OFF THE FIELD

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 75, Issue 6442, 5 November 1947, Page 7

OFF THE FIELD

NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE GAMES AND PLAYERS

[By

“Breakaway”]

Wallopies!” Some of the English Rugby Union writers have dubbed the touring Australian team the “Wallopies” as a criticism of their alleged rough play. Picking The Springboks The South African Rugby Union has decided to hold trials early in 1949 to find the players to meet the All Blacks. The trials will be held at a centre yet to be chosen and will be spread over eight days—two Saturdays and the intervening week. Five selectors have been appointed and they saw ’ as many interprovincial matches as possible towards the end of the late season.• The first Currie Cup match watched by all the selectors was that in which Western Province reached the final by beating Border, 26-9, at Newlands. The selectors are Messrs W. F. Schreiner (chairman), W. C. Zeller, F. W. Mellish, J. J. Kipling, and Dr Danie Craven. Will Beat Treloar! The impressive form of Sydney star John Treloar in his recent outing over the 100 yards has not shaken the optimism of Mr Bill Grant, coach of Victoria’s outstanding sprinter, John Bartram. Grant says: Bartram will down Treloar over the “century” next, season. Grant bases this forecast on the close battle that Bartram gave Treloar in the Australian 100 yards championship on Leederville Oval, Perth, in January. Treloar caught the Victorian about eight yards from home and scored by about three-quar-ters of a yard. But while the tall Sydney sprinter was maintaining his balance in his burst for the tape, Bartram was “climbing” badly- running on his heels with his head thrown back. £4OO For Olympic Athlete At least £4OO is needed to send one Australian athlete to the Olympic Games to be held in London next year. A team of at least 30 is contemplated. This would cost £12,000. It is hoped, however, that, sufficient money will be raised to increase the team to 50 and. thus have Australia properly represented at an assembly of the world’s greatest athletes. Victorian sportsmen are determined that this State alone will contribute £lO,000 to the Olympic fund. The Government has sponsored the cost of sending one athlete, and the Melbourne City Council another.

Ranks Thinning George Godfrey’s passing thins the ranks of the old-time heavy-weight boxers. Even though Godfrey had been retired from the game for some years, he had a name that counted in fistic circles. One of the nice gestures was that made by Jack Dempsey, who sent word to Los Angeles friends that he wanted to defray the expenses of the funeral for Godfrey, who died penniless. Dempsey is always doing the right thing. Dempsey and Godfrey never fought, though George was anxious for a chance but they were friendly all the time.

Coaching Appointments Among the happiest cricketers in England at the close of the 1947 season were six professionals who had been engaged to coach in South Africa during the approaching austere winter. They were Alex. Kennedy, the old Hampshire player, Reg. Perks, Who toured South Africa with Walter Hammond’s team of 1938-39, E. Smethuifet, of Nottinghamshire, Jack Mercer, who now has an appointment with Northamptonshire —these four are under contract to the South African Cricket Association. Emrys Davies, of Glamorganshire, goes to Wanderers Club, Johannesburg, and Tom Reddick, of Nottinghamshire, have been engaged by the Western Province Cricket Union. Invitations have also been extended to Harold Gimblett, of Somerset, and Alex Dedser, of Surrey. The Swimmer to Beat

J. T. Logan, the Taranaki champion surfer and freestyle swimmer, is regarded as the man to beat in New Zealand this summer as a “butterfly” breaststroke exponent. Strength, particularly in the arms, counts for much in this modern style, and Logan is better equipped physically than either John Shanahan, of Auckland, the national 100 and 220 yards titleholder, or Des. Dowse (Wellington), runner-up at Nelson last year. Logan, who is attending Otago University, stands 6ft 4in and weighs more than 15 stone. He recently received a week’s concentrated training from Lieutenant W. H. ((Bill) Dyson, of Wellington, the most qualified coach of this stroke in New Zealand.

Von Nida Tops The Australian golfer, Norman Von Nida, recently stated , that his prizewinnings in British golf this summer amounted to over £3OOO, which means that he earned about 15s for every stroke he made in competition. Von Nida, who heads the averages, an which he is closely followed by four Ryder Cup players, says he will be returning next year, when he hopes to win the British open. Leading averages for the season were:— Strks. Rds. Av. N. G- Von Nida 4133 58 71.25 Dai J. Rees ' , 3452 48 71.91 G. H. Ward ... 3461 48 72.1 F. Dalv . , . .., . . . 1746 24 72.75 T. H. Cotton . 1455 20 72.75 R. A. Whitcombe 3209 44 72.93 India’s Cricket Prospects Although the Indian cricket team at present touring Australia made an unimpressive beginning in the match against Western Australia, the excellent recovery in the next game against South Australia gives grourdfor hope that the side may provide the Australian test teams with some serious opposition. One of the most

encouraging features of the tour so far is the early good form of V. Mankad, the Indians’ leading all-rounder. Mankad i$ listed in the latest edition of “Wisden” as one of the five cricketers of the year, a distinction earned for his fine play during the Indians’ tour of England in 1946. A slow leftarm bowler and right-hand batsman, Mankad began by scoring 57 and taking six wickets against Western Australia. Against South Australia his scores were 57 and 116 not out, and he took, in all, seven wickets for 178 runs. In England last year Mankad scored more than 1000 runs and took 129 wickets, the first member of a visiting team to complete the double since Constantine’s success in 1928, and the first Indian to accomplish the feat. Mankad has been described by such good judges as Lord Tennyson and A. L. Hassett as an outstanding player, and if he can maintain his present form he should set the other members of his side an example.

Light Heavy-weight Stars Now that both Jackie Marr and Ces Hodges, the two Australian light heavy-weights at present campaigning in New Zealand, have been successful in their opening bouts, boxing men are already discussing the prospect of their meeting possibly at Mataura. Hodges has already dropped a decision to Marr, but his form was so impressive against Darcy Hoffman at Auckland that the matching of the pair should produce an outstanding contest. Roy Stevens, conqueror of Cliff. Hanham at Invercargill, has challenged the winner of the HodgesHoffman bout; it is also reported that negotiations have been made to match Don Mullett and Hodges. In the meantime Marr and Hanham will fight it out; on November 15th, and after that bout the matching of Marr and Hodges by the Mataura Boxing Club will probably be discussed. Officials of the Christchurch Boxing Association will be at Mataura when Marr and Hanham meet, and if Marr’s form is as good as reported, he will be matched with the New Zealand champion, Don Mullett, in Christchurch in December.

British Light-weight Champion Sunderland-born Billy Thompson, 22-year-old colliery worker from Hickleton Main, Yorkshire, became British light-weight champion at Anfield Road football ground on October 17th, when lie beat Stan Hawthorne, of North Shields, in the third round. It was a sensational victory, scored by a man who was quick to sieze an opportunity when things had not been going too well for him. Hawthorne found his science of no avail after the two-handed Thompson had rattled him with a right cross early in the second round, yet the North Shields man might have had the contest won inside the first three minutes, when his confidence was high and Thompson’s at an apparent low ebb. Hawthorne whipped over his famous right in the first minute and had Thompson weak at the knees. It looked as though another of these punches would end the fight, but Thompson was the first to recover. He was never again in serious danger. When he had Hawthorne going he never gave his opponent any opportunity cf recovering.