AUTOGRAPH RACKET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 133, 7 June 1937, Page 9

AUTOGRAPH RACKET

INTRUSIVE SMALL BOYS ONE OF THE BUGBEARS OF ! TOURING SPORTS TEAMS The Chief Scout’s comment “Only cissie scouts solicit autographs” must have caused many manly youngsters furiously to think. It can be well imagined that moving among boys as he does life would be one long bout of chronic writer’s cramp were he to accede to the importunities of the accoster with the album, writes a correspondent. The situation for the man in the public eye is becoming serious, but as far as cricket is concerned is being dealt with drastically at Home. There are now notices at most of the grounds stating that nuisances who tout for signatures will be shown the gat« without any further warning. The little privacy that any celebrity enjoys has been invaded. Everything short of following a bishop up the pulpit steps has been tried once. Which reminds the writer of the story of the small boy who asked the Archbishop of York to give him his autograph, and complained because he was foisted off with “William Ebor,” which he said was “rotten writing for York!” No cricketer would willingly discourage small enthusiasts from taking any , interest whatever in the noble art of stumps defence —but when one see» the type of child who butts in to add to his collection, and who does so as often as not tactlessly and inconsiderately, he begins to wonder rr “it’s cricket” to help the hobby—if it can be called a hobby. Some of the aenemic-looking untidy nippers presenting bits of crumpled exercise book pages do not exactly induce friendly retaliation, and it quite an open question whether the first XI. schoolboy, or the keen trier on the cricket field is the boy who collects. The really keen boy—the super sportsman, of course—would be playing his own game somewhere else. It is curious that when in Wellington the M.C.C. members replied to pesterers: “We are not allowed to sign” with the result that they were left alone after the first day’s play. Yet in Auckland the epidemic set in. There is wristy work ahead for the New Zealand cricket representatives in England unless they follow their Wellington rule and “refuse to accede.” Tom Lowry would be well advised to get all the names written cut ■ and have rubber stamps made with 1 pneumatic bases to each. These he j could set in one frame. By altering i the positions a fresh order and ar- ; rangement would make the flappers , think their albums which on recent | tours were left piled high in hotels, ■ were being courteously treated. j