ramsden 14. DRAWN. BLENHEIM, December 57. The representative match Marlborough v. Nelson was drawn. FINE BUSH RACES. A SUCCESSFUL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Pine Bush Hack Racing Club was held in Mr J. L. Gilkison’s paddock at Pine Bush yesterday. The weather conditions were excellent for lacing, but the sweltering heat apparent was not conducive to making matters pleasant from the spectators' viewpoint. This gathering lias always been looked upon hy residents in the Pine Bush and adjacent localities as something in the nature of a red letter one, and consequently it was not surprising to find that the attendance reached close on three hundred, and visitors from Invercargill ani places even further afield numbered not a few. The racing was always interesting, and big fields came forward in tbe majority of the seven events on the programme. Considering the comparatively little attention the track had received, it was found to be in good going order, and some close and exciting finishes were fought out. The following are the office-bearers of the Club, all of whom worked hard for the success of the gathering :—President. Mr .las. L. Gilkison. Judge, Mr J. S. Fleming. Starter. Mr Henry Windleborn. Steward. Mr Robert Smith.

Clerk of Course, Mr Adam Monagan, Clerk of Scales. Mr James Dunlop. Clerk of Scales Steward, Mr William Couser. Handicapper, Mr W. J. Currie. Secretary, Mr Thos. W. Soper. Timekeeper, Mr George Hunter. Gatekeeper, Mr A. Dunlop. Gatekeeper’s Assistant, Mr Thos. Oliver. Patrols, Messrs Murdoch McKenzie, W. Johnstone, and W. Cameron. „ Secretarial Assistants, Messra John Cameron and George Downer. The following are results ; i MAIDEN PLATE, of 7 sovs., second horse 1 sov. from stakes. One mile. Mr P. Casey’s Red Sea, 10.9 (S. McIntosh) .. .. .. . .1 Mr J. McGlinchey’s Menzles Ferry, 10.7 (L. Lloyd) 2 Mr W. Soper’s Diamond Ray, 9.7 (A. Cameron) 3 Also started: Redstreak 10.9, Flamborough 10.7, Raymond 9.9 (31bs. over). Passing the post the first time round Menzles Ferry and Red Sea led in that order, and going round the back were a long way ahead of the remainder of the field. Entering the straight Red Sea moved up and won handily by a length. Time, 1 min. 56 1-5 secs. WAIMAHAKA HANDICAP, of 8 sovs., second horse 25s from the Stakes, Seven furlongs. Mr A. Shirley’s The Joker, 9.7 (A. Cameron) 1 Mr E. J. Traynor’s Jolly Friar, 10.7 (L. Lloyd) 2 Mr T. Scott’s Parnell, 9.7 (Mclntosh) 3 Also started: Whitewings 9.7, Malwin 9.7, and Clancey 9.7. Jolly Friar and The Joker made the running, the latter going to the front after three furlongs had been traversed along .the back made a forward move, but The Joker always held enough to win by a length from Jolly Friar, Parnell about three lengths back. Time, 1 min. 39 secs. ISLAND TROT, of 7 sovs., second horse 1 sov. from the stake. One mile. Mr M. McKenzie’s Adieu, 21 secs (E. J. Dwyer) 1 Mr P. Jackson’s Commander Bell, 18 secs (Owner) .. .. .. 2 Mr R. Smith’s Royal Colours, scr. (Owner) 3 Adieu went to the front from the start, and well handled by Dwyer, passed the judge some five lengths ahead of Commander Bell. Royal Colours at ope time looked like. overhauling the leader, but broke badly at the back of the course and lost his position. Time, 2 min. 54 1-5 secs. PINE BUSH CUP, of 12 sovs.. second horse 2 soys, from the stake. One and a-quarter* -irnßffes. Mr P. Casey’s Red Sea, 9.10 (D. Richards) . . .. . . 1 Mr G. Gilbcy’s Mocfi, 10.0, (W. Cameron) . . .. .. .. 3 Mr J. F. Rogers’s Fibroma, 9.7 (L. Lloyd) .. 3 Also started: Comedy Queen 11.0, In-I vincible 10.7. Mailboy 9.10. The early stages of the race saw Fibroma and Red Sea in advance of tho field, and on entering the straight Red Sea, well ridden by a local amateur horseman got ’up and won by 'about a length and a half from Moofi, who overhauled Fibroma in the iast few yards. Time, 2 min. 22 1-5 sec.;. TITIROA TROT, of 10 sovs., second horse 30s from stake. Two miles. Mr P. Jackson's Commander Bell, 30 secs (Owner) . . . .. I Mr N. Moffett’s Jimmy Campbell, 15 . secs (W. Baird) . . . . 2 Mr W. Cameron’s Eastern Emperor, 35 secs (Owner) .. .. ..3

Also started: Bendemere Lad 17 secs, Wild Idle 28 secs, Mona Mac 35 secs. Chaffy 35 secs. Commander Bell went out in the front of the field in the first furlong and was never headed, winning by some fifteen lengths. Eastern Emperor a similar distance behind Jimmy Campbell. Time, 5 min. 57 secs. FLYING HANDICAP, of 10 sovs.. second horse 30s from stake. Six furlongs. Mr P. Casey’s Red Sea, 10.7 (W. Gordon) .. ••; • - ■ • 1 Mr E. J. Traynor’s Jolly Friar, 10.7 (L. Lloyd) 2 Mr J. Cameron’s Whitewings, (W. Cameron) .. • - .... 3 Also started: Multifoil 10.7, Parnell 9.13, The Joker 10.4, Redstreak 9.7, Highland Queen 9 10, Flamborough 10.6, Fibroma 9.10, Miss Seaton 9.7. From a false start four horses led by Parnell completed the course, and jockeys G. Richardson, Newton, A. Cameron, and J. Cameron were each fined £2 for, disobedience at the post. The big field then got away to a good start, but there was considerable jostling for positions. Two furlongs from home Jolly Friar, Red Sea and Whitewings were abreast o£ tbe remainder, and in a gruelling struggle Red Sea gained the verdict by a long neck, Whitewings a length back. Parnell fell, but tbe jockey was uninjured. Time, 1 min. 41 secs. The owner of the third horse entered a protest against Jolly Friar on the grounds that he lias won over the amount allowed to peymit him to compete under hack conditions.

FAREWELL HANDICAP of 6 sovs.. second horse 1 sov. from stake. One mile. Mr J. McClinchey’s Menzies Ferry, 10.0 (L. Lloyd) . . • • . ■ 1 Mr W. Soper’s Diamond Ray. 9.7 (A. Mclntosh) 2

Mr G. Gilbey's Moogl, 10.0, 3. The only starters. Lloyd had his mount to the front by several lengths, when the first furlong bad been traversed, but Dia. mond Ray was coming fast over the last quarter of a mile. At the bend to the straight Diamond Ray drew almost level, but Menzies Ferry lasted just long enough to win hy half a length, Moojl some distance hack.