CHAMPION-OF-CHAMPIONS BOWLS TITLE

Southland Times, Issue 23444, 26 February 1938, Page 15

CHAMPION-OF-CHAMPIONS BOWLS TITLE

Single-Handed Event Will Be Decided Today

(By

JACK HIGH)

Champions of 14 Southland clubs will take part in the last of the season’s championships, the champion-of-cham-pion singles, to be decided on the Southland green today. All the city clubs will be represented, and also five of the country clubs. Several new champions will make their first appearances, and for that reason alone there is certain to be much interest in the championship. The holder of the singles title, N. W. McGorlick, of Bluff, has a distinguished record in Southland championships. He has won the singles championship four times, in 1928, 1933, 1936 and 1937. It is possible that he may win today and complete a “hat trick” of wins over the last three years. He has been playing well this season, and demonstrated that he was as strong as ever at singles play by winning the singles event at the New Year tournament. His play will be followed with interest. Of the known entries which were available on Thursday it would appear that the strongest opposition to McGorlick retaining his title will come from S. C. K. Smith (Northend), M. McKenzie (Te Rangi), W. Spencer (R.S.A.) and N. W. Stark (Wyndham). Smith has had a record season, and although he has been a consistent performer for a number of seasons, this one shows him to be at the peak of his form. His successes this season include the singles championship of his club, the Riverton Centenary rinks and pairs championships, the New Year rinks event and the Shield rink championship of Southland. Smith has competed in the champion-of-champions event on five previous occasions, but as yet has not got nearer winning than runner-up. He should make a strong bid for the championship today. W.'Spencer, the R.S.A. representative, is a fine draw player who is capable of springing a surprise, and M. McKenzie (Te Rangi) and N. W. Stark (Wyndham) have credentials which cannot be overlooked. McKenzie won the Riverton Centenary singles championship and has taken a prominent part in rinks and pairs play for several seasons past. His asset is his ability to play the yard-up shot with fair-precision. Stark is a newcomer to championship play. He won a place in the Southland representative team last year, and by winning the Eastern District singles championship this season showed that he has retained his form. He is a first-class draw player.

The champions of most of the clubs taking part today are:—S. C. K. Smith (Northend), T. Metcalfe (Waikiwi), J. McKay (Waihopai), M. McKenzie (Te Rangi), W. Spencer (R.S.A.), A. Clark or J. C. Thomson (Southland), A. Derbie (Invercargill), N. W. McGorlick (Bluff), R. Balch (Winton Central), A. McKenzie (Georgetown), N. W. Stark (Wyndham). In the 27 years the championship has been in existence Northend has won the title seven times,; Southland and Bluff six each, Hokonui, Te Rangi and Invercargill twice each and Gore and Otautau once each. PAST CHAMPIONS Following is the list of champions since the championship was begun in 1911:— 1911 J. G. Lock (Te Rangi). 1912 J. Hain (Northend). 1913 T. A. Wallace (Northend). 1914 A. J. Service (Northend). 1915 A. D. Miller (Southland). 1916 A. Steans (Northend). 1917 J. C. Lock (Northend). 1918 A. E. Smith (Southland). 1919 G. R. George (Bluff). 1920 W. J. Watson (Northend). 1921 H. Graham (Gore). 1922 T. Piercey (Southland). 1923 A. Smith (Hokonui). 1924 F. Joyce (Northend). 1925 P. J. Israel (Invercargill). 1923 F. H. Francis (Otautau). 1927 D. H. Thomson (Southland). 1928 N. W. McGorlick (Bluff). 1929 A. Steel (Bluff). 1930 H. Barnett (Hokonui). 1931 G. Glennie (Te Rangi). 1932 A. Campbell (Southland). 1933 N. W. McGorlick (Bluff). 1934 J. Thomson (Invercargill). 1935 A. Campbell (Southland). 1936 N. W. McGorlick (Bluff). 1937 N. W. McGorlick (Bluff). INTER-CLUB CUP COMPETITION SOUTHLAND IN GOOD POSITION With only two more rounds of the inter-club cup competition to be played Southland holds a strong position at the head of the competition. Bluff is only one game behind Southland, as it were, but it is unlikely that Southland will have a double defeat in the remaining games. Wins by Bluff and single losses by Southland would bring the teams together, however, although on the form of the Southland teams this eventuality is more unlikely than likely. Following are the positions of the teams in the competition:—

Bluff and Waikiwi gain four points for each win and all other clubs two points. Last year’s winner of the Inter-club Cup was Northend.

TOUCHERS H. Harvey, of South Africa, who beat F. Livingstone, of Auckland, to win the British Empire singles title at Sydney, is 33 years old and has lost the sight of one eye. He uses a 31b bowl, size 5. In New Zealand and Australia the weight-for-size conditions would preclude the using oi a bowl similar to Harvey’s.

Next Saturday the annual interprovincial match between Otago al ?.. Southland for the Harraway Shield will be played at Invercargill. Southland is the holder of the shield.

The white caps worn by members of the Canadian team which visited Invercargill on Monday made their neat uniform a conspicuous one. A cap as part of a bowler’s uniform, is not unusual, but it is not common.

By its win in the champion-of-cham-pions pairs last Saturday Northend brought its wins in this event.up to six, one more than Te Rangi, which with five wins, is next to Northend in the number of wins gained.

Northend was the first winner of the champion-of-champions pairs, being represented in 1912 by J. H. Loudon and J. Holloway. Both are still active bowlers. J. Holloway has played regularly in competitions this season, but J. H. Loudon has had only an odd game. He, however, has. been a regular attender at the more important fixtures of the year.

W. P. Thorn, the well-known Mataura player, is the only bowler to have participated in more than two wins in the champion-of-champions pairs. In 1916 he won with W. Stewart as his partner; in 1919 he had W. Buchanan, and in 1925 he won with C. Ward as his lead. Those with two wins are: J. Peterson and T. Pryde (Te Rangi), 1913 and 1923; A. Steans, 1928 and 1935; G. Frobarth (Te Rangi), 1934 and 1937; and A. V. Keast (Northend), 1935 and 1938. Peterson and Pryde are the only pair to have been associated in a double win.

Past champions who were present at the Southland green on Saturday were T. Pryde, A. Ayling, R. D. Donaldson, S. C. K. Smith, D. M. Scandrett, A. Steans, H. Holliman, J. C. Thomson, T. Hickey, C. Barham, A. Campbell, J. Strang, G. Frobarth, S. Preece and T. R. Pryde. Of these Hickey, Barham and Preece were taking part in this year’s championship. The Woodlands Club failed to enter its pair in time for the draw for the champion-of-champions pairs, and although a late entry was made the management committee of the centre refused it. In view of the comparatively small entry this year it might be well if the secretary of the centre reminds clubs a week before entries close for the championship events. Country clubs are inclined to overlook their entries. This and not the one-life system was probably the cause of the small entry.

Most of the greens in Southland have made a wonderful recovery from the effects of the dry weather, and from now on good surfaces should be available. The Waihopai green a few weeks ago was dried out badly, but now is showing a green surface comparable with a first-of-season appearance. On Monday night for the final of the Mayor’s pairs competition this green ran true and played well. Another green which has come to the forefront this season is the R.S.A. green. Much attention and hard work have brought results here, and at the present time R.S.A. is easily the fastest of the city greens.

Watering Has played its part in bringing some of the greens back to life. For some unknown reason a belief existed that “tower” water was a killer of the turf and not a life giver. The results of the watering of the past few weeks has offset that belief, and in future dry seasons the first attention of green-keepers will assuredly be to the watering of greene. Since, shield-rink day three weeks ago there have been discussions on the merits and demerits of the one-life system of deciding championship events. If they are continued as championships there can be only one way to find the champions. It has been pointed out before that in the past too many defeated champions have won because of the two-life system. Last year not one of the championships, singles, pairs or rinks, was won without defeat. This year when the centre returned to the one-life system it overlooked the consolation event which in the past was conducted for the benefit of those eliminated in the first round. Had it been run this year little would have been said about the one-life system. The country players say that it is hardly worth while entering for the championships if they are to sit on the bank after losing the first game. It is perhaps a peculiar way in which to look at the position. Every player runs the gauntlet of losing any game, be it first or final. The status of the championship should be the first consideration and preserved at all cost. If, however, the Centre decides to revert to the two-life system it can hardly term the events championships. Another name will have to be found.

Today bowlers all over the province will have a field day in championship and tournament play. The singles champion-of-champions event will be decided on the Southland green; the usual inter-club competitions will be played, there will be the Hokonui Club’s tournament on Gore, Mataura and Hokonui greens, and the Western District championships will be played. . At Waihopai the singles championship final was played between J. McKay and G. T. Stevens. McKay won after making a good recovery from four down on the second last head. He scored three points on that head and two on the last head to win by a point. It was a good finish to an interesting game.

Southland P. 20 W. L. D. Pts. — 32 16 4 Bluff 10 7 3 28 Northend 20 11 7 24 Te Rang! 20 12 8 —— 24 Waihopai 20 9 10 1 19 Georgetown 20 7 11 2 16 Invercargill 20 7 13 14 R.S.A. 20 6 14 - 12 Waikiwi 10 1 8 1 6