ITEMS OF INTEREST

Southland Times, Issue 21264, 10 December 1930, Page 5

ITEMS OF INTEREST

SPORTS PARS FROM EVERYWHERE.

WHAT THE EXCHANGES SAY.

y The first race of the Saunders Cup wilt be held at Dunedin on February 17. * * » »

England has unearthed a new woman tennis star in Miss Phyllis Mudford,' who has been called “the girl Borotra” because of her speed and agility about the courts. This young Surrey player’s phenomenal nonstop run ot success has been the outstanding feature of Englishwomen’s tennis this season.

Johnny Weismuller, the world’s greatest sprint swimmer, now a professional, is trying to arrange a tour of Australia, together with “Stubby” Kruger, an all-rounder who has been an American representative at Olympic Games, and who also is a professional now.

Llew Edwards, who defeated Johnny Leckie, will be 19 on February 6 of next year. His record is 23 wins in 25 fights. His mother came over from Australia with him. He will meet Tommy Donovan early next, month.

Tommy Donovan and Johnny Leckie will fight for the feather-weight title to-night at Napier. On the last occasion the pair met in Hawkes Bay Donovan was knocked out, but he has since fought a draw with Leckie.

The defeat of Al Singer by Tony Canzoneri in New York last Friday week brings Jack Berg, London’s Whirlwind lightweight champion, a step nearer his long-cherished ambition of having a tilt at the world’s title. It will be remembered that Berg beat Canzoneri as a preliminary to meeting and defeating Kid Chocolate and Buster Brown. It will be interesting to see whether any inore barriers are raised in Berg’s path to his ambition.

P. C. Minns, Auckland and New iealand representative wing three-quarter, now a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, is playing for the Blackheath Club on Saturdays when he has no games at Oxford. It was for Blackheath that Minns played his first game in England. He scored two tries that day against Old Merchant Taylors. * « ♦

A. E. Cooke, who has been of great assistance to the various provincial Rugby sides he has played with in obtaining the Ranfurly Shield, and who has been playing for the Hutt Club and the Wellington representative team this year, is moving on again. This time he goes back to Auckland, where he will play for his old club, Grafton. Possibly Auckland will become the best-supported contender for the Ranfurly. Shield next year!

S. J. Gudsell, former New Zealand mile champion walker, is competing again this season in Wellington. In his first step-out recently he won a club mile event from scratch in 7 min 15sec.

Mahomed Shafi, an Indian University student, swam continuously for 69 hours in the Worthing Baths, Ixindon, beating the record of 68hrs llm.in 6sec, held by Arthur Rizzo. The last-named swam for that period in the open sea at Malta.

Most of the wrestlers who have been engaged in recent bouts in New, Zealand left Auckland for America last week. , With them went King Elliott, who was formerly a policeman in the Auckland district,, and intends to join the ranks of professional .wrestlers. Tom. Al|ey is of. the opinion that Elliott will'do well. ■*,«■ « ■ ' *

At Malta two amateurs engaged in a 24hour non-stop billiard match at the Casal Paula Social Club. The game started punctually at 8 p.m. and continued until 8 p.m. the next day without a stop. When time was called, points scored were close on 12,000.

“House full’ signs are now used at the "Ring,” London, before the first bout commences since the new management has taken control. Added improvements have caused "gate” increases, and the management has also converted a billiards hall beneath the “Ring” into a gymnasium, and offers tuition and training free to any novice who cares to take the advantage.

Australia will not see the professional American baseballers this season, the plans for a tour of Australia by the New York Giants and the Chicago White Socks having been cancelled. The excuse is that matters were left , too late to complete arrangements, which sounds a bit thin, since the idea was mooted over a year ago. However, Uncle Sam has announced that the visit will be paid next year without doubt.

Sydney, which recently broke out in a rash of miniature golf courses, is to have a regular governing body just like the real thing. Last week a meeting of miniaturecourse proprietors formed an association, with the idea of controlling the game generally and instituting inter-club competitions.

The latest hole-in-one story has its source in New York. R. L. Penny’s version is that imitation is flattery’s sincerest form. Mrs R. L. Penny says the affair proves that the; female of the species is as deadly as the male. The Pennys were playing golf together. Penny, having the honour, made a hole in one. His chest was still expanding when Mrs Penny brushed him aside and teed up. The hole was halved.

A slight stir was caused in the recentlyformed South Australian Women’s Cricket Association when the Wirrawarra Club rc : signed because its members were not permitted to play in trousers. However, an application for membership was received from the Birkenhead Club, so the Association will probably still control eight clubs.

Rowing is on the boom in Oamaru. The Oamaru Club commenced last season with 30 active members, and this season with 26, but with the influx of new members last year’s figures should be exceeded. It would be a great fillip to this club if it could secure a representation in the Otago eight oar crew, and this possibility would not be remote if strong training were undertaken, but the principal difficulty would be the actual training with the other members of the crew.

An Auckland batsman who will be in the running for selection in the New Zealand team to go to England at the end of the season if he maintains his present form is H. G. Vivian, the left-hand Parnell colt. In the first series of matches he made an excellent 67. and last week-end he compiled 40 not out while his side lost seven men for 65 runs. The youngster is showing better form than J. E. Mills, Auckland’s left-hand - opening batsman in Plunket Shield cricket. So far, Mills’s best scores have been 18 and 14. Vivian was a member of the Auckland touring team to play Southland last season.

W. R. (“Bull”) Irvine, the well-known All Black Rugby forward, who first represented New Zealand in 1923, was farewelled by the Carterton Football Club at, a special social evening last week. Irvine has been captain of the Carterton senior team for four years, during which it remained the champion team in Wairarapa. He is taking up the position of head stockman at the Ngahauranga Freezing Works, near Wellington, and he is likely to play for the Hutt Club next year. It took “Bull” many weeks to recover from the severe gruelling he received in the front row of the New Zealand scrum in the first Test, at Dunedin, against this year’s British team. He was reported fit a fortnight before the season ended, but did not strip for Wairarapa, although he was much missed from the matches with Auckland "and Wellington. •I** . * * L. Knight, Auckland and New Zealand representative Rugby forward, is expected to be in Masterton when the Waingawa Freezing Works open this week. There is a possibility of Knight’s remaining in Wairarapa during the 1931 football season, and i playing for one of the clubs there. He would, greatly assist the depleted Wairarapa ' vanguard. v

F. Delgrosso,. who was recently suspended for three years by the Auckland Rugby League, Has appealed against the suspension,'and the case was heard in committee by the -New Zealand Rugby League at a special meeting. It is understood that the appeal was referred back to the Auckland League . for further consideration.

When the Oxford University Rugby team meets the Cambridge fifteen, early next month, it will be without W. P. Rosseau, brilliant South African three-quarter, and L. M. Robson, English international centre, both of whom have finished their residence at the 'varsity. Noting that W. P. Kalaugher may at last come into his own for the three-quarter line, now, the Oxford correspondent of an English paper remarks that the New Zealander has had cruel luck during his three years of residence at the university as but for accidents he might well have been a Rugby, cricket, and athletics blue..

The American athletes, G. Simpson, world’s 100 yards record holder, R. Kiser, middle distance champion, and H. Rothert, field games champion, will appear in Invercargill on February 25. Both Simpson and Rothert are considered the best amateur athletes in the world in their respective branches. Simpson registered a brilliant performance in the decathlon championship of America last season. He recorded standard time in the 100, 400 metres flat; and 110 metres hurdles. Rothert won the javelin and discus throwing and shot putting, besides being placed in the broad and high jumps.

Mr R. H. Mallett, the manager of the West Indies team, served on the M.C.C. committee for five years, and is now a member of the famous club’s subcommittees. He was sent out by the Imperial Cricket Council in 1927 to form the West Indian Board of Cricket Control, and successfully accomplished his mission. He started the Durham County Cricket Club in 1878, and in 1895 formed the Minor Counties’ Association, of which he was the first secretary and later chairman for a number of years. Mr Mallett has been in great demand by overseas countries to organize their English programmes for them. He mapped out the Australians’ tours in 1926 and 1930, and has also acted in a similar capacity for the South Africans. Mr Mallett was a noted all-round athlete in his day, having played cricket, Rugby, and Soccer football, and also having been a track runner of note. To show his versatility, it need only be stated that on one afternoon in 1884, he represented Darlington against Hartlepool Rovers at Rugby, and then played for Darlington against Sunderland at. Soccer in a cup-tie match. He was a noted runner over the hurdles, and from 1876 to 1882 competed in hurdle races with remarkable success.

Mr Samuel Ryder, who instituted the series of Ryder Cup matches between Great Britain and America, takes a brighter view of English golf, in spite of recent defeats in big matches. He thinks that the outlook in professional golf in England is now most encouraging. He regards the standard among many of the young players as remarkably high. If they are given their opportunities of appearing in more big matches, England should have little difficulty in retaining the Ryder Cup,.

Bowlers in New Zealand are not familiar with crown greens, but a discussion in England concerning the antiquity of that type of green and the . flat, greens is of interest. .The statement, that both styles .originated when the industrial era began has been.vigorously assailed, for while there, inay be warrant for fixing, the institution of the crown’ gapte at that’ time the other style goes much further, back in years. With the exception of archery, bowls is the oldest British outdoor pastime. ' Even putting aside a vague reference to the game in a twelfth century life of Thomas a’Beckett, the testimony of .. illustrated manuscript shows it was .well-known in the next century. The drawings make plain several surviving features of the game, especially the incidental grotesque attitudes of players which may be seen on any modern green. Though the game was popular down to Stuart times, excessive gambling connected with it brought it into disrepute, and until the modern revival it survived only as a tavern game. a

When Jem Mace toured Australia in the seventies he was showing at a little bush township, when a big, black-bcarded chap rode up with three companions, all armed to the teeth (says the Referee). The crowd round the booth moved uneasily, until the big man, asked for Mace, and told him that he and his mates had ridden 40 miles to see the show.. “Sorry,” said Mace, “but the performance is over.” “Stop your talk!” said the stranger. “I didn’t ask for a speech. I asked to see your show. What’s more, we mean to see it, so get a move on! How much do you charge?” “Ten pounds for a private performance,” said Mace. “Here's your money. Get to work!” said the stranger, and the four stermvisaged men sat silently watching the show—boxing and wrestling. No applause. No sign of disappointment. Just a fixed gaze of intensity. After the last act the big, bearded man shook hands with the showman. .“You’re a celebrity in your way, Mr Mace,” he said. "Well, so am I in tpine. We ought to be proud that we’ve met.!’ “Who is he?” asked Mace, when the hoof clatter died down. “Ned Kelly,” said , a hushed voice in the crowd. “And though there was a Government reward of £lO,OOO for his body, dead or alive,” says Jem Mace, who tells the story in his reminiscences, “the fear Ned Kelly had instilled into the hearts of these hardy bushmen was such that not one dared to lift a hand.”

“It is quite possible, even probable, that Miss Betty Nuthall will be supreme in women’s tennis circles for the next ten years;” says a prominent American critic. Experiences of the past, he says, had proved that the real stars were comparatively few, and once they got to the top they stayed there for a long period. Such was the case with Mrs Mallory, with Mdlle. Susanne Lenglen, and, 'finally, with Mrs Helen Wills Moody. It was satisfying and for the good of the sport that another girl of almost equal rank and skill should step forward to carry on. It was no cause for regret, either, that she was an English girl. Monopolies, even in sports, were not wholesome. “Betty Nuthall is an appealing girl. She has made a host of friends in this country. Her smile is infectious,” he concluded.

A prominent Yorkshire woolbuyer, now in Auckland, vouches for the truth of a cricketing story concerning a famous North of England fast bowler, whose erratic temperament alone has kept him out of test cricket. The bowler in question evidently has a habit of appealing on the slightest provocation, and on one occasion after he had appealed unsuccessfully for lbw decisions five times in two overs when the ball was- bumping off a fiery pitch, the umpire turned to, him. “There is only one better appealer than you in the whole of England,” he said. “Who is that?” inquired the bowler—and like a flash came the answer: “Dr. Barnardo.” No, more impossible appeals were heard in that match.