A three-star brand for to-morrow night: Kahn-Scholz-Rose.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 4

A three-star brand for to-morrow night: Kahn-Scholz-Rose.

W. Pett Ridge has many / amusing stories to tell in “ I Like to Remember.” Some of them deal with sport, though not from the technical point of view. For instance—Oscar Wilde was staying for the week-end at a country house, at the time when golf and tennis had begun to attract. After luncfy on Sunday all the other visitors went off for games, leaving him alone. “ Do you ever take an interest in any outdoor sports?” asked his hostess curiously. “Never,” he said; “never. Forgive me; I’m not telling the truth. I do remember on one occasion playing a game of dominoes outside a cafe in Paris.” *

When is a man too old to play' strenuous hockey? As an example, the Rev F. 11. Gillingham, the famous Essex County cricketer, may be cited. He was born in 1875, says an English writer. Since the recent revival of the old Blackheath Hockey Club, Gillingham has been playing at full-back for the A team, and against Wallington 11. he showed quite excellent form and seemed to have fine staying powers. This A team is composed of many old-time players who have come to the assistance of Blackheath to give the club a good send-off on its revival. The Oxford University rowing authorities are determined not to repeat the fiasco of last Boatrace Day, when the Oxford boat sank during the race with Cambridge on the Thames. They are building a new seaworthy boat of the 1890 type, dispensing with the exaggerated streamlining which is believed to have been one of the causes of last year’s sinking. The race this year will be rowed on March 27. 15 *.* A good story showing the ready wit of Vic. Cavanagh, the Otago Rugby Union selector, is told by “McTwo,” in a series of reminiscences entitled “ Round the Ground,” appearing in the “ Evening Star.” Vic was with his friend Donald Stuart, at the Otago v. Wellington cricket match, and remarked that “Jake” should make runs that day. “Jake who?” came the bite from Donald. “Jake Aloo,” came back the ready response. This is for the golfers: Overheard in the locker-room; “Bill’s the slowest player in the world. Yesterday he found his ball lying in the middle of the fairway. But he took so much time fiddling around trying to decide between a mashie and a midiron that the grass grew up ancj he had to use a niblick.” London is to follow the example of Manchester and Edinburgh and have a public skating-rink. This is to be built in the West End at a cost of £70,000. It will be the largest of its kind ever attempted in England, and will include not only a surface sufficiently large for the holding of the world’s figure skating championships and speed championships, but will also permit of curling and ice hockey to be plaved. XXX Charlie Paddock and Loren Murchison, the two American sprinters who were censured by the English Amateur Athletic Association for allegedly demanding exorbitant expenses in England, have been absolved of the charge by the American Athletic Union. s* » Q.—They’re going in for longer lead-pencils at Home this year. Why? A.—That’s easy. To keep the j scores of the Aussie cricketers!

Wicket-keeper Rountree did his best to help Auckland against Wellington —caught four men and stumped one. X X X A Dunedin critic says that Page should be in the New Zealand tennis team for Australia. Australia will not have a fly at the Davis Cup this year because Anderson and Patterson are not available. Judging by last year’s result it would not make a great deal of difference if thev were. x Q. Donald, one of the famous 1924 All Blacks, was in Christchurch this week. He was married recently, and may not play football again. Quentin looks well, and many prominent Canterbury players were glad to have a yarn with him. Whilst competing at a small meeting last May Scholz, the American runner now in New Zealand, recorded the sensational time of 9isec for the 100yds, which is l-10sec better than the world’s record of 9 3-ssec, standing to the credit of Charles Paddock. When he arrived in Auckland Scholz stated that difficulty was being experienced in obtaining recognition of the performance, owing to the fact that meeting was a small one. Three watches recorded the time as 9ssec. Advice has since been received from the Amateur Athletic Union of America to the effect that the record has been recognised. It has yet to be passed by the international federation. A London writer recently stated that he had been informed that Paddock, with a flying start, covered the distance in 8 9-10 sec, the performance being accomplished ill California during 1923. I do not know (says the writer) just how this affair was timed, but presume the recorded time is the difference between two watches, and if there is on record particulars of the distance at which this performance started, I should be delighted to get them. I suppose Paddock would start on his flying expedition at about 60yds, at which point he would be covering about 11* yards a second.” Some athletes seem to set themselves out deliberately to best the starter and according to Jackson Scholz the habit is a crime. The American considers that some starters are liable to let the field go altogether too soon after the set position has been reached. He believes that sprinters should be kept waiting until the starter is ready to fire and that any runner breaking should be constantly penalised? In high-class company, he said, several inches gained at the start means an assured, victor}’. lie had never known himself to beat a starter. x

Though Jackson Scholz, the American sprinter now touring New Zealand, is a great runner, some of his own countrymen declare that Hubbard, the coloured flyer, is the fastest 100yds man in the world. They say he lost the American championship simply because the New York brigade “ ragged ” him out of it before it began. His speed is, of course, undeniable, and he covers his first 50 yards at an amazing pace. In the Western Conference 100 yards he was five yards in front of his field at 50 yards, and “ coasted ” home in 9 7-10 sec. The controversy as to whether the cricket match between Glamorgan and the Australians next year should be played at Swansea or Cardiff has given rise to a novel idea from Mr A. Andrews, a prominent supporter of the game in West Wales. He suggests that South Wales newspapers should print coupons in their issues inviting the public to make their choice of ground, each coupon to be accompanied by one shilling. In this way popular feeling could be tested and. the impoverished finances of the Glamorgan club strengthened at the same time.