SPORT AND SPORTSMEN

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 January 1948, Page 2

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN

WANGANUI PIRATE CLUB’S JUBILEE MISS T. GREAVE’S RECORD (By "Obkerver") Preparations are well in hand for the Utting celebration of the Jubilee of the Wanganui Pirate Rugby Football Club which will be held at Easter. Steeped in the club traditon of Wanganui Club Rugby, the Pirates Club has a long honoured record in all grades under the control of the Wanganui Rugby Union. The "Black" jciseyed players won their first senior championship in 1901. After winning the title in 1913, they had to wait until 13 years before the championships came their way again, when in 1926 they fielded a team which blocked a series of Kaierau successes. In 1913 the blacks were captained by that fine Rugby forward, Bill Dustin, now of Palmerston North, who was a champion oarsman of more than 30 years ago and was a member of the famous Union Champion Four, comprising J. Cotteriu (stroke) E. Ryland (3) W. Dustin (2) and D O. Corby (bow). Both,Messrs Cotterill and Corby are deceased. Senior championship honours hav e been won by Pirates three times in recent seasons, in 1944, 1945 and 1947. Miss T. Greaves to the Fore. Top ranking Wanganui lady player, Miss Thelma Greaves has had remarkable success in recent yeats. Following her success in winning the Wanganui New Year tournament singles, she won the Walrarapa ladies singles final and doubles last weekend. At the Taranaki tournament in Haweia in 1946 Miss Greaves took three titles in a row, the singles, doubles and mixed doubles. The same year she won the women’s singles at the Manawatu Lawn Tennis championships held in Palmerston North. Playing in fine form at the Wanganui New Year fixture in 1947 she won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles, and at Palmerston North she won the womens doubles title. In the North Island tennis Championships held in 1946 in Waipukurau, she was a finalist in the women's singles, and doubles. In the forefront ot Badminton players the Wanganui player was emergency for the New Zealand team which played Australia before the recent war. She is a previous holder ot the North Island singles and doubles titles. Miss Greaves began her career at the Gonville Club and later joined the Wanganui Lawn Tennis Club. Notable Record. Skip of a successful Ashburton four in the New Zealand Bowling Association championship tournament is E, A. Cockroft, known to an older generation of Rugby enthusiasts as a fine centre three-quarter or fullback before the first World War. Cockroft played for Otago University and represented Otago in 1911-12. Later he played for South Canterbury and in 1914 had the distinction of captaining both South Island A and B teams in matches against the North Island at Wellington His omission from the original selection of the New Zealand team for the Australian tour caused some surprise, and when Injury to a player early in the tour necessitated replacement he was sent across, and in his first match, against Queensland, played at full-back and kicked a field goal from half-way. In subsequent years, Mr. Cockroft was coach of many outstanding teams at the Timaru Boy s High School. Wellington Regatta. The Wellington provincial rowing regatta on Saturday showed that the oarsmen could maintain a high standard under the most difficult conditions. Pat Abbott (Petone) won the senior singl/ sculls from J. Schneider (Aramoho) by only one length, in a competition which developed into experience against youth. D. N. Crabbe (Union, Wanganui) rowed a gieat race in the junior single sculh, from an outside position in the rougher water He showed that his» performance at the New Year regatta was not just a flash in the pan The most impressive crew were the Aramoho eight, the reigning champions. They swung their boat along well, caught the water well on each stroke, and although winning by only one length (Union put in a late challenge) they had the race in hand from the start. Under the high wind and rough water conditions the committee handled the regatta very efficiently. Lining the crews up at the start took time, but the last race, the twelfth event, was only 10 minutes behind schedule.