FIELD, FLOOD and RING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18832, 21 March 1931, Page 16 (Supplement)

FIELD, FLOOD and RING

The South Canterbury Amateur Athletic Championship meeting is now only a week away, and interest in this fixture is quickening. It is reported that there will be athletes competing here next week from Otago, Oamaru, Waimate, Ashburton, and there is also a possibility of some coming from as far north as Christchurch. The item of particular interest to athletes so far as the programme is concerned is the South Canterbury Challenge Cup, a magnificent trophy valued at 100 guineas, the competition for which is open to athletes in South Canterbury. Quite a number of promising runners belonging to this district have been seen in action this year, and those who are looked to have a chance of lifting the Cup this year are, Eaton, McDonald, Flaherty, Morrison, Ryan, C. Hall, Aitken, O’Leary, Marshall and Murray. It has to be remembered that the competition is for the highest aggregate number of points scored by any athlete, and it is reasonable to suppose that the most versatile athlete in all departments, including running, field events, and cycling, must have an advantage over men whose ability is confined to one department. A very fine programme has been drawn up and issued for the meeting, and some excellent sport should be witnessed.

The example in coaching the younger swimmers in Sydney has been already so strikingly successful that Victoria and Queensland are bent on following the example. The Sydney idea Is to divide the metropolitan area into four districts, with an official coach to each.

Ken Greig, Scottish amateur champion, gave a lesson in the economic use of clubs at the St. Andrews golf course recently. He won a tournament in ■which the competitors were limited to five clubs. Greig selected a brassie, a number 3 iron, a mashie, a niblick and a putter, and he went round the famous course In 75. How many players could improve on that score with a dozen clubs or more?

Anton Koolman, the Estonian wrestler, who has been in Australia for some years and is now in Auckland, desires to meet Sunni or any of the other New Zealand wrestlers.

A bowling pavilion has been put to various uses in the matter of evening meetings and entertainments, but the Wairere Bowling Club, at Napier, has l’eceived what is probably a unique honour, one which it is hoped will never be required again. The pavilion was appropriated for the Post Office Savings Bank, apparent having to serve for the whole of the cash transactions in Napier until the six trading banks were able to resume business last week in temporary premises erected over the ashes left by the earthquake.

Ena Stockley, ex-New Zealand champion and 1928 Olympic rep., now resident in Sydney, and who had done little swimming last season, has made a remarkable return to form (says the Sydney “Referee”). Swimming for Sydney Club, she covered 100yds in 64 l-ssec, the fastest time of her career. Oh that effort the New Zealand star must be given an excellent chance of winning the State 100yds championship at Coogee, despite the fact that Molly Mitchell, in the Australian 100yds title event, returned 64 4-ssec.

The keenness of the bowler for his favourite pastime is proverbial, but a new standard of enthusiasm was set when the annual carnival incidental to the official opening of the Armidale (N.S.W.) season not only ran through the whole of the day, but did not conclude until 2 o’clock next morning. At the 7 o'clock adjournment the rinks competition had been decided, but the pairs contest was still a long way from completion. Ten o’clock came and the struggle for victory was still going strong; 11 o’clock struck, and interest was unabated. At midnight the third round was proceeding merrily, and at 1 o’clock, though dew and pesperation were marked features of play, there was still plenty of enthusiasm, and when “lights out” came shortly after 2 o’clock it was almost with a sigh of regret that most of the disciples of Drake wended their way homewards.

Bobby Jones hereafter will not compete in any more amateur championship events. He himself resigned his amateur status when he accepted an offer to appear in moving pictures, although it is doubtful whether he would actually have been debarred by this, since the opinion is strongly held that there is no appreciable difference in writing books on golf and appearing in films. However, it is to his credit that in the circumstances he did not seek to retain his amateur standing. This year he wall be a spectator at the American Open Championships, which ■Will be held at Inverness, Ohio. It is a coincidence that this course was the scene of Jone’s entry into big golf, when he finished fourth to Ray in the Open in 1920. Ray’s aggregate was 295, Bobby Jones finishing with 299.

Every yachtsman who remains true to sail and deplores the introduction of the auxiliary engines w'ill feel inclined to view the future of the sailing yacht with a certain amount of perplexity (says the New Zealand Aquatic). For a long time no doubt there will exist a small band of stalwarts whose faces

are resolutely turned against the auxiliary craft and to whom motor boats are abominations, but in the end this opposition will be succeeded by the indifference which spells capitulation. The rapid increase in motor boating, inboard and outboard, the growing number of auxiliary installa-

tions in sailing yachts and the rarity of new designs of sailing craft in which no provision made for fitting power plant can mean nothing if not the end of the true sailing yacht, apart from a few of the centre-board classes. The foregoing speaks well for the increasing popularity of the marine engine, and this should not be lost sight of by the agents handling motors suitable for the auxiliary as well as the true motor boat. Within the past few years a number of Auckland’s keel yachts have been converted into auxiliaries, and without exception not one of the owners of the boats in question would now do away with the motors, which in their opinion have added greatly to the pleasure of cruising.

The Sullivan memorial prize, given last year for presentation to the outstanding amateur athletic performer for the year in the United States, was voted to Bobby Jones by an overwhelming majority in recognition of his wonderful feat in annexing the four major events of the year. This is the first time that the prize has been awarded. Among many other names of athletes in the running were mentioned those of G. Simpson (sprinter) and H. Rothert (field athlete), both of whom are at present in New Zealand on a tour.

Although Canterbury has had a somewhat lean time during the past few years as far as swimming is concerned, the province’s record in water polo—only two losses in 19 years—will take a good deal of beating. The New Zealand championship was carried on as a club championship from 1892 to 1909, the Christchurch Club winning from 1892 to 1897. When the championship became a centre competition, Canterbury won from 1909 to 1914.

Hawke’s Bay won the next year, and then came the war. Canterbury victories continued from 1920 to 1928. Wellington won ’next year, and last year Auckland and Canterbury tied. This year Canterbury again proved unbeatable, scoring a victory over Auckland by six goals to four.

Some of the greatest players in America are golfers who began their careers in the British Isles, more especially in Scotland. Among them are Crui’ckshanks (who is to visit Australia this month), Melhorn, and T. Armour, the present holder of the United States national professional title. The golfing authorities in the United States do not permit any other than native-born players to take part in the Ryder Cup matches. A new rule in Britain provides that a player

must be resident in Britain to be qualified for the Ryder Cup team. The only eminent British professionals debarred by this rule are Aubrey Boomer and PerCy Allis. Famous players ruled out in America are J. Kirkwood, Macdonald Smith, runner-up in both the British and the American Open Championship last year, James Branes, W. Macfarlane, Harry Cooper, and Charles Lacy.

Crawford and Hopman, who have been the leading players in Australia for the past few seasons, fought out the final of the New South Wales singles championship last week-end, and victory rested with Crawford, who usually seems to be able to measure off Hopman. The score in favour of Crawford, who gave a fine display of driving and volleying, was 6 —4, 6 —2, 2 —6,

6—l. In the Doubles, Crawford and Hopman, the holders of the Australian championship title, were defeated by Dunlop and Donohoe after a great battle, which extended over five long sets, the full score being B—6,8 —6, 6—2, 5—7, 7—9, 6—4. Dunlop is a young player who has latterly forced his way into the front rank, and Donohoe wall be remembered as a member of the team, captained by Kalms, which visited the Dominion last year.

The rare spectacle of a competitor winning a swimming race doing the “dog paddle,” was seen at the Mount Eden Club’s carnival recently. The lad, who earned this distinction was G. Maskell, who had a start of 13s. in the district primary schools’ 25yds. handicap and he led home a large field in both the heat and final.