FIELD, FLOOD and RING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18849, 11 April 1931, Page 21

FIELD, FLOOD and RING

Jack Dempsey refereed 57 boxing and wresting contests during 1930 for fees running into £20,000.

That fine old-time Australian, Joe Pluto, hero of battles with Griffo and leading world’s featherweights of his day, is ill in hospital at Perth (W.A.).

In 1905, Tom Sharkey, hero of fights with Jim Jeffries, placed £SO with the New York Edison Co. Tom forgot it and he now has £SOO to his credit any time he wants it.

The new golf ball, recently adopted in America, will be the subject of conand, personally, I am prepared to see siderable discussion in the near future, it adopted universally before very long. Bobby Jones says of it: “Hit it like a golf ball and it will act like a golf ball.” But therein, my good Robert, lies the snag for the most of us. Hit It like a golf ball, forsooth; that is just what we have all been trying to do any time these last twenty years. “It pitches beautifully,” he continues. “Goes up faster and comes down more softly, and it does not run away from you so easily. It putts extremely well. With the wind or without it there is very little difference in the carries, as between the old and the new balls. A little yardage is all you lose. Until a ball is standardised in all countries where golf is played difficulties are certain to arise. This year’s British Ryder Cup team will have no opportunity of practising with the new ball before going into action in America. The British open immediately preceding their embarkation for the U.S.A., and they naturally will not use it immediately before competing in the British open.

For nine years E. G. Sutherland, former New Zealand athlete, held the javelin throwing record in New South Wales. The other day George Bronder, six times javelin champion of the United States of America, and present champion of Australia and Victoria arrived in Sydney. He reached the city in the morning, went out to the Sydney Sports Ground in the afternoon, and departed for Brisbane in the evening. With Bronder went the New South Wales javelin record. In the short time he was at the Sports Ground he had thrown the spear 183 ft. 10*in. —over 9ft. better than Sutherland’s record.

Bowls to-day stands pre-eminent among kindred outdoor pastimes, says an Australian wTiter. It has been acclaimed by critics the most scientific. It boasts the greatest popularity and the largest number of devotees. And now, crowning all, it has been included in the Olympic Games for 1932. This signal honour has indeed “placed it on the map” for all time, and silenced its detractors. Too long has bowls been the victim of the chimercial supposition that “it is an old man’s game,” and the equally absurd delusion that “luck, not skill, dominates the play.” Such groundless aspersions should now die a natural death, for the grand old game is in future to provide the real test of the physique, endurance, virility, and fighting qualities of the manhood of the nations. Gene Sarazen, who has just emerged triumphant at Miami, in the Logaree open tournament from a very hot field, is a truly amazing little man. Standing barely sft. Sin. in height, the little Italian hits the ball as far as most of his larger antagonists, and is a real wizard near the greens. His score of 282 for 72 holes, average 70 £, Is some indication of the class of golf required to win anything important in America. Kirkwood occupied fifth place, which is a more exalted position than he has been accustomed to of late. The decision of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association to send an invitation to Japan to tour New Zealand should result happily for some of the Japanese players available are in the first flight of the world. Takeichi Harada, T. Abe and Y. Ohta are three who have been playing in Davis Cup tennis for several years, and if any two of them should be included in the visiting team excellent tennis would be assured. Harada has represented his country in almost every Davis Cup match since 1924, having defeated W. M. Johnston (1926), R. Lacoste and H. Cochet (1926), and H. Cochet (1929). He was ranked seventh in the “world’s first ten” of 1926. Ohta has also represented Japan consistently in Davis Cup matches, having to his credit a defeat of J. Van Ryn in 1929. In 1928 and 1929 he won many of the open English tournaments. Don’ts For Cyclists. Don’t raise yourself from the saddle when sprinting. Don’t let the shoulders wobble. Don’t shake the head while spurting. i Don’t look behind, but always ahead. Don’t hold your handlebars too tightly. Don’t assume a track position for the road. Don’t forget to go over your machine before a race. Don’t underrate your opponents. Don’t break the laws of the road. Don’t talk; you may need your breath later on. Don’t growl about your handicap; speak to the handlcapper. Don’t be late on your mark. Don’t shirk your lap. Don’t be afraid to ask for tips from officials and better riders. Don’t forget that a race finishes only when the line has actually been crossed. Don’t forget you are (or should be) riding for the love of the game. Don’t forget that fair play is bonnie play. ~ _

[ Primo Camera and Paolino Uzcudun each got a shock in New York recently. Both were refused admittance to Madison Square Garden, to watch boxing contests, because they were under suspension by the New York State Boxing Commission, which rules that its edicts applies to them as spectators as well as contestants. Do you wonder that Petrolle feels cocky and acclaims himself the leader of both the light-weight and welterweight class? (asks a writer in “The Ring”). He feels that he is master of any fighter in these divisions, and so does his manager, Hurley. Hurley has told Billy that before another year lapses he will be a double champion, and as anything Hurley says is law w r ith Billy, the prediction will surely come true if Petrolle gets the chair e he’s after. Hurley is the engineer of the Fargo express., and as engineer he never yet has steered the express wrong. This Hurley angle is mere important in the combination than one might casually think. All of Petrolle's success is due to the ingenuity of Hurley, the master mind. Ask Petrolle. He’ll tell you quite emphatically that Hurley taught him all he knows about fighting and he’s grateful for it. That's why there is no contract between Hurley and Petrolle. The majority of Bob Fitzsimmons’s fights were won with a punch to the temple with one notable exception—his k.o. of Corbett with the wicked solar plexus punch (says an American writer). Some time after he had beaten Corbett, Fitz paid a flying visit to England to play the music halls. Cartoons showed many versions of the solar plexus blow, and to den- the atmosphere Fitz decided tc r.. "*po**r.? a demonstration of the punch ir. his act. He took a light-weight buli. tached a string to it. and. suspend : .r.~ the ball from his head, around which he had a loop fastened, he kept the crowd in good humour by displaying a brand of flashy, trick bag punching. Then, when he had all the audience at attention, he nodded to the orchestra leader for some fast drum beats, and, taking aim, he let fly a blow that landed with force on the ball, hurling it and the apparatus off the stage into the lap of a spectator. “There goes Mr Corbett,” Fitz would remark, as the ball made its exit from the stage. Among the more Important Character development values Inherent In swimming activities are the following:— Self-reliance, cleanliness, body control, purposeful and worth-while occupations, personal gratification, pride in physical development; unselfishness, particularly in learning life-saving methods; safety and an appreciation of the rights of others to enjoy similar sports. Swimming is a means nob only of keeping oneself fit for service but frequently of rendering tncaluable service. Because it tends to make other water sports safe, It should be learned before one indulges In boating or canoeing. It is not pleasant to put an soiled clothing after a vigorous swim. The desire to be Immaculate grows stronger and improvement in habits of personal cleanliness is noticeable. Enjoyment of personal cleanliness extends to appreciation of a clean environment. A motive of unselfish service enters into swimming through learning and practising life-saving methods. Can you swim for two? Can you save another from drowning? . Can you perform artificial respiration? Swimming helps to develop wholesome mental attitudes. One can’t swim and worry. One can't swim and hate. Swimming relaxes, refreshes, reassures. The motions used in swimming develop the body. The broad stroke develops the chest and lungs, gives symmetry to arms and legs, promotes regular breathing ,and increases endurance. These help to develop pride in physical well-being. The successful performance of the various strokes results in the development of ft body control and also is the source of personal gratification to the performer.— H. F. Enlows, in “Beach and Pool.”

The commanding position of the game of bowls in the world of sport ia evidenced by the following figures:— There are 500,000 members of associated clubs in the British Empire today, and the average new membership totals 50,000 annually! In Australia and New Zealand alone the total number of bowlers' is fast approaching 100,000. Equally interesting and surprising is the statement that the value of their bowls in use exceeds £500,000. A sum exceeding £600,000 Is expended annually by New Zealand and Australian clubs on greenkeepers’ and stewards’ wages, etc., and the total value of the property occupied and owned by the clubs approximates £5,000,000. Figures like these surely illustrate what a valuable asset to a State clean, well-managed sport can become.

The West Indies, as a team, have had their chances, and failed to rise to them is the opinion of the Sydney “Referee.” In the opening match they had a grip against New South Wales, yet were beaten. In Adelaide, in the return with South Australia, they looked winners for a long time, only to peter out and be beaten. In the fourth test their batting failed so badly In the first innings that it lost them the chance of getting the Australians in on a bad wicket on the second day, instead of which the home team was able to close and finish them off on the impaired wicket. It is clear that they have not picked up the form revealed on their own wickets. It is equally clear that they are not so good as their performance in England and against England in the West Indies implied. They have failed too often at the crisis.