Sport And Sportsmen

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 10

Sport And Sportsmen

Australia has decided to challenge for the Davis Cup of 1930. The selectors are Jack Crawford, Norman Brookes and Frank Peach. It. will be very interesting to watch the result of their deliberations. WJi.de it may be advisable to stiffen the team by the inclusion of an older man, it is to be hoped that youth will be served and that three out of the four chosen will be youngsters, because they will carry the burden of representation in the future and only through them can Australia hope to regain the Cup. Four is the ideal team. Practice is important, and should there be sickness, as happened in the tie ! with Italy in 1928, the extra man would be invaluable. One of the most pleasing developments of golf clubs in recent years, and one that pays tribute to golf professionals as a body, is that many of us have been made honorary members of the club to which we have rendered service, writes J. H. Taylor, who won the British open championship on five occasions. This recognition is much appreciated, for the very delightful reason that it does not carry with it a monetary reward, but is, I am happy to think, awarded for something money could not purchase, or that money could not repav. Fortunate recipients of this mark of favour have proved to the clubs that they are' worthy of the honour—bestowed, in most cases, for years of service and loyal devotion to the interests of those who employ them. If this were not so, the honour would be an empty one, shorn of the kindly sentiment that prompted its bestowal. The German Football Association has published a report which shows the enormous hold Association football has in that country. The Association now comprises 7117 clubs, with 890,088 members. The clubs put into the field last year 23,892 teams, which played considerably over half a million matches, of whieh 233.811 were in organised competitions. Of the affiliated clubs 2163 ; have their own grounds, and 306 employ a trainer. The association has set aside £7OOO toward the building of headquarters, and has a reserve fund of £2500, The New Zealand Cricket Council is fortified with stron" reasons for urging the arrangement < three test matches for its team in England in 1931, in lieu of the one suggested by the M.C.C., i says- the Sydney “Referee.” If the New Zealanders can tone up their | bowling and fielding, they should make a much stronger impression than the first team did, a little while back, its fine batting notwithstanding. If they |do that, and then hold their own with the best counties, the tests with England will not be without considerable interest to the public, although the prospects of winning a match do not look very bright at present. The appearance of a woman golfer in the field of professional sport marks a new stage in the progress of the game, ilt was left to France to take the initia- | tive ip this matter, and for the first time a girl competed with men in a national open championship when Geneveve Derff took part in the French open championship at Fourqueux in October. This little French girl said she had no great aspirations about winning the championship, but that she was seeking competition experience, of which there is so little in France. She is only twenty years of age, and has mastered her iron clubs thoroughly. For eight years she was one of those girl caddies who outnumber boys at all French clubs, at Dinard, where she began to play. Now she is woman professional at Fourqueux, just outside Paris. In the final of the Avon Rowing Club’s double sculling race for the Walton Cup, C. A. Stiles (stroke) and L. Patterson (bow) beat A. S. Frame (stroke) and R. Lyons (bow) by half a length after a good contest. The English cricket team opens the j New Zealand tour with a four days’ match against Wellington next Friday. The Wellington team, selected by the old representative player, W. S Brice, is a well-balanced one, and every man on the side has had experience of playing against overseas teams. The batting should be strong, right down to the last man, as Henderson, usually considered the weakest batsman on the side, hit up a century on Saturday last for Institute against Wellington, and much can be expected from C. S. Dempster, who already has had a very successful season. The side should be well served for bowlers, with Henderson, Massey and M’Girr to supply the fast-medium deliveries; Badcock and Hollings the medium; and M’Leod and Foley the slows. Lowry will also be able to take a turn at the crease to spell the stock bowlers. The fielding should be much better than is usually seen from a Wellington side, as most of the men can move fast, and should be able to last. The Australian champion swimmer, Ryan, has now been defeated three times by Bridson, of Auckland. This is another proof that times recorded in Australia cannot be repeated in New Zealand. Some excuse may be made for the visitor for the reason that he had to get down to racing very soon after he landed in New Zealand, while Bridson is in top form. Recently the Aucklander set a quarter-mile record for New Zealand of smin 16 3-ssee, beating D. P. Lindsay’s time of smin 24 2-ssec. Ryan may be expected to be in better form when he competes in Christchurch on December 23. Can terbury followers of the sport are looking forward to the race between Ryan and A. T. Stokes, New Zealand 220yds and mile champion.