REMINISCENCES OF THE SPORTING WORLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19842, 10 January 1920, Page 8

REMINISCENCES OF THE SPORTING WORLD.

“ JOHNNY ” FOWKE TALKS OF CRICKET, MEMORABLE MATCHES AND HUMOROUS INCIDENTS. PLAYERS OF THE PAST. (Specially written for the " Star.") '

" Am I still not out, then P” queried Johnny Fowke on the next occasion that the “ Star*' man met him. “ Well, it’s wonderful isn’t it, but there’s lots more that I can tell about the good old days of cricket. THE CATCH OP THE SEASON. “ I recollect one time Canterbury was playing Otago that T. W. Reese made a most magnificent catch. It was on the Carisbrook ground, and those who saw Tommy’s feat will never forget it. I think it was the very last ball that Davey Dunlop, a very fine off break bowler, ever sent down in New Zealand, ere taking hie departure for Melbourne shortly after. Niven hit the ball hard and lofty, and to see Tommy streaking after it for all he was worth was a rare sight. None of usi gave him a ‘ possible ’ of ever getting near it, To our great surprise we saw him falling and lying full length on the ground with Ids elbow on the turf. But he held the ball in his hand. We were all spell-bound with the brilliancy of it. During my career I have seen some wonderful catches, but this was the most magnificent I ever saw. The old Midlander received quite an ovation. “ MISCHIEVOUS MADAM BUTTERFLY.” There is one story I must tell you, and it is about a butterfly. Canterbury was playing Hawke’s Bay at Napier and on the opening day of the match the long narrow ground of the sunny northern city was haunted with butterflies. Well do I remember the fun that those butterflies occasioned. H. B. Lusk, one of the finest bats one could ever wish to watch, being very vigorous and olassy, was facing tne first ball bowled in the match when a butterfly came flittering down the wicket after the flight of the ball. Hugh played the bail but missed, and I behind the wickets missed it, too, and away it went for byes. I said to old Hugh, ‘Did you see that blooming butterfly?’ He replied, ‘ Yes, and I missed the ball through it.’ I said so did I. TIM SPREADS THE NEWS. Tim Raphael was our genial and never-to-be-forgotten manager on that tour, and ho was the prime leader in keeping the butterfly story in the limelight. By tho time that we armed in Auckland, the first greeting I received was from my old friend Charlie M’Kmney, just before the steamer got to the wharf, and ho wanted to know what about the butterflies. I could not understand how he came to know of the incident, hub it seems that Tim had sent him a wire On the night of the match I had to make a speech on the various species of butterflies, and my remarks caused me to be hailed l as a great naturalist. A LITTLE MUSIC. In that match I got my thumb split open and apparently it was done for the rest of the tour. To see the face of our captain, Charlie' Clark when he became aware of tho accident —well it was a picture no artist could paint. ‘ What shall we do,’ ho asked without a wicket-keeper?’ That was our first match and on returning uomo wo had to play Wellington. We haa plenty of social fun on the tour, though, which made up for uny little disappoiutmonts in play and one thing which provided great entertainment was Tim Raphael’s gramaphone, probably one of the first gramapliones ever imported to Ohristcnurch. Tim also played the cornet, when ho could find wind enough to blowMt. Amongst our team was H. V’gloy, commonly known as Tableau ’ owing to his attitude after playing a stroke. Ho proved himself a good solid customer on several occasions in this tour, with two exceptions, one of which was when he ran Clifford Ridley out so badly at Hawera. SPORTSMEN ALL. “ On our arival at Auckland, aa I have said before, the butterfly was tho first greeting. The Aucklanders all do their part thoroughly in the way of entertaining visiting teams, and this time they were composed of a lot of lolly fellows who laid themselves out to make our stay an enjoyable one I may mention Alfred Whittaker, bet ter known ns 1 Honoured Sir,’ and one of the most genial cricketers it has ever been my lot to meet. Then there was Charlie M’Kinney, who could nob do enough for us—-he was hero, ibere and everywhere. Also Chas, .M'Connick, •lob Noil, and Gaiti Road, a trie very

hard to beat, and that redoubtable sport Bob Yates, one of the beet of batsman but not fond of fielding. Ho was exceptionally good in looking out to see which side was fielding. A MISHAP. “ With reference to the accident to my thumb the verdict of the doctor was that I would have to have the thumb-nail removed. I thought that n as rather too big an order, so I suggested that the hand should be bound up tight, which he did. After tho g ovo was on, a handkerchief was placed around it, and for the great kindness _ the doctor showed mo, I caught him at the wickets. I was able to play right through the innings with fair comfort until the last ball of the day, winch hit me fairly on the thumb, winch made me dance and pray. Our team s batting all through that match was bright and free, especially that of toogoiualcaptain, Charles Clark, who made the top score of 76. W. P. REEVES. i ’ p h® r<3 is one notable cricketer In? iw ll - , lce to sa 7 a tow words about, that is the Hon William Pember Reeves. He was a splendid bat, and as a fieldsman I do not think there have been more cartoons drawn about any other cricketer. He had a peculiar crouch when standing in tho field, which “S- 1 ? 1111 a good subject for the caricaturist. I well remember playing against Auckland when I was only t and as nervous a s a kitten, and Mi Reeves gave me good advice! He was chosen to represent Canterburv AUStra m ’ UUd 1 was P icked a s an emergency. THE GREAT MURDOCH. "’ lt was famous Australian XL that came back hero to retrieve their the fc nan 6k 3 11 l° I ch was captain of maka 4 im’, 'u- u^ ked himself to mak° 100 runs, which ho did, with anSwl° + ° a I 0 Bufc had Billy Frith e d that catch at short leg he would haro macle ten only. Referring agaiu a f y i a g °° d in “ n 8s he nas p layed f °r Canterbury, and after he S to U ?,,rtU gl ? nd 01 • ga “ 6 he went arena! ifZ ln tho politi cal "ft llem °ry serves me right defeated C ' o ? tes< ; Was *hen he ciereated Air Garrick, of Garrick and Cowhsliaw, and I think the Labow Party had a grea t deal to do with his return on that occasion. Hi s brother Hugh was also a very fair cricketer but more brilliant as a sprinter. A REMEDY WHICH FAILED. was uhvimr ,v! l on Auckland was plajing Wellington, had been so knocked about on tho hands in the preceding match with Canterburv that it seemed very likely that I woulcl l e unable to go in to bat. I could hardly hold a bat and with my hands in such mi Jt7 C Btnt ®, an - v father bruises mijit have proved serious. Seeing (he dilemma I was in th o Hon W P Reeves procured a single-stick basket' which ho put over the handle of the hat o protect my hands. Unfortunately J Tpi”suit of tho snort Imri i •■» 1 pod folio.,!;;*'vt long to bo remembered. ' ' ’' 1 “THE ‘BOB’ IN.” nr , am . a toaicl I am wandering all around the wicket just at i,resent «• b o acl- n for d “ Johnny ’” “ but * ct us go twrtvurt-r o^"'. 1 ; 1 that time ’luI, A < ? onckoters saved up t > b a week each for a year so as to map a team to go on tour. Even ith the eighty pounds we had saved we uu e stih short of the necessary. It " as to cm decidedthat each member was to contnbut £3 also. s0 practically speaking the Auckland Cricket Association did not provide one penny. This aS T 6 ° f , t,le very best ' fr om a encket and social point of view I ever AT SEA. “ After leaving Onehunga with the best of good luck from all the enthusiasts, we steamed away on the s.s. Takapuna. None of us were very bright in the morning as we sat on deck, espeelaHy our Honoured Sir,’ as wo termed him, Alfied W hittalve.r. He came to light with an expression that made us roar laughing. It was quaint, and dismally spoken Anyone that goes ;o sen for pleasure.’ he said. • wilt go to •>" tor pastime.' Our stay was very short i u Wellington, and ivc landed

in _ Lyttelton after a smart passage of thirty-two hours. GO TO BEDI The team went on to Dunedin with, the exception of your humble servant, as I had all my friends to see hero. However I sallied off the next day and was met by the most of the team at the Dunedin station, tho train in those days arrived at 9 p.m. After partaking of dinner I wandered down to the social part of the house, but I had not been an hour in tho house when I was accosted by our captain, Roland Holle, and three others of the team and told to go to bed. I said, ‘Whatl So soon ?’ Well, you know, the responsibility rests on you to-morrow’ was their retort. I said, 'Never mind, I will be going when you will be all out. Not only that, I will sleep like a top while bo all lying awake thinking ot the best ways and means of playing that formidable pair, Alec Downes and Arthur Fishery who were undoubtedly then at the zenith of their fame, and recognised ns very fine bowlers, I made 80 not out the next dav and the other four were bowled witli four successive balls by Dbwnes. The barrack they got avail never be forS°toen. _ The second innings Ike Mills got 88 an brilliant style and yours truly J5, being thrown put by one of the finest pieces of fielding ever seen on the Carisbrook ground. Fisher was the fieldsman. Jacobs was tho only other man to make a stand, 27. A GREAT WIN. “We set Otago 112 runs to get to nun, which was a mere bagatelle. However, onr fellows were below zero at our chance of winning, but thanks to the good bowling of Rib Neill and the fielding of the team I made a sporting offer to sacrifice two years of my life to win the match. “ I caught three men at the wickets, and the Aucklanders bucked up so than when the last man came in the southern team had still twelve runs to make. The newcomer waltzed out to make six in one hit, and missed the ball. There were no butterflies about that day, and I quickly had tho bails off, and that was tho end of the penny section. OTAGO’S ENTERPRISE. “In that memorable match Downes finished up with the good average of six wickets for 46 runs. J. O. Lawton, the English professional took a very prominent part in the game, securing seven wickets in the two innings, and mailing 52 and 29. Lawton was a very fine bat and a good bowler. During the few years ho was in Dunedin ho improved cricket out of sight. I would like to mention that Otago did more in the way of introducing the very best talent than any other province. Otago started off with G. Paramour, a great bat, solid bowler and a thorough gentleman in every sense of tho word. Paramour possessed whiskers like those of Bluebeard, and ofttimes I have noticed him when ho donned his 'blazer, tucking a wav his whiskers inside his coat It looked really funny.” (A further instalment will appear on Tuesday next-)