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Southland Times, Issue 19294, 12 July 1924, Page 12

America still leads in Olympic Games. Great long jumping—Legendre (America) clears 25 j feet Englishman Abrahams scores great win in hundred—beat Paddock and all the cracks. New Zealander Porritt runs brilliantly. Ha 4 evidently improved on his old New Zealand form. “Golf, is about the only medicine a doctor prescribes that he will take.” New Zealand public wonder when their nueh-boomed Rugby representatives crash in First Test. After many months'. G. W. Todd, the Invercargill cash runner, has now received advice from the secretary of the Southland Centre of the N.Z_A. and C.U., that the protest lodged against him in the Riverton Sheffield of last year, which Todd won, has been dismissed. The stake money which was impounded during the lodgment of the appeal, will now be paid out; Todd receiving the winner’s share. Quite a crop of arguments arose cn Saturday over a decision in the Star-Pirates match when a Star three-quarter carried the ball over his own goal-line and kicked into touch-in-goal. The referee ordered a drop-out at the twenty-five, but one would think that a five yards scrum was the correct decision in the circumstances. A Sydney Bulletin writer says of a wellknown ex-Scuthlander: ‘‘Few of the All Blacks that are visiting us are better known than H. G. Munro, who has four times come to Sydney with the combined M.L. Universities. Though in the pony class as forwards go (he scales list 121 b) Munro is a rattling all-rounder in ruck and loose, and on his last visit here with the ’Varsities he hooked with conspicuous success. Only 27. he is as bald as an unconvincing narrative, and his shining occiput is a rallying-point for his mates in the close stuff. Naturally, he is a favourite with the barrackers, who invariably prize a bald or red-headed player far above rubies.” Senior players ought to know sufficient about the gar: than to try to put over such a raw one as a kick-off that goes about five yards in front of the halLway line, but it was observed in the Star-Pir-ates match on Saturday. It may be mentioned by the way, that if the ball does not go the required ten yards—and if the advantage rule has not applied—the defending captain may have the ball re-kick-ed or scrummaged as desired. It is interesting, and a wee bit diverting at times, to notice the flood of explanations of just how the All Blacks were beaten in the First Test. In addition, although tht-e is a growing body of opinion that the All Blacks need a coach, not many people seem to have very definite ideas on the subject of coaching, and just what qualifications are needed for the job. Most of those who write on the subject have missed the point, which is well-illus-trated by the defeat of the All Blacks, that it is in the simple things—the ABC, of the game —that the All Blacks want coaching up. Then they would not be dropping passes and mishandling, which is stated to have caused their defeat in the first Sydney game. Blackboard lectures and elaborate discussions on tactics are not coaching, and it is the practical side of the business that most people seem to lose sight of. The game in Auckland has made wonderful strides in the past year or two, and largely because the “man behind the gun,” Mr V. Meredith, knew the coaching game from A to Z, and Auckland’s style of play has become a model for the rest of the Dominion. Rugby to-day is unfortunate in its choice of those who control its destinies, says C. S. Tendall in the N.Z. Herald. The finest football code in the world is threatened in the Dominion by the paltry bickerinss and the shortsightedness of its Executive Committees. A clean sweep is needed. Young, virile and enthusiastic men are what Rugby control lacks. Men with a “punch”, and a wide vision, men who will not bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich when criticism is directed against them, but will hit back and uphold the good old game as it should be upheld. When we have such men in control of Rugby the game will never look back but until we do, we shall have - —what we have to-day! The Southland Ladies’ Hockey representatives probably hold a world’s record. In four years they have played 24 matches, I and have lost only two. Jim Jefferies, one cf the greatest boxers ' of all time, has returned to the scene of his old triumphs; but not with the gloves on. Instead, he will manage a promising young heavy-weight, Tommy Richards. One of the most remarkable endurance ' feats by a pony was put up in Western Australia way back in 1895. Over a; friendly argument a match was made for ' £5O aside from Dunnville to Coolgardie (38 ' miles). The miners cheered the starters 1 from the W'ealth of Nations Mine at 6.30 on a Sunday morning, and Beauty, a bushfed 13j hand pony, was at Leever’s pub, Coolgardie, at 8.30 a.m., 2hr 2min later. The other prad was an hour late. Lilian G. Harrison, the Anglo-Argentine girl who swam the Rive Plate, is now training at Brighton, England, before her attempt, next August, to conquer the choppy waters of the English Channel. She will start from Calais, as she prefers to tackle the mere difficult tides of the French Coast first. No court of law would convict this snooker player for wilful damage if at the conclusion of the game he jumped upon the table, ripped the cloth with his nail-studded boots, and flung every ball through the window. This player, says a writers in Smith’s Weekly, recently potted all but four cf the 21 balls, yet lost the game without giving any away. He potted the 15 reds without getting a colour with one of them, and then potted the yellow and green, making his score 20. The second player afterwards potted the brown, blue, pink and black, scoring 22, and winning the game. The Sydney Bulletin asks a question:— “If a player is to earn the professional label for making mcney out of his game with his pen what of the champion who gives his name, for a consideration, to a racquet or cricket bat, or personally trades in sporting goods on the strength of the advertisement provided by his skill?” G. L. Jessop, the “lightning bat,” celebrated his fiftieth birthday last month. In 1907, Jessop fcr the Gentlemen of the South v. Players of the South, scored 191 mns in ninety minutes. That was scientific hitting, and the bowler did not exist whom Jessop could not knock off his length and demoralise. His most famous f eat __his 104 at Oval v. Australia in 1902 (“Jessop’s match”) —is cricket history, and a classic example of the way he could turn defeat into victory by fearless hitting. The Lyall Bay (Wellington) Bowling Club is rather unique. Not only does the Club posses two billiard tables (which all bowling clubs favour nowadays), but it has a library containing 500 volumes, which is a source of much intellectual pleasure to its members, and largely helps to make the clubhouse a social centre during the winter months, as in the summer, for not only are bowls played on the Club’s grounds, but there are tennis courts and croquet lawns, which are leased to separate Clubs at a moderate rental, and which, when the district grows, and more greens are required, can be readily •©averted into bowling rinks.

The well-known phrase “bring home the bacon,” is said to have been originated by the famous little negro fighter, Joe Gans, under novel circumstances. After every winning fight Joe made a point to buy a huge slab of bacon, which he sent to his mammy in Baltimore. Just before he entered the ring against “Battling” Nelson at Goldfield, Gans received a wire from his mother reading, “Bring home the bacon, Joe!” That’s how and where the popular line started. It is stated that there is a possibility that one of the backs in the All Black team who received an injury during the trial games may not be able to pass the medical board at a final examination, before the team sails for England. The Olympic Committee decided that the honour of taking the oath on behalf of all the aihletes present at the official opening of the Games last Saturday should fall to the French athlete, Geo Andre, who was chosen on account of the fact that he had taken part with credit in the Games of 1908, 1912 and 1920. Chinese youths of Port Darwin are beginning to take great interest in athletics (says Smith’s Weekly). Every morning a number of sprightly young yellow men train at the recreation grounds. So far no budding Postle has been unearthed, but they show pace, and in long distance races would hold their own with southern runners. The members of the American team of Rugby footballers who defeated France will remember their visit to Paris apart from the fact that they won the Rugby Olympic championship. While taking part in a trial game a thief entered their dressing-room and went through their clothes, making a clean sweep of all the money and valuables he could lay his hands on. The valuables included presentation gold watches and medals, and the total loss amounted to about 20,000 francs. Hearty support will be forthcoming for the following observations on rowing by Christchurch Star: Recently a Dargaville committee, with the approval of the governing body of professional sculling in Sydney, promoted and carried out a single sculling race for the championship of Australasia. This rather put Wanganui’s nose out of joint ,for Wanganui, be it remembered, considers that in the matter of the promotion of professional sculling races, it has established a Dominion reputation which must be recognised. Consequently, in order to maintain that reputation, it is proposed to hold a £5OO sculling handicap on the Wanganui River about the middle of next season. Just why people can be found willing to raise several hundred pounds for a few professionals to race for, while the splendid sport of amateur rowing year in and year out finds the utmost difficulty to keep afloat financially, is one of those things that is beyond human powers to account for. Amateur rowing is of enormous value to the community, professional sculling is of no value whatever. If it were abolished the loss would be felt by a handful of competitors the whole world over, whereas if there was no amateur rowing thousands would be affected. And yet sections of the public, while readily subscribing to find money for professional racing won’t part up a copper for the maintenance of amateur regattas.