Personalities In Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 13

Personalities In Sport

Aucklander Lou Brown Is One of World’s Best Wing Three-Quarters

RECOGNISED as one of the finest wing threequarters of either Rugby code in the world today is Aucklander Eon Brown. Two seasons ago he left Maoriland’s -shores and sailed for England, where he lias since gained the highest honours offering in any footbaJL And it was with great pleasure that fans of all branches of sport in Auckland learned recently that this now famous Leaguer had sailed for New Zealand to visit his people in this city. He is returning to England to play in 1930.

In England the Wigan Club starred him as the “great” winger, while throughout his name has been a household word with every English League fan. Only last week the news was flashed by cable to Lou Browns homeland of his great game for the Wigan Club when it clinched the grand Northern Union Cup Final, the feature game of the English Rugby League’s season. And Lou Brown’s football career, imbued as it is with outstanding performances, is one of a greatness seldom read. During his school days he played Rugby and while attending the Vermont Street School in Auckland in 1919 played for the Primary School reps, against Thames, when he won his first gold medal, one which to this day has a conspicuous place among his many trophies. In those times he a*lso excelled at swimming and athletics generally. In 1920 he captained the Ponsonby fifth grade Rugby team and in the same year went up to fourth grade. The following season, a mere diminutive youngster at the age of 16, he went to Hamilton, where he played for the Frankton senior team. He was the star rearguard man of that side, his name being thickly smattered over the sports pages of the various Waikato papers. The same season he also played for the Hamilton reps., when it was well recognised that Lou Brown, with his remarkable versatility and elusiveness as a centre three-quarter (he played centre then), had a wonderful football career ahead of him. It was in 1922 'that Lou came back to Auckland and joined up with the League code. This change over was to prove one of the most serious losses the Rugby game ever had. He joined up with Newton and his first game for the thirteen a-side code was against Shore, when at five-eighths he gave a fine exhibition, on one occasion running nearly the whole length of the field to score the greatest try of the day. He was referred to as the team's solicitor, while one leading paper at that time remarked that the name of Lou Brown was “A” seat in the dress circle. It was during this season (192 2 j that v Lou entered the ranks of the best football played, for he represented Auckland against Australia, scoring two brilliant games. When South Auckland met this Australian side he was borrowed from Auckland to give them a hand and he did so with the usual marked success. In 1923 it was found necessary for Lou to make a health trip to England. But he had not been there very long before he was roped in to play senior

League for Wigan. England’s i foremost League Rugby Club. A brilliant centre, and later a; wing three-quarter, his presence on the field was always demanded by the public, and when 10 months had gone by and it was time for him to sail for New Zealand lie was advised to do so quietly—he had become a regular favourite in the game and the fans would have by no means welcomed his departure. Back in Auckland in 1924, he joined up with City and in the first match after his return, which was against Richmond, he scored three tries. Later, when the representative season came round, he played for Auckland. The following season, proving himself the star in the North v. South Island match, he was chosen f<»r the New Zealand representative side to tour Australia. On this occasion Maoriland won the ashes and according to many of Australia’s sporting papers Lou Brown was mainly responsible for the great victory. He was regarded as the flying winger, the finest that ever crossed the Tasman, and was considered to be even better than Bennie Wearing, who then ranked as Australia’s most brilliant winger. In all the games played Wearing failed to beat Lou Brown and was considered to be second to the New Zealander. Lou’s next turn in big football came when he was chosen for the New Zealand side to visit England in 1926. In the Homeland he played 17 matches on end, giving such brilliant exhibitions that many of the code’s officials at Home made up their minds to have young Brown once more in their midst. Thus in the following year he once more returned to England. He again joined the Wigan Club and in the first match jumped right into his stride to play the best football of his life. Roy Kinnear, the Scottish International, writing in a leading sports paper at Home, said that Lou Brown was undoubtedly a champion and was exceptionally strong on defence. And so, in a very brief form, is the football career of Lou Brown, one of the finest players New Zealand ever produced. He has now climbed to the greatest heights and in English football circles is regarded as a sort of idol. Indeed, may every New Zealander be proud of him. Apart from football altogether he is a fine example of New Zealand manhood, and although it may appear perhaps a little feeble on the surface, he must be given much of the credit for putting New Zealand on the map. His clean living habits and thoroughness in training—“always fit" is his motto—have won hirn the great honours which have fallen upon his yet young, but manly, shoulders.