Around The Playing Fields

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23372, 1 December 1945, Page 6

Around The Playing Fields

Local Activities Main attractions in to-day's sports will be the opening of the A Grade tennis competition at Maori Park; South Canterbury v. Canterbury at Christchurch in a bowling competition for the Steans Cup; High School v. Old Boys at cricket at the Rectory grounds and Timaru v. Star at Fraser Park; softball at Ashbury Park and yachting in the Timaru harbour. Wai-iti Tennis Club The ladder which has been open since the season began will be closed as from to-day, when challenges only to those immediately above will be accepted. The ladder still remains very active especially in the men’s section where competition has been very keen to secure top positions. The steady stream of new members is having the effect of creating keener competition for inclusion in the various club teams. Among the new members W. Liddell should keep the best players busy to hold their places. He has been first string for Otago University and will be a valuable asset to the club. Ivan Wilby, another new recruit, shows promise of developing into a really sound player and although he has had the racket hung up for some years he should not take long to get back into good form again. S. McWhirter (an old Wai-iti member), recently returned from the Forces, and well remembered for his peculiar two-handed style of playing, will also be representing the club in matches. Don Green created a bit of a sensation and showed good form to defeat G. Innes-Jones for the No. 1 position. He should make his presence felt on the South Canterbury ranking list this ' season. Possessing a good free style I with plenty of power and speed in his shots, this player would appear to have a good future. It is very encouraging to the club coaches to see so many junior members turning up on Saturday mornings. So far they have been concentrating on stroke production, back and forehand, and they have been apt pupils. The club will be entering a team in the junior competitions to be held at Maori Park and this will give the juniors an opportunity to try out their strokes. Caddie Racket English golfers won’t challenge for the Ryder Cup next year, so the Americans, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen, will head a formidable team to compete in the British Open at St. Andrew’s. Henry Cotton has suggested that gallery stands, with reserved seats, should

be built at the important holes, and the committee of the Royal and Ancient club is thinking it over. Golf authorities are puzzled how to break the caddie racket. Professionals get 10/- to teach a member one round, but caddies, who carry the bags, get £1 sterling a day. Caddies are so scarce wealthy members pay willingly, so unless all clubs can agree on uniform fees, caddies will gravitate where the pay is best. Amateur Athletics The Temuka A.A. Club will hold the first official inter-club meeting arranged by the Sub-centre. The relay meeting which has been arranged will be a novelty for many of the competitors and should make for keen team competition as against individual effort. Strong teams have been entered in all sections, including teams from Pleasant Point, Temuka and the South Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club. The men’s section has been divided into groups under 17 and over 17 years of age.

Aorangi Club To encourage junior tennis, the Aorangi Club conducted a successful tournament which revealed promising talent. It afforded the young players match practice which is indispensable to the development of the all-import-ant match temperament. The club’s interest in its junior members will assure a bright future in inter-club competitions. Following were the results:— Girls singles (first round): Helen Triggs beat Erica Todd 6-0, Noellne Lomas beat E. Dowling 6-1, L. Wilkin beat J. Tonkin 6-3. Second round: Gretchen Young beat E. Hutchison 6-0, N. Lomas beat H. Triggs 6-1, P. Hamilton beat L. Wilkin 6-3, Anita Laurie beat N. Hunt 6-2. Semi-final: G. Young beat N. Lomas 6-4. A. Laurie beat P. Hamilton 6-2. Final: G. Young beat A. Laurie 7-3. Boys’ singles (semi-final): D. Sugrue beat P. W. Milward 6-4, J. Tait beat N. Hamilton 6-0. Final: Tait beat Sugrue 9-3. Patrick Impresses Vic Patrick showed 12,000 Sydney Stadium fans on Saturday that he has not lost any of his speed, accuracy or power of punch when he stopped Al Stock, New Zealand, inside of five rounds. The dual champion was having his first fight for 12 months, and although looking on the pasty side, he went to work like a real tradesman. He showered Stock with punches from the first gong. Stock, game to the core, was a “nohoper” from the first moment. He hid behind a very good defence, which made several of Patrick's punches bounce off his arms and gloves. He threw every punch he knew at Patrick, but mostly they only carved the air. The champ anticipated every move. However, Stock eventually did land a. couple of punches. He got in two downstairs in the fourth round. They were the undoing of the New Zealander. Patrick sank his his left, wrist deep, in Stock’s stomach and dropped him for eight. The tough Stock weathered the storm for a couple of minutes. Then Patrick rammed home another left rip. That was enough. Stock was down for the count. It, was the first time he had been knocked out in 40 fiehts. Weights: Patrick 9.9'' Stock 10.2.