OFFICE CHATTER.

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 6, 11 October 1919, Page 14

OFFICE CHATTER.

W. H. Roeap, an American writer, has brought suit against George L. "Tex" Rickard to recover 5,000 dollars damages for alleged slander and defamation of character. The action is based on a statement said to have been made by Rickard on July o, the day after the Willard-Dempsey fight, in the prosonce of Harry Keek, of Toledo. It is charged Rickard declared that Rocap attempted to blackmail him of 1,000 dollars in connection with this fight. This statement, Rocap declares, was untrue. Poor, unfortunate, unloved pressman, as per usual.

The English track and field championships held recently at Stamford Bridge, London, were robbed of a lot of interest owing to the absence of American athletes who were competing in Paris on the same day, says an English rag. Teams were there from Sweden and Denmark, and the fact that the Crown Prince of Sweden came into the grounds with his men woke up the spectators, who fringed the track to the number of 15,000.

Four firsts went to the Swedes, and they were the broad jump, pole vault, shot put, and four mile run. The Swedish delegation was greatly disappointed over the failure of their new flyer named Enkdahl in the 440 yards. At home he was doing forty-eight seconds in rubber soled shoes, yet he was, beaten in 49 4-ss. by G. M. Butler, of Cambridge University, a youngster at the distance and a runner of great promise. Private Pat Ryan, of the American

Army, was entered in the hammer, ■ but did not put in an appearance, and for the first time in its history the victory went to a Dane in Elinar Midtgaard,' who won with the moderate throw of 144 feet 4 inches.

One event—the 120 yard hurdles — fell to New Zealand. A timber topper named H. E. Wilson won in 15 4.55.

The best individual performer of the meet was A. G. Hill, of the Polytechnic Harriers, who won the halfmile in 1.55 l-ss, and the mile in 4.21 l-ss. It was a great day for the Hills, for W. A. Hill, of the flat and the 220 yards in 22 3-ss.

Bill Morton guided the reins of a successful Akarana Swimming Club Carnival at the Tepids the other night. It was mainly for these water-lovers on the little grey ship that lay at the Queen's Wharf for a couple of weeks. The items were O.K. Incidentally, the 100 yards' championship of the ship was won by Sub.-Lootie Mervyn Thomas, who is an Auckland boy, and son of the Musical Prof. He just dashed in, proving the fact that its always the New Zealander who can do things well.

Young Graham Birch, lovingly known as Tim amongst his many friends in the Auckland Bwimming, world, has had a nasty time in hospital, and won't be able to swin again this year. However, his hard young brother, "Ginger," of the same ilk, will appear in the galas. Both are sons of Mr. J. Y. Birch, the well-known Auckland journalist.

The "Referee" says:—

Jiist before leaving London it was common talk that an amalgamation would shortly take place between the Billiard Association and the Billiards Control Club. The rumour was that the stumbling block in the shape of the president of the Billiard Association had been removed owing to that worthy gentleman having left London to reside at Newmarket. For gome reason unknown to most people, the professional element of billiards in London had the G.O.M. of billiards what Australians call "set." It was for that reason that the Control Club was formed by the players and table makers. Luckily, the cream of the amateurs stuck to the old association, and it won.

Year after year it became more and more evident, that there was no room for two associations, and the opportunity mentioned above was grasped. Ido not know if Mr. Sydenham Dixon is to be made patron of the new ,body. He certainly should be, for no individual, dead or alive, has done more for the game than S.D.—John Roberts included. As far back as 1870 he drew up the articles for the famous match between John Roberts, senior, and W. Cook, and his account of the game in Bell's Life of that period is one of the best descriptions of a. billiard match ever written. Practically his life has been devoted to furthering the interests of billiards; yet, because he would not stand for the doings of many ex-markers who attained to the dignity of billiard professors, and a few table makers, the bunch endeavoured to have him put off the billiard map. How they fared is billiard history. Shortly a fresh code of rules will doubtless be issued.

Charlie Lucas writes from Paris:— Carpentier is getting £5,000, win, lose, or draw, with Beckett, and has a contract to meet Dempsey, for which he is to receive 40,000 dollars. This is not paper talk, but a fact. I have seen both contracts, so am in a position to know.

The French people laugh at vrhat Carpentier will do to Beckett, but I fancy when all is over the smile will have vanished. I think Beckett will knock him out, unless Manager Dechamp leaps into the ring, as he has done before when his pet was having a bad time.

Everybody seems to under-rate Beckett. I can't make it out; but English people are so strange in their ideas—so strange that it makes them very bad judges. I have seen a good number, of white hopes, but Beckett looks the best to me by miles. I believe things, are very bad in Australia just now ; the after-effects of the war seems to be playing hell all over the world. Consequently I will not hurry home just yet awhile.

"X.L." writes: "Dear Juvenis, —I read with interest your little screed on the sleepiness of the Auckland City Council as far as tennis is concerned. I have Dcen away from New Zealand for close on three years, and after the armistice I had leave in France, and, believe me, there are some fine municipal tennis courtsin even the smallest town. I only wish the City Council would "waste" money in the right direction, and would give us some decent courts to play on. Keep on agitating.—(l'm going to.—Ed.).

Here is a good Langford story, as told in an American exchange: "Sam Langford in his heyday was a master boxer. He could name the round in which most of his fights would end. He was boxing Morris Harris, another negro, at Philadelphia in 1906, in a main event scheduled for six rounds. Delays in getting some of the prelim, boys into the ring; caused the main event to be put on rather late. And Sam had to catch that 11 p.m. train for Boston. At 10.30 the main event was on. At 10.42 the bell rang for the start of the fourth round, and Sam was getting anxious about that train. As the men came to the centre of the ring Langford stuck out his right mitt to shake hands. Harris was surprised. This hain't the last round, Sam,' he said. 'This IS the last round, Mr. Harris, , the Boston black replied. He then feinted a left to Harris' stomach, crossed the right to the chin, and thereby convinced Mr. Harris that it WAS the last round."

The sport who was asked if he would like to lend a friend ten pounds stated' emphatically that he had not a friend in the world.

An English paper sings:—"This has been a month for fast bowlers. The University captains must have sighed for a Ssirn Woods or an Evans. The Australian match gave really very little line except that Oxford did go for the bowling in the second innings, which Cambridge did not. Both Universities seem to have thought they were playing a representative team, and not an Imperial Forces team. However, they will have had practice against fast rising balls before going to Lord's. The Australians are steadily building up a reputation. They are never beaten. The tail wags, and if they are not all stylists they get the ball on the middle of the bat. Against both Middlesex and Surrey, Collins made a lot of runs. He alone tackled Hitch, and Willis is a bat who will be in the real team one day. After all, cricket is the only national game of Australia—just as New Zealand has Rugby football for its own. And so unorthodox and unexpected play develops, but the bedrock bottom principles are the same. You cannot play cricket without a straight bat, and for Rugby you nrast tackle.' 1