In the Open Air.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13715, 3 October 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

In the Open Air.

SPORT AND PASTIME. Cricket in Timaru has not opened in earnest yet. The necessary work of topdressing" the Athletic Grounds U the causs of delav. but as the grass is coining away well, tfie season will won be actively opened. The new ground in the. park will not be available for some months. When ready, however, it should be a favourite rallvimr point for a very strong club.

Bowling bids fair to be very popular in South Canterbury this year, and some very interesting inter-dub matches should be "played this . summer.. . Timaru will open the season on Thuisday next. Their green was specially seen to last winter, and fe looking welf. The Kia Toa green will be ready for the initiation ceremonies in a few days; but the date of the official opening has not yet been fixed. -This new green is looking exceptionally well. showing that.all who were responsible for the formation of it, had done. splendid work. From Temuka comes the news that top-dressing has. been a succtss, but it will be a week or two yet, ere the green will be fit to play on.

The golf season may now ':>> said to have closed. The winter has :een the inauguration, of several new « ,s ':.i=, and many enjoyable matches, have b>-en ht'u, the "Temuka players especially _ having been very enthusiastic. The I'nbell Cup seems to have " gone for ever." to qrote the wail of a fair enthusiast, J)tu torn retaining the firmest grip on it. 'Tlitr 1' ks are said to be the mest perfect h> the colony, and it will take a vsry high class team to beat Otago's best r.n their ewn ground. However, T'liaru -.till strive to .do better next winter, and though golf is said to be not such an rntertain quantity as some other outdoor games, it is quite on the cards that t!.t Orbell Cup will return to its cradle on the Downs.

Stanley Keicbell. the young Michigan boxer, who has buret into the American fistic firmament, is evidently a i-t.tr .of the first magnitude. He is not yet twenty-two yeans of age, but >he cyclonic manner in which he has t'i. pi«ed of men like Joe Thomas, Mike =>i d Jack (Twin) Sullivan (who knocked Bill Squires out last year) and Bill Papke, ;ill accredited fighters, has brought hiin b; ihe front in record time. -Bus latest ■ exploit has been to dispose of Hugo Kelly, who has for years been in the tiist flight of American middle-weights and " light, heavies," in three rounds. This puts him directly into the lunning for championship honours, and Promoter Coffrotb, the big first engineer,, has already wired to. Australia to learn Bums' views of the matter. The champion has replied thai he would insist on Ketcbell meeting and beating excbarapion Jack O'Brien before he would consider a match, and there the matter stands at present.

Tennis is another pastime that has gone .-.head very much of late years. The Timaru Club is particularly fortunate in getting several strong additions to its rank of men .players! With five fiist-class courts and a big roll of active' members it should have a very busy and highly interesting season.. The St. John's, St. Mary'*, and Wasley Clubs have their asphalt courts iu line order, .while a new court has beeu put down for the Pest and Telegraph officials. The Te Kara Club will use the park grass courts, which are looking -better than ever, and should wear well this summer. The Trinity Club have gone in for a. new ground, off Matilda street, and are busy gettiug.it into order. The Section is a trifle on the small side, but - room should be - foiind for a couple of good courts. - At Waimataitai, a court is being laid down at the" Wesley - Church site, and should be » ple.y-ant playground for the young people there. With to many clubs .and so many players tennis should quite htioin; but. there is a lot of room to be tilled •before the standard of play vitl be materially raised.

Dorundo Pietri. the " moral" winner of the Marathon Race (whom the Olympic officials rechmtencd Pietri Dorando) left London a week or two ago for his home in Italy. Hit* departure »at> made' the occasion for an enthusiastic demonstration by his lioudon countrymen, who flocked to Charing Crew* Station in large number* fully half an hour before the afternoon boat train for Folkestone wax due to leave. The crowd ..woi» :>o great that all could not be allowed upon the platform. For half nil hour Dorando held.an informal reception at the door of the second class V*niokcr" .which he and liis brother occupied. A fortunate iiuiidred Italian men and women who hud got part the barrier loaded Pietri with gifts of little comfort* for the journey, and shook his hand. The train steamed out to the sound of hjud and ciithut-JaMie

" Vivas !"' •" The KuglisJi people liavo besn very good to m--, and I am very (jiirry I cannot thank them all ptioonally," was Dor.indo'u farewell message to :t Pre>K reprewntativc. "1 cannot find word* enough to thank your Queen for Iht gracious kindness to me. Thank tlieEnglish people very much." In an article on the "Cost of purifying Rugby football of profcssionalifeui," Hamish Stuart in the London "Daily Chronicle.'' w»:— "

The puzzling problem <d professionalism in Hug by football, which'the union must sooner or later M>lve by the adoption of a definite iiolicy, *> not rendered loot iomplcx by the.fact that Uie clubs under suspicion are actuated rathe? by motives of jealousy than by a whole-tniuled low of purity in this special wnse. It. is un fortunately only too true that certain Mkllandeit, do not hold each other in tlie higlK«t affection and <Meem in their public capacity as "footer" folk, while it is equally certain that " 'he West," while denying' the existence of prof<s-sion.ilk>m in their own district,- are prepared to assert, and if to. prove, that it cx'fct* in the Midlands. The Midland", on the other hand, while n-ady with the ame denial sectional difference!! ajiart readily admit that profinsionalieiii vxii.tK in. tho West, but particularly in that district of the West which wt- associate with naval affair*. The union ate leally on the horn* of a <lil<mini. _ If liny apply their own law> und'act "ti their own information—received and to Ik- m-cived they will hive to i>nr.|>cud certain ciulv. and many players. '1 h.-y will thtv>, by their own act. create anntlicr split and a large acec.-hion of strength to the now powerful and growing Northern I'liinn. If. on the other hand, tiny decline to a.-t. ignore* their own laws, and ai>- pr.-pnrcd to condone offences for the t-mporary :<<i vantage of avoiding d-c.r-rtionr,, wilful and compulsory, they will have to r»k a very ilecided d'itrer.nc- with tin- Scottish anil Iri.-h Unions, which will probably iiii.in .1 nus|ien.Mon of Int. in.n i'.nil r- -l.it ion*. I .mi not li-iv (stating a "bogey" Mtu.ttioii. but merely tiro obvious far;* ol a very puzzling p'oition. t'ousi-teiicy .alls f.ii drastic .u'liuD of the puuitiv.- tyj. . wlnl.- • ■xj»-dieney m-m-« t'» justify tie- iimf tun oiot:.-, and teiiipor'«-mg «onisc. The Nor tli<-rn I'niitn. it mit>! b.- iilivn.il. are n-i lmigi-r moribund. liny ai.- a growing pow.T. and have found n«-w lif.- .iiid power in exploiting Colonial tours. .\- prof<i. >i«u.iUim i» grow:ng in (he t'obuii.-s, it i» '■l-ar iliat t!i- North, rit I'nioii li.iv.> r-.nr ed a iu(t.: weapon u i'h which t'« tight t!). ilugi.v t'liioii for the. |«.-<- ..-ion • •f W.il. i an.i t!i,ov .li«!ri.-t» of Kngl.tnd in wii:i-ii . !ui>, iiiiinly . ■•mtM.x. il oj wi.jl, ::-.g inrn pi iv. :■. abound. Tie r;;!.n...« of t!i.- North, tii I'nio., ; „ i,o„i, l, v tl„. that th-y lia\<- agrc»<l to give th- Ait» traiian prof.-v«:i.n >1 *id.- to j.iur lingland Ur-it nutter 70 j-r cent, of the gto».

gates. It is a sacrifice of immediate gain for permanent power, but it is a bait that will catch Colonials without number in the future. It is little wonder that "all round a most optimistic f&ling prevails in Northern Union circles," and that

" the opening of the season is being keenly anticipated by buth officials and players."

The Timaru Bowing Glub is very pleased with the four-oar built for them by Mr Norton, and .expect another in a few days. A third will come to hand in a fewweeks' tiro.". These boats were specially designed and bu ; lt for racing in the open waters outside the breakw;ater. They have sliding seats, and are centrally ideated. Mr Norton says that they are the first of the kind made in New Zealand, and have utood the test of open water exceedingly well. The boats are 36ft long, are fouroared, and built- of kauri. _The beam is 3ft 4in. elepth of the stem 16in, amidistiips 19in, sift 14in. Each boat is made air and water-tight, fore and aft (lift : n front and Bft behind). The boats are practically unsinkable, and can be used in any weather. The members of the club should find them of great' utility, and a decided improvement on the old fixed-seat fours. The latter are splendid sea boats, but it is hard work getting any pace on them. The club should, when all the new boats come to ways, have a very fine fleet, and with - comfortable practice in lively water in the open sea, the standard of rowing should be greatly improved.

Thursday last, the Irt of October, looked forward to so excitedly by the disciples of Izaak Walton, was a bad day for angling. Tlic weather was very cold for the tune of year, a souther taking charge all day. At liuie of writing all parties had not returned, but the fishers who had homed, generally were very disappointed. As anticipated by u* on Wednesday last, tiiei .return* to hand show thai the smaller .streams fished best, but it was not- a best that even the luckiest cared to romance about. Thi«, .however, should not dishearten the anglers, for the weather was such that all decent ilies would stay :n their nty,l.s and not roam ovv <'••? waters. The fish taken were small, the average being about one pound. It is said that "swimming the worm" was ;i failure, the Hy though taking rather poorly all day being (lie best lure to u.-e. At this tiinr- of year. Jiowwcr. the little minnow should be found the bitter bait, especially in the ripples and swirling pools. Tht! minnow should be cast upstream, and pulled quitely through the water. Roth the Uaugitala and Opihi have very bad "bars," but directly thes-_> improve there is sure to bo a run of fish after the whitebait. It is to b 0 hoped that the week end panics will have better . all :'.iii>d b-ck thi'n (ho*e who started with the clock on Thursdav last.