ODDS AND ENDS OF SPORT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12244, 16 February 1918, Page 10

ODDS AND ENDS OF SPORT.

The late Mr E. D. Hoben, whose death is reported from Melbourne can be regarded as the founder of the New Zealand Rugby Union. He originated the idea, and secured the sympathy and support of a number of prominent Wellington gentlemen associated noth the. game, and it was on November 7, IS9I that the idea materialised. At a meeting held m Wellington on that date a resolution was moved that the union should b e formed, but this was subsequently altered to an affirmation of the Tl 1 -: l body ’ the decision against the definite act of formation being due to a desire to give the Cantcrbnr.v Otago and Southland Unions which were opposed to the, project, an extension of time for further consideration The union was actually formed on April; 16, 1892. The witer still retains recollections of Mr Hobeu’s visit to Christchurch in 1891 in his campaign to bring the Canterbury Union round to his view of the necessity f or f or , ipation of a governing bodv, and 0 f the almost unanimous opposition lie met nitli. Of the clubs affiliated to the Canterbury Union, only one—East Christchurch— stood solid for the visitoi s pi eject, and one of its representatives, Mr G. W Forbes, now M.P. for Hurunui, missed no opportunity to bring his fellow delegates round to his views. Canterbury, Otago and Soutliland joined forces and resolved to stand out at all costs, but those unions who constituted the New Zealand Union practically ignored them and went right ahead with their business. I'inally the, constant hammering by two or throe progressives, headed by Mr Forbes, had its effect, and opposition, so far as the Canterbury Union was concerned, ceased on March 31, 1894. Somo of those who so staunchly opposed recognition of a Now Zealand Union, Mr G. H. Mason, for instance, a subsequent president of the union, must have wondered, when it was all over, why they took up such a position, for many of them belonged to other sports wlych were under central government, and did not find the position at all irksome, and, furthermore, the writer is convinced, as ho was at that period, that they would readily have admitted in cooler moments that a governing head for any particular sport was all for the benefit of that sport. 'The that tho average human being is averse to changing Uis condition if his lot is easy, aaid, as things were going smoothly with the Rugby Unions it was natural enough that an upsetting of the existing state of things should be resented and opposed. The late iTr Hoben put in a heap of work in the early days of the Now Zealand Union, particularly as its first secretary. But that was a quarter of a century ago., and there are but few now actively associated with tbs game locally who took part in tin affairs of ’93— perhaps only Messrs E. T. Evans and F. D. Kesteven.

The New Zealand amateur boxing championships were last decided in July, 1914, at AA'anganui. Then tho war came upon us, and sport gave way for more serious and more sterner things. At tho meeting referred to the star performer was A. AA'ood, the Invercargill representative in tho middle-weight class, and he won his various bouts in a manner which convinced the cognoscenti that ho was very high grad© indeed. In every department of the game he displayed an ability which one found hard to associate with a boxer who had had no other than local training and coaching, and this more than ever was evidence of the fact that AA’ood had a natural aptitude for tho padded glovo art. Little had been Heard of him from the front which was somewhat finrpiising with boxing competitions such a regular part of the soldiers’ , pastimes, though from private letters it was learned that he had we,ll upheld the reputation for fistic skill that he had earned in the Dominion- By this week’s mail, howeyer, a copy of a' London spotting journal came to hand containing a report of a big competition held “ Somewhere in France,” in which appeared ■ the following:—“ We saw a real good man in Alf AA’ood, the New Zealand champion, who polished off a shorter and lighter man in Corporal Joe Hines (R.F.A.) in a round and a, half, AA'ood, whose style is almost a replica, of that of ’ Billy AVells, is clever and fast. He also In the words of Deal Rnrko, ‘ ’lt’s worry and keeps bon a-doing of it.’ It might pay British promoters to approach AA'ood. after tjje warRight now there are people who would back AA'ood to beat Dick Smith. Anyhow, it would certainly he a ‘Jim Dandy' of a scrap.” The Smith referred to is holder of the “cruiser.” or light-heavy-weight championship of England, -m that, in selecting AA’ood as a suitable opponent for him, it is face evioent that some people have a high opinion of the abilities of the young New Zealander. Patrons of the sport who sa.v AVood perform at AA'anganui will he pleased "to read of the high opinion expressed of him hv overseas authorities.

Judging by the preparations made at the Pavilion it looks as if Melbourne is to he the future boxing headquarters of Australia (writes the Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney “Sportsman”). The Stadium stage is to he transferred to the Exhibition Street hall, and .so arranged that it will then bo possible to hold boxing and vandcmenis! ’ nd ™° vinß pictliro «itertnui-

A Sydney ‘ Bulletin " reference to a man who <lid big things in the sculling Rne and who was the first to lower Hanlan s colours in a championship i ßo , r ' C 1 Wlll bo sixty-eight next time he ha.s a birthday, and ho says he never felt better. “ The yarn about athletics being a quick method of gets a bad ad. from Bill, i , I vC I,n^'s i" a imiTv. When he wont to England he met and defeated hvo of the best scullers in the world m three weeks. Three of the contests wcio decided within one week. He nMb KOVC,y times f°r the championship of the world, and was never beaten, f. i filst ' ut ? cr kc ever made was at win 0 )’ V ilth,,r 1 sfc > ' v,,cn Ile cued a wild bullock for a barrel of beer. The old champion attributes his success as a sen or first to his strong physique, secondly to the muscular training ho received at his father’s anvil when a lad, arnl thirdly to perfect tFllillillff bytommy Kcllv. Ho lias beep livine in quiet retirement at Dap to for about fourteen years.

As matters were going from bad to worsn with tho Sydney Stadium, the matter of providing a programme' sufficiently attractive to induce patrons of boxing to put in an evening at the big building, this state of affairs being brought about by a dearth of suitable ta ont, tho management very wisely decided to 11 put up tho shutters.” ‘ The closing down took place on February 9. A few days previously, on January -.6, to bo exact, in order to keep the game going tho elongated Fred Kay and Lloyd, the Australian heavy-weight champion, were put in the ring. This was their second encounter, the first which took place a tow weeks previously, being awarded to Kay, who, by his great ability to be somewhere else when Lloyd hit ont, stayed the distance. In tho second meeting Kay ossa, yeti to mix things, and paid tlVa penalty which usually overtakes a small man who agrees to stand up ami exchange swats with a big, powerful man who "has a solid punch. Seeing thaFlvay is really a welter-weight, the match was an absurdity, and would never have been entertained under ordinary circumstances. The management was simply at its wits’ ends for material to keep tlm game going. Some time ago (says a writer in an English paper) I drew attention to the action of the French Government with regard to Rugby football, and their of-

ficial recognition of it. Since then further information lias come to hand in' proof of that recognition. Not content with giving the body that governs the game in r ranee, ana winch corresponds to our Rugby Union, a licence to import 4000 footballs for the use of under military age teams in club football, as well as of regimental teams, the French Government is itself undertaking tho , manufacture of footballs for the use of troops close, behind the front- This is State-aided Rugby of a truthGREATEST ALL-ROUNDER. WORLD'S BEST CRICKETER, The matter of the world’s best allround cricketer of any period (writes “ Not Out ” in the Sydney “ Referee ”) was discussed at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the "War Chest match by Charles Beal, manager of the 1882 Australian team, and Stanley Ridge, the Manly cricketer of other days, who is a cousin to Sam Jones, the colt of the 1882 team. Air Beal promptly stated that there was only one man in it, and ho was the great W.G. Stanley Ridge asked me wnat I thought, and, of course, I reminded him that W.G. stood alone, for he was a Colossus as batsman in years when wickets wore lamed for their shooters and other eccentric balls, and he was still a champion when an old man playing with men who might almost have been his grandsons. W.G. did not possess the seductive brilliance and charm .of Victor Tnimpcr and Ranjitsinhji, who were two of tho most distinguished and most glorious batsmen the world has produced. But W.G.’b deeds were prodi-* gious. He had a wonderful physique, and must have had a phenomenal eye, and he made the runs, as Trumper did. on all manner of wickets without having to alter his methods or his style of play. Stanley Ridge was convinced by the emphatic eloquence of the oldtimer, than whom W.G. has had no greater admirer in this country. But all tho Australian cricketers are in the same boat. One and all. from tho earliest to those which last played against him, regard him as a man apart in cricket, whoso feats, impossible to measure, cannot be paralleled by those of men who played the game under the conditions which became perfected when he was an old man, and a very heavy one at that, 'I he discussion drifted to the best allround cricketer Australia lias brought to light. Charlie Beal has more than a sneaking regard for the champion of his early years, George Giffen, lint is open to reason. When you consider holding and ability as captain with the other essentials, he is inclined to endorse the view that AI.A.N. at his best was greater than the wonderful South Australian. But lie says: “What sort of a. bowler on a plumb wicket was (riff ! And what sort of a batsman was he I” Tic says this with notes of exclamation in his eyes, and we need not wonder, for Giffen was a marvel for South Australia in the interstate matches and, before that, in the intercolonials against both Victoria- and New South Wales. But AI.A.N. was even bettor, his feats with the hall in his best years being even mightier than those of immortal Giff, who, to my mind, in Australia did not liavo quite the same stiff quality of batsman to fight against in the test matches. And the string of centuries AI.A.N. rolled off in the Sheffield Shield matches are ns long as your arm, so to speak. Besides, was not AI.A.N. a more reliable fielder than George Giffen? He has earned the reputation of being one of .the soundest catchers among those who have donned the colours against England. And, as leader of a team in the-' field, Australia, to my view, has had hut one man his superior, and that by the merest shade, in the late Harry Trott. Australia ought to be proud of having produced two such players as Noble and Giffen.