BOWLING SPASMS

Observer, Volume XXX, Issue 39, 11 June 1910, Page 22

BOWLING SPASMS

iroulates extensively throughout the whole of the country dstrets. IP YOU WOULD BE KNOWN ADVERTISE IN THE OBSERVER

T< x , ' £"'*• FjQWLING may be said to be blotr $p" ' f K ted out for the present. Dey- %£,',', onport and Mt. Albert rang ?V the curtain down on Friday last, al- !&!■ though Devonport meant to . finally &\r close on thei. Saturday ; but the P y < weather broke up, and the final fluthad to be abandoned, much. , to ?*/\the disappointment of many. Devf/(:,t onport had a number of visitors durs/,ing Friday, who enjoyed themselves the boss',green playing *W as if-it was opening day instead of factoring. ?rj Vj Mt. Albert had a very pleasant $N< and sociable time on King's Birth--o\day, Rocky.Nook, Grey Lynn, and O "Dominion Road dubs, and a rink /-_, of .the medical staff calling on their ■, -'', neighbour. A day's tournament was W indulged in, teams playing as clubs. '■'y The. games starred a little after ten, r.' 1 nine heads up, and were not finished h l b#ore daylight faded. Mt. Albert No. 2 team won A section ; and Mt. '", Albert No. 5 B section. There was i > also a donkey prize for the other end '' of the section. Obyle and Ashton fighting out this coveted honour as -- if for their" lives. The doughty Ooyle \ , .slew his olubmate without mercy, but < not with the jawbone of the ass. He *' won. There was more fun over this innovation than over the more valu--1 able trophies, Which, by the bye, ' « were timepieces—J. H. Garlick's idea . to remind the boys that time was up '* for bowling this season. The winners of A section at Mt. Al- ' hert were R. Mcßride, T. B. Clay, A. Darrow and J. H. Garlick. B " ' section : H. McNaughton, T. ' B. Smith, J. H. Herbert, and J. L. Harrison—the last-named team winning after a good tussle by 8 points. Mr T .B. Clay presented the successful team with their trophies. Mt. Albert did remarkably well to beat all-comers at their tournament, as there was a big array of' talent against them. There were enough doctors to frighten them should any'tlhing have to be taken out. However, they would not be denied, and <- scored both highest and lowest honours. The medical staff had hard ' luck throughout the day, and should ',- have been closer to ,the coveted t - trophies. The green played rather \ stiff, but on the whole very nicely. King's Birthday was celebrated in ' gala style on the Carlton winter - - green. . The boys of the old brigade ' rolled up and fell into line. The generals for the day were chosen, and " marshalled their Jbatailions of players to do battle against each other. The mimic warfare raged till the shades' of night were falling fast. : Ten teams 1 of the pick of the end \ Dominion took part in this .\\ all-day tournament. Fred Ellisdon < and G. Martin shared the spoil, tie- * ing for first places—half a game ahead 7 " of the other contestants. Eagleton '' and V. Casey were half a point behind for second. The games were strenuous and well fought out. Os--1 mond looked like a winner at one i stage, and V. Casey looked like going - % ' through. Ledingham's men came ;', ,at it near the finish, and looked all v v ; over.ae if i)hey through, /'but down they went. G. Baildon . had a dhanoe at one stage, but col- = •' lapsed, Healey finally taking . the ? team for luck. <; 'Kilgour had no .His team V played well, but could not get going / soon enough.. , Thofnes had a good rls four, hutmet with reverses early in .-the day. Jim Wakerly .was'doing, finishes,,.but dfd'not f get a" hearT • ife ing on the day." The old green play- , •'" ed surprisingly well—hardly a fault ?,«t to -be* found ml it./ • Caretaker Nu- •• | \ gent hie put in 1 a lot of time/on this ,J of torf t-tyr Jgopd;. ad-v

■> - Proceedings were' somewhat/delay-, >/ed'ovf the Carlton;winter, green on ;, King's ' BjrthdayV by; the, non-appear-ance of, some of the players to} tune ; in fact, a number ' absented? .themseQ.res aJltoffcther. ■ This is hardly .• excusable; When players, give their names in as coming they, should fill " the breach. , It is* scant oouirtesy to the club and' to those" • present' to v leave them short-handed, as many 1 a I bowler, would like their place, but, knowing the list naturally keeps away.' . Thus delay and disapS ointment ■-follow. .It -would" - pay arlton to have the 'phone put on. • It' would be thoroughly appreciated ■ by their patrons. " < \ Secretary' Bryden, of the ' A.P.8.A., has been on the ramble. ( He popped in on Secretary. George Dixon, of the N.8.A., at Wellington. [ (Mr Dixon will be remembered as the secretary of s the Auckland Rugby ' Union for so many years). They had [ a long chat re bowling matters, and of the coming N.B.A. tournament, ' which is to be held here in January next/ He was also introduced to Colonel Collins, the N.B.A. Presi- . dent, whom our sec. found to be a man after his own heart,- full of bowling enthusiasm as an egg "is-full of meat. They had a half-hour on the pet subject, and our worker came away full of information about centres' co-management and other technical puzzles, connected with our game. He thinks the N.B.A. has a brace 'of very fine officers, and that Wellington is favoured m having such capable men to guide the destiny of bowling in the capital. It was noticed that Haekenechmidt was playing bowls at Carlton winter green last week. Is this the great wrestler, that has at last found out which is really the best game to play ? If this is the strong man— well, he will probably find that there t are a few that can take a fall out of him this way, if they might fail at* his old choice. The, Mental put through Mt. Albert at bowls a week ago. The attendants also tried which was the stronger—Dominion Road or themselves. The blue coat school had to take a back seat, as they failed by a # point. Vuglar, for the Domimonites, played a good game. Cablegrams give notice that an English test bowl is now an established fact. This is quite independent of the Scottish Association's test. No particulars as to the draw the bowl takes are to hand. I understand, however, that it must draw 4 feet in a hundred. Of course., the test is a minimum, as there is no maximum. At the Old "Veterans' bowling match at Epsom last month, Mr J. Edmilston concluded his remarks onbehalf of his colleagues with the following Beautiful lines, which bowlers ■ will appreciate :— -Life, like a game of bowls is but an end, Which to play well this moral verse attend : Throw not your bowl too rashly from your hand, First let its course by Reason's eye be plann'd L,est it roll useless on the verdant plain, Like heedless life, that finishes in vain. Know well your bias ; here the moral school Scarce needs a comment on the bowling rule ; Play not too wide, with caution eye your oast, Use not extent of green or life to waste; ' Nor yet too straight—in life/observe the same- 1 - n m The narrow-minded often miss their aim. s - ' " Bowling too short, 'you but obstruct. the green, Like/him-who loiters on life's public - , - , scene. v v Who-efer at bowls causes | ' t strife "' Will rubs pn greens' receive*, and "eke - in life. \ *// One bowling;, trick avoid in moral , > \. vPlay-r- , ' ,' / \ Ah I never neighbour . on,-, >.- s 'his,way. r - v " ' i \ ,- „>". V These rules ; a man may play I * ; game \> ' • \. -, 'SjSy '-" On]bowlm); ( greenß;^rthiro' s :the'worlds o^ v^'^wiWl^MraßV^il '^•^Ss , l►?l> 1 v-v't*. ??>> vi? 7

* j» *s. -(A \ V -V ■-:> ' '*v , ,' .Mr'cW.' Mercer, 'of. the Mt: .Eden . club',. arrived' back , 'from" v , the' Old '£ Country r oh Monday night;. During •-' his stay there he organised' the New , Zealand .team. - It includes J. Ben-' me, of the Auckland club, J. RendeU, ' v of ! Epsom', and J._" JW. Swales,-of L Grey Lynn. No doubt they will'nave > the time of their lives amongst the > English bowlers, and be full up ' of i their exploits when they reach* our , wave-beaten shores again. -. ' F. A. Saxton\is going to throw in ' his lot with one of our Auckland ' clubs this comingseason. This geni tlenxan is from Christchurch,'' being a bowler of no mean repute. He has had an active life for a young play- » er. ,He was secretary and treasurer for the North Canterbury Centre > (this centre business is a great Southern idea). He was the live worker,' • assisting Secretary Wheeler at the 1 Exhibition Tournament at Christchurch. Mr Saxton will be a good acquisition "to the Northern bowling world. He will be the resident rep. of an iron firm that has its'headquarters in Dunedin. ,'