SPORTS BUDGET

Southland Times, Issue 24592, 14 November 1941, Page 10

SPORTS BUDGET

ROWERS PREPARING AT BLUFF In these days when sports clubs, especially rowing clubs, which depend on young men for their numerical strength, are finding difficulty in keeping up their membership, it is good to see one club stronger than last year. That is the Awarua Boating Club. This season it has 20 new youths members—that is, oarsmen who are under 21 and thus able to compete in the youths classes at regattas. Of necessity, almost all recruits to the sport in time of war are youths. Awarua crews are in regular training for the Riverton and Bluff regattas and the new members are reported to be showing commendable keenness. Club races will be held after about a fortnight. Bowls Championships Although Southland bowlers have not had many opportunities since the greens were opened of getting in solid practice, many of those who get their greatest recreation in tournament play are in fairly good form. The New Zealand tournament, which this season will be held at Dunedin, is the principal attraction in the holiday period and as in past years Southland clubs will be strongly represented. Already several rinks have been formed in the city clubs, but the country has got in first with an entry. Of the many entries received to date the rink of the Ohai Club is the first entry from Southland. The four comprises G. Wood, C. Mills, J. Duncan and J. Burleigh. Ohai has also entered two pairs, Duncan and Berleigh linking up and Wood and Mills being the other pair. When the championships were last held in Dunedin (in 1938) no fewer than 50 bowlers from Southland clubs took part. This time it is expected that at least 10 or 12 rinks will take part and it is possible there will be more. City clubs likely to be represented are Northend (two or three rinks), Te Rangi (two rinks), Georgetown, Southland, Waihopai, Invercargill and R.SA. The Waihopai rink will probably be the one which won the Southland rinks championship last year—H. Miller (now in Dunedin), A. Wilson, A. E. Broad and R. G. Morrison.

Win By Mirrors Not so long ago the two champions who hold the triple crown of professional golf met in a 72-hole “dream match” for the unofficial world title. Over the Mahoning Country Club course in Girard, Ohio, Craig Wood, United States national open and Masters winner, blazed a seven under par 63 for the first round to go 7 up on Vic Ghezzi, Professional Golfers’ Association champion. Coolly outputting his former pupil, Wood went on to take the match 5 and 4 and the 2500 dollar prize money. Explaining that he had corrected a fault in his swing in front of a looking glass, Wood declared: “I won it with mirrors.”

Oarsman’s Departure The Railway Rowing Club will feel keenly the loss of H. G. Pickford, deputy club captain, who leaves this week on transfer for Blenheim. Pickford started with the club seven years ago and with the exception of a season in Christchurch he has rowed for Railway every year. He is one of the “old hands” among the active members now and the good wishes of Southland oarsmen will go with him, particularly if he decides to join a club at Blenheim. He will be missed also by the Invercargill Regatta Committee, of which he is secretary. His efforts in the organization of the Invercargill regatta last year contributed largely to the outstanding success of that fixture. W. Little is the new deputy-captain of the Railway Club. Boating Personals

Personal items from the Awarua Boating Club: Members actively associated with the club during the past, five years and now on active service total 51. W. Burtenshaw, a well-known oarsman of former years, is interesting himself in the sport again this year and has the club gear in great order. He is only too willing to lend a hand with the coaching of beginners. The following members who are not available for training yet, will be seen out at a later stage in the season: H. Raymond, O. Lindqvist, J. Dawson, L. and A. Morrison, L. Hawke, N. Johnstone, A. and M. West and C. Denny. Cricket Trophies

A cup for the highest aggregate score for the season in the senior grade competition of the Southland Cricket Association has been given for annual coinpetition by Mr C. Warburton. The winners’ names will be inscribed on the cup. Mr Warburton has also given a trophy for the highest aggregate score in the third grade, and, in addition there is the president’s trophy, given by Mr J. S. Brass, for the player under 17 years of age, irrespective of grade, whose batting, bowling and fielding and general service to his club during the season are adjudged to be the best. Clubs will be asked to nominate players for the trophy by December 31 and during the second half of the season the performances of the nominated players will be watched by a sub-com-mittee. Tennis Ladders

Little interest has so far been shown in the tennis ladders for players in the city area, and the ladder secretary (Mr G. R. W. Barnes) has received only four entries, two for the men’s doubles ladder and two for the women’s singles. The ladders are intended as a guide to the selectors of representative teams and last year they worked very well, attracting good entries. The ladders provide excellent doubles and singles matches for the players, who gain valuable experience. Players should realize that the onus is on them to notify the ladder secretary if they wish to be placed on the ladder’s. Successful Rally

It is not often that the Municipal Baths building is filled to overflowing, but the seating capacity was quite insufficient to hold the large crowd which attended the swimming gala arranged by the Southland Centre to finish off the physical fitness rally last Saturday. With the good result of £2l profit on the carnival the centre may feel that the swimming section of the rally more than justified its share in the proceedings. Country Day

If Country Day of the Southland Cricket Association is held this season it will probably be on January 10. Last season five country teams came to the city two from Eastern, two from Central Western and one from Northern. More than likely the number will be fewer this year, but the opinion of the management committee of the association is that Country Day, which has been so successful and enjoyable in past years, should be held if this is at all possible. A letter has been sent to the sub-associations asking their views on the matter.

Smart Swimming P. Fitzgerald and G. Yule had their anticipated duel in the breaststroke race at the last swimming carnival when Yule, giving his rival 2sec over 100yds, just failed to catch him, the two boys touching practically together after a neck and neck struggle over the last lap. Both improved on their past performances and R. McKendry,

who finished third, was unable to betteihis handicap time to go with them. Yule also won his heat of the Woolworth Cup race, but he touched underwater. Finishes are above water, except on a rope, and breaststrokers must touch above water and with both hands simultaneously. It is as well to remember too, that they must also touch each turn with both hands and both feet. Sporting Action The Georgetown Cricket Club is to be complimented on its sporting action in agreeing to the promotion of its A. team to the junior B grade, especially as all the players in the team at present are under 17 years of age. The promotion of the team will, of course, permit of the playing of older players if they are available. Georgetown’s consent has solved a difficult problem for the management committee of the Southland Cricket Association. The Waikiwi team is too strong for junior B, but its promotion to junior A would have left the B grade with only three teams and it is impossible to run a satisfactory competition with so few. In justice to the Waikiwi Glub it should be stated that when it entered its team in the junior B grade it did not know that its side was going to be as strong as it has proved to be. A number of new members strengthened the team very considerably. Water Waltzing A display of water waltzing was given by Miss Joyce Macdonald and Miss Peggy Strang at the last Invercargill swimming carnival. It was greatly appreciated by the spectators and as far as is known it was the first time such an item has been staged in New Zealand. Water Waltzing is the action of swimmers gliding gracefully through the water, side by side, reversing in unison from freestyle to backstroke and back again. It is not every swimmer who is capable of such manoeuvres and the two girls mentioned gave an attractive exhibition. Performing in the dark and picked out by a spotlight the girls did two lengths side by side. As an encore they moved in another formation, Miss Strang following directly behind Miss Macdonald. Tiny Tot Swimmers The tiny tots’ width still holds its place as one of the main events on the Southland Centre’s swimming programme and the entries are very good. Two heats were required last week, and the youngsters, all under 10 years, are

showing great keeness. Out of their ranks will come some future champions, as the present fields are showing pace which surprises people who have not seen them in action before. i Southland Cricket Team ' December 13 or December- 20 are the I dates which have been suggested for j the trial match which it is proposed to | hold before the selection of the South- | land cricket team to meet Otago at In- ! vercargill at the New Year. One of the i main purposes of the match is to enj able the sole selector, Dr G. H. Uttley, ■ to see the best of the country players I in action. Accordingly the Eastern and I Central Western sub-associations are | being asked either to pick teams to i play one another, or else to pick a combined team to meet a city eleven. Eastern and Central Western are the only sub-associations in which competitions are being conducted this seaI son. ' Sanders Cup Prospects I Now that the yachting season is well i under way interest begins to focus on i the events of the coming season. The ; principal event in the yachting world in i New Zealand is the Sanders Cup contest ■ to be held this year at Lyttelton, prob- ' ably before January 1. Southland will i not be sending a representative to the Icontest this year partly because of the I high costs of transport and partly be- | cause of insufficient competition. With : no Southland representative, yachtsi men in the province will naturI ally be interested in the results of the i Ctago Sanders Cup trials, which will i begin on Saturday, when six boats will ; face the starter. Chief among them will i be Wampa (last season’s challenger), iManihi (a former Canterbury representative), Lynette and Evelyn, while Heather and probably Ripple will also be starters. The trials will be continued until one boat has won three races, and the skipper of the successful craft, in consultation with the judges, will select his own crew. Otago has also decided to enter a challenge for the Cornwell Cup this year and the first trials will be sailed at Port Chalmers on Saturday. Southland has never had the numbers of boats ani enthusiasts that are to be found in northern centres. Of the men that were available many have left for overseas service. This has also been the case with Otago, but in both the provinces boys who have not reached the military age are coming forward to help keep the sport alive during the war. Last year the Invercargill Boating Club did not follow the example set by the

northern clubs in holding races, even on a restricted scale, to keep the clubs together. It is hoped that when the anj nual meeting is held in a week or so it I will be found possible to hold races | regularly. Several excellent trophies are I held by the club for competition. i Damage To Yachts I Rawene, c former Southland yacht, i will be sailing in the Otago yachting i competitions this year. Her owner, R. Gough, ’; at present stationed in InverI cargill and C. Hollis will be skipper of the yacht this year. Hollis came from Wellington last year and has been prominent in yachting circles in the north, having twice been in the crews of Wellington boats in the Sanders Cup contests. Rawene, which was built in Southland in 1936 and represented the province in the Sanders Cup contest in 1937, was recently damaged when a heavy gale struck the Vauxhall Boating Club’s shed. Three or four boats were in the shed and all were damaged. The owners have been at work all the winter repairing the damage and the yachts are now ready for the SandersCun trials. Rugby Stalwart One of Australia’s best Rugby wingers of all times, Charles White, died at Maitland recently at the age of 69 years. As a young footballer he won his way to Rugby distinction, representing New South Wales against New Zealand and England, and ap- | pearing also as an Australian repreI sentative against Molyneux’s English team and the original All Blacks. He was also quite a fair club cricketer.