THE PLAYGROUND.

Southland Times, Issue 17661, 19 February 1916, Page 10

THE PLAYGROUND.

PAST AITS PXJTUEE ATHLETICS.

® BOXING. ®

| ANGLING.

Efforts are being made to revive the Interest of local junior oarsmen in the rowing pastime. The bathing boom continues and may be said to have reached record proportions for Invercargill. The Southland Rugby Union may make special efforts to encourage junior and schools' football this year.

Up to the end of November 1,037,010 persons visited the Zoological Garden, London, a decrease of SB9 compared with a similar period of last year. During the six months the Mercury bathing-place, at Twickenham (Fng.), has been opened it has been used by over 45,000 persons of both sexes. M. E. McLoughlin, the American lawntennis player, has been ordered to take things easily by his incdienl man. Hard tennis has affected his health somewhat. A recent storm in England -wrecked the football grandstand of the Tranmere Rovers, at Birkenhead, the gale tearing is from its moorings and breaking it in two.

During a recent run of the Branham Moor Hounds the fox escaped in the gardens of a house at Linton. The hounds consoled themselves by raiding the larder, where they consumed half a ham, many mince pies, and other Christmas fare.

At Tottenham (Eng.), John Roberts, the famous billiard player, asked the magistrate for permission to keep open his billiard saloon, under the “Spurs” grandstand, on Christmas Day. Tho magistrate said the law did not permit him to grant the request. At Driggield County Court a gamekeeper, who was sued for damages for shooting an Aberdeen terrier, admitted having done so, and said he had a right to. as it chased threo partridges and killed them. The judge decided otherwise, however, and gave judgment for the dog’s owner for £3 3s and costs. Mr R. D. AVrenn, president of the U.S.A. Lawn Tennis Association, has announced that the recipts of the national championship tournament held at the West Side Tennis Club were 3,000 dols. The expenses amounted to 20,000 dols and the net profits were IG.OOOdoIs. This amount is slightly in excess of the net profits received from the national championships previously.

lt would be difficult to Imagine a parallel in this country to the case of five Tale athletes, who have been suspended by the Athletic Committee of that University for playing summer, baseball, presumably as professionals '(says an English writer). Now we learn that general opinion at Yale is that the five possess a good chance of being reinstated. We wonder what would happen in the almost unbelievable case of an Oxford or Cambridge undergraduate taking payment for playing in Beaguc football. A curious minor feature of the war has been the uncertainty surrounding the fate of Rugby football internationals (says Bondon Sportsman). Mr R. H. Bloyd, the famous Irish half-back, has several times been erroneously reported killed. Now a correspondent informs us that the Captain B. Phillips, killed in action on May 24 last, was not Mr B. A. Phillips, tho Welsh international of 1900-L The footballer, who is also a well-known cricketer and golfer, is, so our correspondent tells us, alive, and a sergeant in the Sportsman’s Battalion. The white-robed nnrses quietly busied themselves' at the patient’s bedside. He ■was plainly breathing his last. “Have you anything to say?” tenderly asked the physician who was in attendance. "Nothing—nothing,’,’ gasped tho dying man. "It is only this regret this remorse this terrible blow to my selfrespect’.” His breathing was now oven more laboured, and they bent over him to catch his even’ word. “Oh!” he wailed, “to think to think that I have smashed all the anti-speed laws against automobiles, and then and then to be run over by an ice cart!” The man who claimed to he. the inventor of the rubber-cored golf ball, Mr James Cooper, died in Edinburgh on December 30. While serving as an apprentice dentist he made the bail with the aid of a vulcanising machine and played with it. This was years before the rubber cored ball was placed on the market. He was a keen bowler and golfer, and played with the old Warrender Park Club on Bruntsfield links. Some 22 years ago he was incapacitated by illness from further work. He died at the age of 72. A story which has been going about Bondon a good deal may (says a writer in the Manchester Guardian) be given at a time when New Year festivities and the drink restrictions are being much discussed. A well-known orator and peer much attached to the good things of this world was at a dinner party, where he found to his consternation that his host was following the King’s example, and banning drink during the period of the war. Someone asked the host what they would do if a Zeppelin raid occurred. The host said, “Oh, it’s quite simple. We can all go down to the cellar.” The peer asked. “Need we .—ah—wait for the Zeppelin?” The well-known English sportsman. Col. Hall Walker who is president of the Garston Swimming Club (Eng.), paid a surprise visit to the annual social and presentation of prizes, when ho gave a lew interesting experiences of his own with regard to the acquatic art, describing how at the early ago of seven he was practically drowned through falling out of a boat, and how at Harrow he had tho keen ambition of having his name enrolled on the records of that Public School as the champion underwater swimmer, hut his desire was frustrated through illness on the day of the competitions, and how later on while going np the Nile he was nearly called upon to rescue a nigger eook who had fallen overboard, but who, to the colonel’s delight, came up swimming, and thus relieved him of the necessity of making the attempt at rescue. The annual meeting of the AVinton Caledonian Society was held in tho Athenaeum on Tuesday evening. There was a fair attendance. The balancesheet showed a credit of £2 10s Td. A lengthy discussion look place on the question of holding sports this year. It was eventually decided to hold another meeting in a week’s time when a definite decision will be arrived at. If necessary the election of office-bearers will take place at this meeting.

His old comrades in Edendale Football Club, when that Rugby organisation was at the zenith of its prowess, will regret to hear of the somewhat severe indisposition of Charlie Hollands, one of the most dashing three-quarter backs the of the black and white hooped jersey ever produced. Charlie recently underwent a severe operation for a complicated form of appendicitis, and is nowinvalided at the home of his parents, Mr and Mrs Walter Hollands, Kauroo Hills, Korth Otago. This is indeed hard luck, especially as it meant the relinquishment of tho managership of a dairy factory to which he had been appointed c heesemaking Ipcing his chosen calling. During the early part of the current week Mr Percy Cuff, at one time wellRnown in Southland athletic circles, spent a few days in Invercargill renewing acquaintance with old iriends and relatives. In his younger days "Puss.” as he was familiarly termed, ranked as one of the first prominent Uughy football players developed in Invercargill. He first became known as a half-back at the South School and subsequently blossomed out in senior ranks with the Star F. C. Hr Cuff was a member of the first Southland representative team and always played behind the s.-rum. Had he followed the leather in later years he would have been known as a mack of tinfirst water, as he was without pern- m breaking away from the pack to open up tlte game- for the* rcargua rd ditision, his sturdy wriggling run almost invariably proving effective. In those days the close passing art had not been discovered and the individualist was the man sought after. When Cuff was at the top of ids form his opponents had to throw him and play "sacks on the mill, otherwise 1m would wriggle clear and play i a vac in tin- opposing ranks. Our late visitor is now a resident of tue Wanganui district. The following is from an American description of a baseball game played •>o years ago: "The glass arm toy soldiers of this town were fed to the pigs

(EDITED BY ONT-OOKEK.)

BOWLING. ®

CRICKET ®

yesterday by the cadaverous Italian grave robbers from Omaha. Our flabby, onelegged Reubens stood around with gaping eyeballs like a hen on a hot nail. Hickey had more errors than t'opin's Financial .‘-'ohool and led the rheumatic procession to the morgue. They could not hit a brick waggon with a pickaxe and ran bases like pallbearers at a funeral. The geezers stood around and whistled for hole and were so weak they couldn't Tift a glass of boor if it was all foam. Everything was yellow, rocky and whangbnsted like stig tossed full of doodlegammon. The Otnaliogs were had enough, but the Quincy Brown Sox had their fins sewed up until they coudn't hold a crozy quilt unless it was tied around their necks. Roast the scareeyed crocodiles anyhow.” AVlien the last mail to hand left England Air .Morgan, the hacker of AV. U, Applegarth. the 100 yards champion sprinter of the world, had just been interviewed in regard to challenges, which it had been said, had been issued on behalf of R. Thompson, the winner of the noted I’owderhall New A’ear Sarin. 110 said: "I understand that Thompson's people have expressed a desire to match their man to run anyone in England. AA’ell, then, hero is a plain answer to their proposal. lam prepared to take up the offer, and will hack AA’. R. Applegarth to run Thompson over any distance from 100 yards to a furlong, the race to take place within two months, for any sum up to £SOO aside. The stakes must be deposited with the Editor of the Sporting Chronicle, who shall have full control regarding the appointment of the. necessary officials. Applegarth has done no running for some time, and the time will be necessary in order to get Mjn fit.” Applegarth won the title from the Australian pedestrian, J. Donaldson, who, by the way, was still running well in England during the recent holiday season.

Speaking recently at a meeting of the British Football Referees’ Association, Mr .1. H. Thomas, M.P., for Derby, made some telling remarks in favour of sport, and boxing in particular. o After showing the necessity of fooball as training for more arduous things, Mr Thomas turned his attention to boxing, and in tile course of his remarks he added there was nothing like the gloves to keep men physically and mentally fit, as plenty of good practice with the mittens. It took a man out of himself, and carried him away from the humdrum of everyday life,' and enabled him to indulge in a healthy and enjoyable sport. lie kept boxing gloves in his own house, and frequently putting them on he derived much benefit by so doing. Sport, he contended, had in no small measure been responsible for the development of the best characteristics those essential to success both on land and on sea. He was proud of sport, and proud of being a sportsman and he hoped all the fine games of the country, games that had made the Englishman the first man in the universe, would continue and flourish. A recently - returned Invercargill soldier relates a story of the marching out of the long arm of coincidence. Tho Avenal lad in question, after being invalided to Fhigland from Gallipoli, was walking in a Bondon park in company with some companions, when he was accosted by a perfect stranger and asked if he came from New Zealand. On boifig answered in the affirmative, he further asked if Private J. Mcßoay knew anything about Dunedin or Invercargill. Finding that he had come to the. right quarter for information, tho Dondoncr introduced himself as “Billy" White, who stated that many years ago ho lived in both Dunedin and Invercargill in turn. Ho explained that he knew quite a number of southern athletes in the old days, making special reference to .1. Cheyno, T. A. Willaims, and others who could sling the mitterl fist or play their part on tho wrestling mat, and also added with.pride that he won the lightweight wrestling competition at the first sports fixture held in Invercargill to introduce Donald Dinnic to the younger generation of Southlanders. Thereafter the colonials and their new - found friend spent a pleasant afternoon together. The special coincidence rests in the fact that the young soldier referred to has lived for the greater part of his life with Mr J. Cheyne, the first of the old-time athletes inquired after. Writing from Monte Video Camp, Weymouth to his sister (Mrs H. B. Dolamore, of Gore), Pay-sergt It. Leonard Pauli states (says the Ensign) that a Rugby team has been formed there. “We are now striking form,” he writes, “and have won our last five matches with various regiments. We. recently journeyed to Bristol to play Clifton College (one of the famous old schools and the training ground of many of England’s best Rugmy players). We were made very much at home at the college. Tho sports ground is a beautiful field, and although somewhat sodden from rain, we had a splendid fast game. The boys play fine football, and were as fit as fiddles. We had a win. however, by six points to nil. and I had the luck to score both tries.” —(Pay-sergeant Pauli, as many of our renders are aware, is the only son of Dir and Mrs Richard Pauli. Wyndham. He went away with the Main Body, and participated in the Gallipoli campaign, until put out of action by a shot in the foot, and was subsequently to England. The fact that “Den” is now able to play display on an English playground his brilliance as a Rugby three-quarter-hack is proof thafc his injured foot is sound once more. Bocal votaries of Rugby and Hockey during tho seasons just prior to the outbreak of the war will vividly appreciate how ’'Ben ’ would bring ihonght and action into play as he feinted and sprinted over tho Clifton lino.) One result of development during tho pn r -c twelve months Isays an English writer) has been to demonstrate more clearly than ever the practical value of motor-racing. That speed contests have provided data for motor engineers, and so have, influenced enormously tho designand construction of the modern car is, of course, a matter of history. Nevertheless, there were, before ISl.i, supporters of motor-racing who, though admitting the influence of the sport, regarded the racing engine as of no practical value in itself. Now, however, one finds that the stationary engine which has made such inroads o the popularity of the rotary motor for aeroplane work, is, to all intents and purposes, a standardisation of the engine employed in racing cars. There is a striking similar!! between the motors found on captured German aeroplanes and the cu-

gines tilted to the Mercedes cars that swept the board in the ll'H Grand Prix, and, similarly, tho twelve-cylinder Sunbeam engine which made records at Rrooklands some time back was developed primarily witli a view to aerial purposes.

AT THE WATERSIDE. A SCHOOLBOY ANGLER'S DAY. FISHING, FIGHTING AND FORAGING. (By Sir Modrcd.) After the hurly burly of a dusty, busy race-day at Fnrbury Park and tho st’-ain of picking up tim many horses working out on the tracks under a hot sun on the following morning, it was a relief to spend the afternoon hours of a recent Friday down at the ship-lined wharves of Dunedin. A brisk breeze was hurrying wliitc-cappcd waves up the harbour a ml the blue sky was decked by q, ~rv clouds as the writer sauntere I alone in search of cooling air and in full enjoyment of n peiicefi;! stroll. The breeze freshened into a mild' £•;, j,. anil presently an adjournment was' made in search of shelter, the result being that an animated scene came inio view. Protected from the wind by tin* high stern of an ocean-going trarnn steamer, the Baron Cawdor, were to be found a gathering of sturdy young Mai inlanders on school holiday leave busilv encaged in fishing for re I cod, at least a dozen boys cnntrolle! the baited lines, while smaller fry acted as s.-outs, messengers, or admiring adherents, as the case might be, an I one hallos?, pig-tailed lassie skirmished round 'and made herself known here, there and everywhere. Armed with a butcher's knife of large size, she commandeered or begged finny contributions

from the more males and the deft manner in which she sliced off heads, scraped away scales and generally prepared coil, with the remark that they ••would conic in handy at home," was a sight to see. The star fishermen of tin: group were two quiet lads who possessed a hagful of medium-sized fish and two larger specimens, which were laid out in full view of passers-by to attract that attention which is the pleasure of all successful anglers. An alert youth called Wilson pressed the partners hard in the race and commanded quite a following of midget admirers, being "some catcher, as one small boy explained. Xext door to Wilson was a big looselimbed, handsome lad of about twelve summers, the envied owner of a real rod and line, but too full of life and spirits to make a successful fisherman, who was supported on bis right hand by a thick-set boy of stern and dogged perseverance, one McKenzie, who fished away for an hour or two but always without reward. Following on the fishers referred to eamc a long row of Just ordinary lads, the whole being bare - legged and most hatless, but all enjoying themselves and commenting eagerly on -the fortunes of their betters In toe more favoured positions close to the huge iron cargo carrier. In the intervals between the hauling in and landing of various struggling, gasping slimey red rod, the small army of admirers provided the tragedy or comedy of the occasion. A freckled redheaded eight-year-old kid called “Snipey” was always in evidence. Snipey (a schoolboy triumph in the art nicknaming I was very prominent by reason of his hare red poll, a long, bright green jersey, shorts of toe shortest, and an ability to out-shout anyone of his size and age present. Within a short space of time iie was -twice accused of stealing bait (valuable fish being dissected to this end), then lie actually tangled up a line or two. and finally had to be bailcd as the victor in no loss than three punishing bloody fights. Kmboldcred by his successes Snipey became a general nuisance, but retribution was dogging bis victorious path. One of the rank and file fishermen was about to hurl his sinker and hooks well out into tlie stream when Snipey put his bare foot on the coiled cord to shorten the throw, with the result that the owner of the lino was astonished to find himself the centre of a tangle and three big honks fast in his stocking, to say nothing of his log. The hooked angler howled and sniffed to the obvious delight of the freckled Snipey, but right here the big, handsome rod-owner, a boy who may one day become a mighty Rugby wearer of Otago’s dark blue livery, slipped in and delivered a right swing whicli cnner.ted below the left ear of Snipey and there was no sorrow in the band when the green-clad fighter and free-lance crumpled and went down and out. When Snipey recovered his senses iie found an unsympathetic world awaiting him and for a long time thereafter he leaned up against a huge post and cried quietly, his proud soul humbled in the dust. At this stage it was getting on to paper-runners’ time, and sundry youths were to be seen making vain attempts to clean up their hags in readiness for the evening’s load of “.Stars,” while the fishermen took tally of their catches. The honours of the day appeared to, be with the partners, by several langy cod over the haul of the alert Wilson, when there was a sensation. A meek, palo-fac*l hoy, whom somebody remembered was called Brown, hooked a strong fish and with aid brought to the wharf a huge red cod, easily the champion catch of the afternoon. Twenty eager boys gathered around and export critics having declared the plump cod to bo “free of worms,” the shrinking and astounded Brown was hailed as the hero of the occasion and a boy to be discussed over many tea-tables that night. There was only one fisher missing from the abashed Brown's circle of worshippers, the broad-faced, earnest McKenzie, hut he was really unable to he present, as a misguided "red" had taken the last bait of the clay and Mac was too much engrossed in landing his first “fnsh” to observe that there was a new sun risen, in the aforesaid Brown. The proud possessor of the premier scaley capture was just beginning to on'iov his promotion, when a breathless Snipey arrived—lie had wandered away unnoticed and unmourned —and announced that “there was boards for nothin’ along there,” meaning that a pile of splintered timber from the bold of the Baron Cawdor was to he had for the taking away. A scene of excitement ensued, big and small, old and young, all rushed to secure valuable kindling for their respective homes. The big, handsome lad with the punch, of course, handled the largest bundle, while the thhfty, pig-bailed lassie, ranked next in order, staggering under a double load of fish and wood, until Snipey came out on top after all. Round the corner of an adjacent shed he pranced in triumph in the shafts of a home-made perambulator wheeled cart, which he and his brother, the alert Wilson, speedily filled to overflowing, and drew away eventually, with a fine hag of fish perched high up on a huge load of morning wood. The dilatory paper hoys could not, of course, participate in the windfall, but they had the satisfaction of outstripping a long }ine of heavily-ladened school fellows, as they ran off to call the headings of the latest war news from the nightly sheet. The procession broke up at the end of the wharf, the gleaners from sea and shore breaking away to various points of the compass in the gathering dusk, the last seen being the thrifty lassie, trudging in the wake of a rumbling cart, which had AVilson in the shafts and Snipey buoyantly cavorting in the leading ropes, himself again.