SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18889, 12 October 1929, Page 10

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

A seagull in flight was killed by a woman playing over the Gullane golf course in Scotland recently. The bird was struck by the ball, and dropped to the ground dead. The player was driving off from one of the tees, and had played a full shot. Such incidents have happened before, when rabbits, hares, weas ’s and birds have been struck by golf balls, says an English paper. The case is also recorded of a player who drove a ball into a river and killed a fish. 98 ss The announcement that E. W. Dawson is to resign the captaincy of the Leicestershire cricket side—the resignation has still to be written—is not surprising, says an English paper, as the Leicestershire committee has known all the season that his intention was to lead for this summer only. If Dawson is lost to county cricket, it will be for the same reason as has driven many amateurs out of the game—the need to earn a living. Dawson is coming to New Zealand with the M.C.C. team, and perhaps during his absence the Leicestershire committee will do something that will allow him to keep his place, as it did years ago when V. F. S. Crawford found himself placed as Dawson is now. If Dawson does drop out, Leicestershire will be in a serious difficulty. 98 98 S 3 Frank Woolley, who will be seen in New Zealand durir the coming cricket season, has joined the immortals who have scored 100 centuries in firstclass cricket, following in the wake of W. G. Grace, Hayward, Hobbs, Mead and Hendren. Woolley’s achievement comprises ninety-three three-figure innings in England, five in Australia and two in South Africa, those in test matches being two each in England and Australia and one in South Africa. Woolley played his first match for Kent against Lancashire at Old Trafford in 1906. Congratulations have been showered on E. L. Dalton, one of the youngest members of the South African cricket team, on account of his recent very successful batting against Kent and Sussex, says an English paper. He was one of the players it was expected would benefit most as the result of experience gained during the tour, and it is evident that the surmise has proved correct. Before setting out on the trip he had done very little of note in firstclass cricket, but in three successive innings he scored 157 and 116 not out at Canterbury and 102 at Brighton. He thus made history by obtaining two separate hundreds in a match, end three off the reel, and the feat was the more noteworthy from the fact that they were the first three-figure innings he had ever played in first-class cricket. He is only twenty-two years of age. 98 93 98 Hubert Opperman, who won the Warrnambool to Melbourne road race and also the fastest time prize last Saturday. but who was subsequently disqualified, is the greatest long-distance cyclist Australia has known. Opperman is twenty-five years of age, and he has a remarkably fine record over the past five or six years. Last month he won the Dunlop-Perdriau road race over a course of 132 miles in South Australia. He covered the distance in 7hr 19min 2sec. Following that performance, Opperman clipped 23min off the ; world's dirt track record for 100 miles at the Payneham Oval, Adelaide, and 38min Ssec off the Australian record made last year by J. Strafford. The champion’s times were as follows: twenty-five miles, Hit smin 23sec; fifty miles, 2hr 14min 38sec; seventyfive miles, 3hr 24min 45sec; 100 miles, 4hr 39min 34sec. In 1924 Opperman won the Launceston to Hobart road race, over 120 miles, his time being shr 59min, which still stands as a record. 98 98 98 There was a sensational sequel to the heavy-weight boxing contest between Pat Redmond and “ Blackie ” Miller at Rushcuttcr Bay Stadium, when the loser’s- share of the proceeds of the match was withheld by Stadiums, Ltd., pending an inquiry by the directors, says an Australian paper. Miller had been cautioned by the referee (Joe Waills) in the third round upon two occasions for illegal blows, and, after being advised to refrain from similar tactics before the fourth round opened, ; Miller feO to the canvas as the result of a right swing delivered by Redmond. Lying upon his back. Miller was counted out by the referee, and Redmond was declared the winner. The beaten man limped to his corner, where he informed his seconds that he had injured a foot. His boot was removed, and Miller limped to the dressing-room. Mr S. W. Griffiths, Stadiums, Ltd., manager, was not satisfied with the exhibition given by Miller, and after the contest stated that Miller had apparently attempted to foul Redmond. Mr Griffith was also of the opinion that Miller was in a position to continue the con- , test, but preferred to close on a knockout. He therefore decided not to hand Miller his share of the gate receipts until his directors had investigated the matter. The Olympic champion, Ted Morgan, climbed another rung of the professional ladder at Wellington on Thursday, when he knocked out Phin Stone, r twice amateur welter-weight champion - of New Zealand, in the tenth round. 1 There was a great crowd to witness r the contest. Morgan won by reason of e his harder punch, but Stone proved s himself a fine boxer who will make his j mark also as a professional.