BASEBALL MATCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 4

BASEBALL MATCH

WANGANUI v. WELLINGTON ATTRACTION FOR SATURDAY Great interest has been aroused in the Baseball (softball)match which is to be played on the Gonville Domain on Saturday afternoon between teams representing Wanganui and Wellington. The Wellington side is composed of members of the Jenkins Gym team, which won the championship in Wellington this winter. The Jenkins Gym side has just returned to Wellington from Auckland, where it won all four matches played, including a fixture against an Auckland representative side. The team arrived on Saturday morning at Auckland after an all night journey in the train, and the same afternoon defeated the Auckland Training College and the local senior champions, the Pioneers, by 10 runs to 4 and 10 runs to 5 respectively. This result

came as a surprise to the followers ot the game in the Queen City, as the Pioneer team consists entirely ot Canadians and Americans, who have played the game in their own country before coming to New Zealand and, and they had. up to this contest, been undefeated in their local tournaments. The win by the visitors was all the more meritorious when it is taken into consideration that in theit first game against the Training College they played another first grade team. The Pioneer team was not satisfied with the result of the game and issued a challenge to the visitors for another match. The Jenkins team sportingly accepted the challenge and although they were to meet a strong representative side agreed to play the Pioneers as a curtain raiser to their own main fixture on the Monday (Labour Day), at Blandford Park. They made no error with the challenge match and proved that they fully deserve the title of champion New Zealand club side by decisively defeating the Auckland champions 11 runs to 1. Not satisfied with these laurels, however, they again upset local calculations by defeating the Auckland representatives by the narrow margin of 9 runs to 7. This was indeed a meritorious performance and full credit, was given to the Wellington boys by the local press. "Their base running and backing up was a revelation to the local players,”

stated an Auckland report on the game and both our champions and representatives had to acknowledge the visitors as their masters in this very important department of the game. The last game was played in steady rain and the heavy, greasy ball was a handicap that one would expect to slow down the game. Such, however, was not the case and the thousand odd spectators were held in excitement right up to ihe final .spectacular throw out which ended the game. During the match a running commentary was given on the various plays and the rulings thereon over a loud speaker and was fully appreciated by the spectators.” The Gym boys returned to Wellington very elated over the success of | their northern tour and are keen to keep their record intact when matched with the Wanganui representatives. especially as on the following Saturday the Wellington chamI pionship matches will begin and this j will be their lasi opportunity nt ’ travelling for some considerable tun*