SPORTING AND ATHLETIC REVIEW

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 6 (Supplement)

SPORTING AND ATHLETIC REVIEW

it has been blnndly suggested that the cush societies of Southlnnd should take the amateur sport under its wing and put. on amateur events at each annual gathering (says the “ Southland l‘imes"). _Now’. while one has nothing but ndmiratiun for the way men like .\l?sars J. Page. G. St. V. Keddell and \l’lt‘eely are endeavouring ta keep the rumteur flag flying, there are one or Lwo points nbont. amateur control in in; relation to the cash sport that societies would do Well to consider First. although cash ancieties have in the past catered for amateur runners rm their programmes. there has been no attempo to recipocnte on the part of Ihe amateur bodies. Second, in, the vacant benefit toGeoE Blanks. a credit. Lu any sport. the amateur authorities refused to allow cash runners to compete with amateurs in the-footballers' relay rn'ce, despite the fact that both rush and amateur runners had played together in the football season. Third. is it. quite playing the game to endeavour to get promising cash runners to forsake the sport they have done no well in and join up with the rival sport? An application to reinstate _:I runner wlLo Ind won over £4OO, in addition to numerous tmphies. seems llifi‘u-ulr to reconcile with the very r.ll’l<:L laws lairl down by the ai'nate‘ur

- vulmnties in oLhcr respects. ’LasLly, AH interegtiug reason is‘advanced in (he quarter referred to fo the non-suc-~bs of the amateur events at \Viuton swine time ngO, the inference being x‘rut the \Vinton Society was to blame. Huwever, speaking with a recollection 'f what occurred at that time, the writer thinks.- that the ex~secretary of 1h:- Wiutnn Athletic Society could shed .v. different light on the matter.

The greedy and impudent Sydney Rugby League has put in a claim for the use of the Show Ground for its prol'cssional exhibitions (writes a Sydney

“Bulletin" correspondent). Instead of. incontinently replying that the Show Ground was reserved for amateur sport, the R.A.S. committee is weakly parleying with the professional organisation to the end that the League may 5 come in along with the amateur bodies. The League doesn't really need the . Show Ground. It has nlreudy acquired l a winter monopoly over the Sport; Ground and the Cricket Ground, aL i though the latter was dedicated to ‘ amateur sport. If it. gets control of the l R.A.$. enclosure. the three principal 5 playing fields of Sydney will be given ; over to prufcssional football, a situation . without parallel in any other part ‘of i the ’worlcg And in one of its aspects 3 the League code is hardly more elevati i'ng than pony-racing. Betting, with all iits unlovely concomitants, is heavy. especially Hmong the youngsters of the funior clubs. Those who can remems her the rise and {all of professional foot-1 running predict that professonal football will go the same way. But-”there is! no necessity for public bodies of the character of the R.A.S. to help it along the primrose gath. ‘ i_l ,

I'.‘ O Clipped'fro I the Auckland “ Star”: “The waiter $5 informed this week that something is being done to send Charlie Purdy to‘ the 1924 Olympic’ Games. The ‘ something‘ has been taken in handby the Olympic Games Committee. on which the New Zealand Boxing Council has two representatives. The commitmefl vague, silent body—has in mind the raising of some. odd thousands of golden sovereigns to send New Zealand‘ representatives to the world’s gathering of champions. With the exception of two lady swim‘ mers, who can they possibly send except Purdy, or perhaps Pascoe, another promising mnateur boxer? If ever a boy justified his claims to go to Paris, Purdy is that boy. Sixty contests and fifty-eight wins, thrice Australasian champion a (1 only seventeen and a half years olid~—who in all Australasia can better that record? Has any other Dominion amt/cur in any branch of iport its equal?" If there is a class in he Olympic championships to suit the weight of Leckie, the Dunedin flyweight, then he is the lad to send. He‘s a great little fighter. '

It was thought by many amt. Tom Gibbons got nothing, except a. beatiig out of his fight with Dempsey, but it. seems that, never in the history of sportdom has a. beaten glndiator ever gathered so. much prestige, so much glory, and so many chances to enrich himself as the man who went fifteen rounds with the irresistible “‘orld’s champion. “‘hile he only received £6O for his first fight in .New York‘ some four years ago. Gibbons is now engaged in theatrical and movie stunts which ire said to have veturncd him in the vicinity of £20,000 in a very short time.

Reference in the Sydney “ Bulletin ” :0 another schoolboy athletes—Like many schoolboy 'a‘thletes, Hantke. of Perth “High," has been asked to. do too much, but I submit he is the best all-rounder in the commonwealth. Consider his list of wins at the last inter; sbhoolgs-sports: the lOOyds in 10 2559 p; the 220 (24sec) : the 440 (53 2—ssec) ;_the 120 hurdles (16 3-ssec); the high jump (sft 35in. easilyll agid the long'jump K 2151: 4itin). In the moms, expecting a recall from the starter, Hantke slowcrl rlown for ten yards or more. Then, realising his mistake, he got going and who: through the field like a scalded n.l, Had he not hesitated he would have knocked chips off the record for (ham: contests (L’dsecl. He has only just turned‘ seventeen.

- . . G The small team of Austfalian athletes «excepting Carr. who remained hat the purpose of competing at. the Olympic games tind the Empire 5 rté —who competed at the Gothenfirg tax-centenary sports. on returning home are 'reported as having praised tho Swedes as firstclass sportsmen I'w fortunately (says a. Sydney paper) the same report was not forthcoming from the team which represented Australia at the 1920 Antwerp Olympiad: The Belgians did nothing in the way of en tertaining. and the following extravt from the official report. of Mr H. A. Brunett. lmnomry manager of the It‘axu, spam for itself: “The water polo man hrs cuuzed tremendous excite invent. and no fewer than 10.000 peopl..a iturnod out. 10 see the contests. in which flaunt-nu countries were repre‘sented. and the final, between GreaL ,Bl‘itain and Belgium. was won by the |former after a g‘rent game. by tln'e: 7 goals to twn. h. wu at the finish n; [this matoh that the worst inoidem‘s HT lthe gums-s took place. \Vhen \he re--Ipresentatives of any partir-ular (-o“in I were sucressful. the flag of final math-m l was flown at the top of the flag—pole ,nml le .\‘uliunnl Anthem “'aq pluyf‘l v in His hand. L'pun (he huisiiizé ”1' (In ‘! L'mon 321.1; 1‘: seemed to me that in '1 fewer than 311 k) 01' lbs 1'10]? preseru l booted the flag ID’JES‘iBDIIF for ten mm lutcs‘ and file re-pv-ewnmtivu ul‘ mlw-r ,uulnnm \H‘rn \(I ilu-rxnml ul llu: \lnmmg: ml ~llf'll hHAI .\pul‘hulnlnlu'. ,lle l 21pm: m} I‘lllllly‘ ,1 111-"( ll)“ HI Lln- duh.

w [gates of the countries competing, it lwns agreed that. a public apology tU Great'Britain' must appear in all papers throughout Belgium. Failing this. they would not compete in any of the further swimming «intests. The apology was published. as promised. but the feeling was. and is still there, and Great. Britain has since refused to mean 1 Belgium in any international contest."

A veteran cricketer in Canon Charles Theobald. the famous Hampshire play» Fl“ who is now ninety-two. He can remember playing cricket as long ago as 3848. He has some interesting memor» iea of the game. “There was one man," he said recently, “ “'illinm Clarke, who could bowl with such accuracy that his lznll pitched on a threepeuny—bit on the ground every time. Some of_ the old bowlers, too, could make the batsmen put the hall where they pleased. I haw .cn been told to stand on a bit or piper; then when the hutsman hit the ball would come straight for me and I would catch it without moving an inch.”

Those clmnrhmen who fear the com~| petition of Sunday games with Sunday services lhould be able to learn some- 1 thing from Dir Kennedy-Cox, the war— l den of the Dockland Settlement, who recently spoke at the Church Congress.) ‘ (says che“[’nll Mall Gazette”). ilri Kenncdy~Cox. who is in practical con— 1 hot with working lile. is well assured \ of two -things—(l) that many peoplo‘ can get no proper recreation excopt, on ‘ Sundays. and (2) that no religa'on ever‘ flourishléd upon a code of frbwus and prohibitions. “Flint they do at Docklaml Settlement Is to arrange the time: L-nbles of games and services for the t-bn—‘ venience of both, and the result is that neither is neglected. Mr, Kennedy-Cox describes “ a stream of men with. little black bags and foot-ball boots tied on outside” coming steadily to church. That is worth a good deal more from the point of View .of ma] religion than a stream of church—goers feeling how superior they are to Ithose young pagans on the playing field.

Quite a keen little controversy has taken place in sporting circles about 1 point 'rnther difiicult to decide (wriies‘ a London correspondent). Which is really the oldest. Rugby footbnll club in London? Ninety-nine Bugger enthusiasts out of a hundred would have found nu difficult, in answering the question offhand. The Blacskheath Club has always been rem garded as the doyen of London, and its members and supporters invariably‘ refer to it an "the club.” It. was founded in 1860, at. a time when n Rugger crowd of 200 people, including the man who took the money at the gate, was something momentous. A year Inter the Richmond Club came into existence, and for years these two rivals contesmd the Rugger honours of London. The Harlequins, of course. no quite a modern innuvn» tion, though, thanks to Adrian Stoop’s genius, they new rank in the first flight, and have done more than any club in England to set the fashion of modern Rugby. But now, to the surprise of everybody, ’Guy’s» Hospital claims to be the olilest' Bugger club in London and its pnfint fixmre cud ,bears the words “Eightieth Season." le‘ Randell, who captained the side ‘in the early eighties, when he was a student. at Guy’s, has a fixture card for 1883-84 which is inscribed “Fortieth Season." 50 hppa—rently Guy’s has it.

A rising stau- is .Hsna Ebeling, of Dlelbour'ne. Because of his ability last. year with the Cnfijlfiod Grammar School, the M-C.C. gave him ‘2l Season ticket Ind rtrinl in its, first ‘el ven. “Then the V.C.A. included the' eighteen-year—-old express in the repiesentative team against, Mnryborough. and he bagged two wickets for six runs. This year the youngster has come right to the front- In three matches he has taken nineteen wickets at an average of 10.8, Ryder, Love, Hartkoyf: ”.L‘hes” ‘Bx‘own and Yeoman: beiug_among his victims. The Victorian colts. with three such fast youngsters as Ebeling, jGamble (of Hawthorn EastJ. Philpott ‘(of Carlton)-nnd a host df ,budding googlers to choose from. will have; a formidable attack.——Sydney- "I§u)letin.” \ .. . .

Bin hiok. manager of the Chinese footbafiers who remnhly sailed for 110 e, shys his playors'lik'ed Australia. “fever have we met'such fine people.” he is reported to have snip]. “If they win they say little,- but’ if the lose, they cheer us ‘and make us proufi. , It was very dilferent in Manila and Japan. :‘thn we won they wanted to fight us. 'As your players win. I think, agree, »we 'are not; rough. ' but, if. necessary. we can hold our dignity. You will see that We are not afgnid. for once in ‘Manila ,‘eight .peop‘e Ind togbe carried offithe field. Only one of them was a member 'of our team.”

. .‘ ’."_ . ‘ngiere is always the danger 'Qf a boxer going through or over the rope: in a bout decided in what» is known as the “ pogtlesa ” ring. Usually ’ the ring is ‘ZJOft. square; and stra'm as )Htu may it is. inipossible, to keep the ropes .tant. - lq an eight—post. ring it is al Vmoér impossible for Kai cnnteéta‘nt ‘to; go though the ropes if they are preperly strained. But this ring also has its disadvantages. The ideal ring lias' yet to make its appearance. In the Firpo—Dempsey contest, Dempsey was knocked through ,the. ropes, and might easily have been sefiously injured Commenting on the incident an Arm ericnn boxingcritio writeS;—-Tt- seems t") be about .time that. some one came along with the s'uggestion for the .8? rangement of ring [ropes that would prevent a repetition of the Jack Demp—sey flop in the Firpo engagement. 'A‘ ring rope that will not give under ”(1101 pressure ofia boxer’s burly when he 15‘ ‘ hurled along the strand is desired and itlie idea. isvndvanced that the 'l'opefl should be laced, or brought tautv so that there would not be a elimicu in the world for a. repetition of the (mn—troversy that resulted l'ullmving the battle between Dempsey and Firim. The lacing could be effected with stunt canvas strips from one rope to the other and in that. manner safe a boxer from plunging through when he, struck it wit-h his body.

Warwick Armstrong {rrites : It i»s very necessary for a bowler to have a quiet confidence in himself, to the extent. at any rate, of thinking—if witkefs are not falling to good bowling--that his own men will make runs with the. same ease when their turn comes. But the howler should never overrate himself or. cease to persevere, however gjpoci ibe wicket may he and however ckilfui the batsman A howler should always consult his captain before changing the position of a fieldsman. In this way he is not only observing I lit etiquette of the game, but also gotLmg the benefit- of his captain’s new. Two heads, especially when one of them is the captain’s, are generally better than one. There are. of course. • mwl'ws of Mm greatest intelligence rhc.«, men know every move on the hoard ; but these are '.list the bowlers who keep in closest touch with their

captains. I should like to warn an bowlers that they must. never waste a new ball by bowling so wide of the wicket that. batsmen can keep on leav—ing length halls alone. The shine is def. goin to remain on tha‘ball for ever. ‘éith the ballred and shiny the bowler should regulate his swerve to his the wicket if the batsman makes a mistake.

Acts for the hencr control of profes. sional boxing are needed in all the States. They should provide. among other things, for the abolition of . twenty-round affairs and for the insurance of boxers against the risks incident. to their trade, whihc risks would be greatly reduced were fights limited to ten or twelve rounds, as in America. That rountry has long recognised that the knock—out blow, rare‘l}v harmful in brief bouts. is apt to be dangerous in contests extending beyond twelve rounds—the fall. perhaps. more than the blow. Dempsey, the champion, has never fought twenty rounds in his life; neither has Gibbons, his recent opponent, who engaged in twenty-four encounters, all innocuous, in 1921. Even in England. _where Queensberry rules were invented, the brutal and hazardous twenty-rounder has become a thing of the gush—Sydney “Bulletin." ... It was a football dinner given to the visiting team from Bludville. The home team had won, but only after a terrific battle, in which the ball was regarded as a superfluous article by the visiting Loam (says “ Smith’s \Veekly ”). The .rlinner had been a success up to, the moment the captain of the home team was helped to his feet to propose the health of the visitors. Like most of his team. he showed traces of the . afternoon’s amusement. His nose progected like a sore finger from a mass of andagns, and one eye glittered far] l back in a linen cave. The speech was: brief and went straight to the point.{ iWith his serviceable eye ‘he glanced around at. his battered comrades andl remarked: ” “’9 don't take any cralit. for Winning the football match. because none of you: blokes play football. I don’t think any of yous noticed there was a ball on‘ the field—yous were allJ too damn busy with us. As the poet said. ‘ We beat, yous, but another flamin’ victory like it would put us in the hospital for the re t. of the season.’ I dunno the padded; where you gentleman liVe. but T believe yous are the desc/Pndant-z of the nvages who murdered Captain Cook.” Then ‘bm‘h teams played the return match on the spot. .

Full particulars are now to hand of the events in connection with the cont'gst at Columbus. Georgia. on Ottober 4. between M‘Tigue' and Stribling for the light-heavy—weight championship of the world‘ brief reference'to which was received by cable. At the outset an announcement was circulated that the contest had been abandoned owing to M'Tigue having seriously injured a hand while sparring». .A croiwd_assem~ bled'at the hotel where M’Tigue was staying and attempted to storm the building, but were .I'dispersed by a squad of police. Finally M’Tigue came out and, addressing the crowd, said he would. fight though he' only had one sound‘hand. At the conclusion of ten rounds the referee. Mr Harry Ertle, who refereed the Dempsey~Carpentier con’test, declared the bout * a draw. There was a tremendous uproar, and Ertle had tube esc'ortedtohishotel by the police. He subsequently stated that he'had officially declared the bout a draw, and had not reversed his decision in “favour of Stribling; evenin the ‘face of threus that unless‘ lie did‘QSO he would not-leave the arena alive. He asserted that he was forced to raise Strihling’s arm aloft a; a sign of giving him the decision. In an interview M’Tigue declared that he had been compelled to enter the ring at the point of a pistol, after having announced that he would be unable/to proceed with the contest owing to the injury to his hand. Jacobs, M’Tigue’s manager; stated, that persons- had threatened to hang him if the contest was declared off.

Now and then the statement is made tilt some of our English bowlers get their swerve by enlarging the crack of a new ball with their thumb nail, but any trick of this sort becomes insignificant beside the work of the American baseball pitcher (says a London paper). Within the scope of the Yankee pitcher’s machinations may come such monstrosities as the ‘ ’ split ball,” the “ sailor.” the “ shine ball,” and the “emery ball.” The methods by which these freak deliveries are obtained are in reality unfair, and the way in which they are managed i.s guarded as a trade secret. Every now and then some “ cagey pitching ace” is detected as a cheat and a deal of soiled linen is cleansed before the public. Her© are some of the ways by which a baseball pitcher succeeds in perfecting a .delivery which breaks several wavs in the air or skids off the atmosphere, to the discouragement Qi' the hitter. One. man has a supply of vaseline in his glove and daubs -a lump on the ball before he hurls it. Another pitcher applies a wad of chewing gum, to the cover of the ball, and a rival chews a nafity mess of coffee grains, tobacco, and liquorice to a thick paste and anoints the ball. Resin nibbed over part of the uniform furnished another means of giving an artificial twist ; a finger ring with a filed surface and a strip of emery paper /fastened inside the finger were other tricks. One pitcher was long undetected. for he had a roughened buckle on his belt and “ unconsciously ” rubbed the ball against- it. THE LATE D. J. CORCORAN. AN ALL-ROUND SPORTSMAN. > The death occurred in Dunedin on November 27 of a gentleman at time well-known in cash athletic circles throughout Maorilaml and ii£ Southland as a Rugby footballer, athletic promoter and all-roi)nd sportsman (s£ys the “ Southland Times ”)_ The ileoeased, Mr D. J. (-.‘ Dan ”> Corcoran, was in the of LanHi?. Department for many years here and had latterly been siationed iji Dunedin. A few days ago My Corcoran was attacked by "pneumonia . and ,he could not withstand the ravages of this fell disease despite a brave fight, passing away at the early age for a strong man ot fbitv years. W hile MCorcoran supported all branches of outdoor sport, from the turf to cricket, football, and boxing, ho was best known in connection with the control of cash athletics and the 1 dominant- position of the New Zealand Athletic Union to-day is in the main a tribute to the interest and organising ability of the dead enthusiast as ■ secretary. In his younger days Air practically gave up all his spare time and a superabundance of energy to the work of the New Zealand ('voting and . * ' hhdie Union, am! held ..hi.-.- 'or i inn Mv veals, being a^,.mated with ihe - laLv Mr U. W. Woo.lt> and Mr T. V

Gilfedder in fighting the union through the stormy early days of its existence, a. period when the now firmly-establish-ed professional sports body was beset by many enemies and was also out' to banish the, bookmnier from the sports grounds of the Dominion, cl movement in which it was successful, with the assistance of Kir Joseph Ward, many other athletic institutions had signally failed. When Mr Corcoran finally handed over the position of secretary to other capable hand#: the N.Z.C- and A. Union was firmly established, with its foes scattered and demoralised and the cash Bporfc set on a sound foundation. Of late years this native of North Otago had not iak©n a very active part in the administrative side of sport, but his enthusiasm for outdoor pastimes remained very keen and he followed the Ru&Jiy football game with absorbing interest. The last time the writer spoke to him was in tJie southern express between Dunedin and Invercargill, and on that occasion he stated that he was coming south again in the course of a few weeks to witness the interprovincial Rugby contest, Otago v. Southland, and he prophesied a very strenuous display, with the Maroons 'turning the tables on their rblue-clad rivals—history will tell how truly his forecast worked out. He kept his word, and on the day of the big game referred to "he duly arrived at Ru.gby Park in a hurry to catch all the impressions possible of a display under a code of rules that lie contended had no superior in * a world that knows many popular styje.s or engaging in the winter pastime football. The fpneral of the erstwhile Invercargill resident took place in Dunedin on Thursday afternoon. OXFORD ATHLETES IN SOUTH AFRICA. A RIICORD-BH BAKING MEETING. The team of Oxford University athletes who competed at several meetings in South Africa met a team of South African representatives and combined University students at Johannesburg on September 15. Fully 12,000 people were present to witness what turned out to be the greatest athletic festival ever held in South Africa. The result of the meeting wa^i: South Africa, 25$ points ; Combined Universities, 22$ points; Oxford, 12 points. In the University test the event® were: Combined Universities, 9 2-3 points; Oxford, 1 1-3 point. . Some magnificent performances were put up during the afternoon. L. B. Betts, the Jeppe High School phenornenoii, ran the quarter-mile in 48 3-osec, thereby setting up new figures for South Africa. S. Atkinson, the Natalian and South African champion, ran the 120 yards hurdles in loaec, thereby lowering th© existing South African " record of 15 lfisec. h. Richardson, the ' South African distance champion, ran the two miles in the Transvaal record time of 9min 45sec. C. W. Oldfield also .lowered the existing Transvaal half-mile. record, which has jftood for many years. The slightly built Natalian ran the* 880 yards in the wpnd-erful time for the Transvaal of lmin 57 2-osec. H. P. Kinsman, Natal, won both the 100 and 220 yards. The former event was done in IQsec, and the latter •in , 21 4-ssec, which equals the South African record.' . In the high jump G. Stott, R. J. Dickinson . (Oxford), and T. Dry each cleared 6ft. and E. G.‘ Sutherland (formerly of New'Zealand)■ 5ft x llin. The nearest to ; a win by Oxford was tieing in the high jump. The Dark Bln© representatives irt other events finished second in three and third in four, being unplaced in two. The following is a "description of the quarter-mile;—L. B. B. Betts, S.A., 1; H. W. Ken*, Oxford, 2: J. K. Oosterlaak, S.A., 3. The men rose to a magnificent start, but Betts simply flew the first twenty-live yards and gained, not. only the-inside-position, but a lead of four yards from Oosterlaak. Tho latter made up leeway down the back straight, but entering a the bottom bend the youthful Betts b again : drew away. Coming to ; the c straight he was clear by five yards, and tc shouts of “ Come on,.Bettp.” this 3 phenomenal runner still gaiuecl to win a by ten yards. Kerr, the Oxonian, put in a great effort and beat & laak by two feet for second place." The ? time was 48 3-ssec, a South' African t record. . PAYMENT OF PLAYERS. * ALLOWANCE FOR ALU. QUACKS. f Although it is understood , that the New Zealand Rugby Union,has not yet 7 taken definite, action in protesting to the English Rugby Union. against their decision not to allow the All Blacks to e be paid a daily allowance to meet ootf ot'-pocket expenses, the matter is being freely discussed among players ami \ lovers of Rugby (writes ‘‘Fire-Eighths' in the fl Dominion.**) .! It is difficult to find any person as--j sociated* with 'Rugby either! as player. e administrator or spectator who l-co-n- - the action of the English Rugby j tl Union. The belief is generally express- | ed that the influence of the Scottish a Rugby Union .may be seen'in the para ent body's action, owing to its recent r heresy hunt and the Neil Macpherson r incident. Among players -who have reasonable prospect of being selected for the torn* there is a strong feeling ■> that if the English Rugby Union persists in its attitude in refusing, to the All Blacks the same consideration that is given to teams of touring English footballers and English and Australian cricketers, many players will be unabbi to go to England. Those who have more than comfortable means, or those # who can rely on monetary assistance , n from their parents, may he able to go, • e but there is little prospect of young men who are depending on their own i<l earnings for a living making the trip, a- To the young married man it is outside !' s the seope of possibility that ho can make provision for his wife and familv for six months and find an extra £IOO to fit himself out for the trip and ©n ' sure his having sufficient money in his possession to return a proportion of nt the many litle acts of personal kindness ?ll or hospitality lie will experience -at ig Home. The same applies, although i? : i l ' less measure, to the young unmarried man. for it is more than likely that his surplus earnings and savings have al:'P ready been hypothecated in paving dfF & a section or in planning his home of ! the future. .It is difficult-, manifestly. ’ for the English. Rugby Union to under a j stand the position of the New Zealand ag j Rugby player, a*? compared with the as j player at Home. The latter is recruit i ed. almost- exclusively from the moneyect in I class; quite- hsdf the players in New P e Zealand are 'vnrkine men. If there i* anv reason, logic and justification for j paying iMiclbli' Rugby mm or Ei-lid p e | niiei ’with to Nov Zealand