Sportsmen in the News

Southland Times, Issue 24573, 23 October 1941, Page 2

Sportsmen in the News

MEMORIAL SPORTS SHIELD By ONLOOKER The deeds of four brothers—on the playing fields and on the field of battle —are permanently associated with the Christophers Memorial Shield, a trophy competed fox- annually by pupils of the Southland Boys’ High School and old boys of the school. It was given by Mrs Christophers as a memorial to her four sons, Reginald, Julian, Victor and Herbert, old boys of the school, all of whom were killed in the last Great War. The shield will be competed foxfox- the fifteenth time at the jubilee sports of the school today. The phristophers brothers were prominent figures in the sporting life of the Southland Boys’ High School during a period of eight years from 1897 to 1904. R. G. (Reg.) Christophers was the eldest of the four. He shone on the football field and after leaving school he joined up with the Invercargill Football Club. In 1906 he went to California fox- six years for civil engineering experience in the construction of the Western Pacific and otherrailways, and latex- he enlisted for service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was a 2nd lieutenant in the Otago Regiment and died of wounds in France in October 1918. J. A. (Julian) Christophers was enrolled at the old school in 1899. He became secretary of the football club and showed more than average aptitude fox- the game, ability which he developed when he joined the Invercargill club. He graduated into the Southland representative team in 1902 and he also played for Southland the following year. He was captain of the Invercargill senior team in 1903. Julian was also an enthusiastic oarsman; he won honours as a member of a senior fours crew. He died of wounds in France in December 1917. School Champion V. J. (Victor) Christophers joined his brothers at the school in 1900. His record in the sports of the school was an outstanding one; he was school champion in 1902, and he excelled at Rugby football and cricket. He also played for the Invercargill seniox- team. He was killed in action on Gallipoli in May 1915. H. H. (Herbert) Christophers followed the lead given by his brothers when he went to the school in 1902 by taking up the secretaryship of the school’s football and sports club. He w-as runner-up sports champion in 1904. A railway engineer by profession, he served in the wax- first as lieutenant in charge of the railway section at Samoa and latex- as captain in France. He was killed in action in France in June 1916.

The Old Boys’ team is l the present holder of the Christophers Memorial Shield. Since the first competition in 1927 the shield has been won nine times by the old boys and five times (1927-29-30-35-38) by the school team. Record Of All-Rounder Instances of all-round sportsmen representing their province, state, or country in several branches of sport are more or less common nowadays, but it is the lot of a select few to gain representative honours in more than one winter sport. And rarer still—probably unique—for a man to play for his province at both Rugby and Soccer in the one season. Mr A. E. Budd, of Bluff, who has been elected to the presidency of the Southland Rowing Association for the fourth year in succession, is one who comes under the last heading. That is just one item in ..an outstanding record in the realm of sport by Mr Budd. He has been champion rower, swimmer, Rugby and soccer player, referee, judge, bowler, coach and administrator over a long period, and although he retains an active interest in most of the sportting activities at Bluff, he also finds time to give attention to many social and civic duties. Mr Budd’s sport record is such a comprehensive one that it is best outlined in tabloid form. It is as follows: ROWING: Won youths and maiden events fox- Timaru Rowing Club in 1912; stroked both crews; rowed for Invercargill Railway club 1917-18; Awarua club 1918-20; selected in Southland eight three times; first president of the Awarua Boating Club (1924), and with the exception of one year president ever since opening year; president of the Southland Rowing Association six times and elected life member this year; member of the Bluff Regatta Committee for 20 years and former president; acted as starter and judge; president of the Bluff Yachting Club. SWIMMING: School boy champion of South Canterbury and gained many successes after leaving school; at Devil’s Pool (Waihopai) won five events in five starts; one of the founders of the North Club and also swam for Avenal Club; foundation member of Bluff Club, handicapper and judge of diving. He was awarded tire certificate of the Royal Humane Society for rescuing a boy in danger of drowning in Bluff Harbour. Handicapper’s Dream! On one occasion Mr Budd realized the “swimming handicapper’s dream.” He had the satisfaction of seeing a field of eight (which he had handicapped) finish in an octagonal dead-heat. In the swim-off the limit man won, the scratch man was second and the third was just a touch away. Mr Budd was chairman at the first meeting held to form the Southland Swimming Centre, and with Mr E. Fitzsimmons, ;he swam the first race in the Invercargill tepid baths. He was judge of the diving events at the junior and intermediate championship at Invercargill. One of his best swimming performances was a sea swim (at Timaru) over a mile in 26 minutes. FOOTBALL: First played for Starclub in Timaru; joined Star (Invercargill) in 1917,and played for reformed Bluff club from 1918 to 1923; captain of Bluff several times; represented Southland 1918 to 1921 and captained Southland in 1919; also in South Island team in 1919; began refereeing in 1922 and retired three seasons ago; president of Southland Rugby Referees’ Association and member of Southland Rugby Union management conimittee. Mr Budd won fame for his handling of the match in 1930 at Timaru between the British team and the combined North Otago-South Canterbury team. The rough play in that match caused much controversy and it was alleged that one of the New Zealand players bit the arm of one of the British players. He also refereed a SouthlandOtago game at Invercargill. As a coach he has been associated with the Bluff team for several years. In 1918 he played for Southland at both soccer and Rugby in the one season. BOXING: President of the Bluff Boxing Association for several years; was last president of the old association. Mr Budd is also a former president of the Bluff Bowling Club; he has coached professional runners and trained such notable athletes as R. Cook, W. Harris (Bluff), W. Deedy and H. E. Denny, who won most of the mile races in Southland. His part in civic affairs has been a big one. He has been a member of the

Bluff Borough Council for about 20 years, and Deputy-Mayox- for four terms. He is a former president of the Bluff Progress League and he has been a member of the Bluff Fire Brigade for 10 years. At the present time he is vicepresident of the Southern Districts Fire Brigades’ Association. Canterbury Sportsman One of the best Canterbury footballers in the years preceding the Great War, Mr James Bain, died recently. He was also a prominent member of the Riccarton Cricket Club. Mr Bain played full-back fox- Christchurch Boys’ High School behind the H. M. Taylor, E. E. Crawshaw, R. E. Boag combination for the 1907-08 seasons. This combination was one of the greatest known in secondary school football in New Zealand. When he left school he joined the Old Boys’ Club, and was again associated with the combination mentioned above, the team winnhxg the senior championship in 1913 and 1914. A firstclass full-back, and a deadly tackler, he played for Canterbury in the same two years. He held the cricket ball throwing championship of Christchurch Boys’ High School for a long period with a throw of 103 yards. Mr Bain joined the forces at the outbreak of the Great War and went away with the Main Body as a member of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry. He saw service on Gallipoli, where he was wounded. Mr Tom Bain, a brother, also a well-known footballer, died last year.