SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14756, 21 September 1921, Page 9

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

A- SPORTING. RAGING FIXTURES. September 22. 24—Wanganui Jockey Club. C September 24, 26—Avondale Jockey S*. Club. Club. October I—Napierl—Napier Park Racing Club. October 1,3, a and B—Australian J.C., Spring. October s—Hawke’s5 —Hawke’s Bay J.G. October 13 and 14—Whangarei Racing Club. October 13 and 15 —Dunedin Jockey Club, Spring. October 14 and 15 —Masterton Racing Club, Spring. October 22 and 24—Wellington Racing Club. October 24 —Waikato Hunt Club. October 24 Wayerley-Waitotara Racing Club, Annual. October 27 and 29 —Poverty Bay Turf Club, Spring. October 29 —Taratahi-Garterton Racing Club, Annual. November 5, 7. 9 and 12—Canterbury Jockey Club, Metropolitan. November 5 and 7—Auckland Racing Club, Spring. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. •‘‘Bellvue,” Cambridge.—Strategy is ■ a four-year-old horse by Martian, ex ; Strathspey. His best performance ' -to date is probably his success with ; 10.0 in the York Welter of 1000, ■ sovs. on the third day of the last A.K.C. Winter meeting. Ohaupo.—The value of the Auckland Gup this year will be ! £3500, of which £2500 will go to ■| the winner, The distance remains at • two miles.

THE AVONDALE MEETING. Avondale Jockey Club’s Spring mating, to be held next Saturday and Monday, is receiving a great deal of nt- • tention" from followers of the sport. Chief interest centres in the Avondale Gup, which this year is worth £2OOO, and the race, extending to one and a-half miles should prove very interesting. 'The horses engaged are of unusually good quality, and with Sasanof, the hero of the 1916 Melbourne Cup and the 1918 New Zealand Cup. heading the list, an air of distinction is added to the race. The general opinion is that one of . the medium weight division will be first past fine post, and Khublai Khan or Tinohoro are expected to render a good account of themselves. Sylvan should prove the best of the under 7st brigade. The classic race —a flutter for the two-year-olds over four furlongs—should be of interest to those interested in the quality' of the rising thoroughbreds. Epitaph, the full sister to. Humbufp is upon nearly everyone’s lips, as the winner of the event, but honours will depend to a great extent upon the position of the horses at the_ start, and cm their promptness in leaving the mane. —There will of course be some youngsters leaving the birdcage with not the remotest chance of winning. Their turn will, doubtless, come later.

JOTTINGS. Good, judges are expecting Volo to tnalte a forward showing at the Avondale meeting. The other Taranaki rcWiresentativc, Rational, should render a inc account of himself, in the Flying, stakes Mr W H. Ballinger has leased from Sir George Clifford the , 1920 Great Northern Derby winner, Royal Stag, by Autumnus ex Kerricmuir. The brown horse will take up stud duty at .Trentham as successor to his grandsirc, , treadmill,,which died recently. ■.-X, A Southern owner, Mr G. B. Starty, was recently in the Waikato, where he inspected the two English-bred stallions, Archiestown and Day Comet. As a result Mr S larky is sending his imported mare Week End, by Holiday House —Maid of Bedale, to be mated With Day Comet.

v rhe speedy but disappointing Ci;owhurst has been tried over hurdles, and has shaped well for a novice. Listowel is reported to be in excellent trim, and North Island authorities 'expect him to run a great race in the Eclipse Stakes at Wanganui this week. Chuckle, the fulL sister to phortl_e, ! las foaled a filly to Absurd. Chuckle is by Mullifid —Amusement. Chimera has been brought in again by J. Gravcstock, but has not been asked to do much, as there is doubt about her standing up to another preparation. If the ex-New Zealander, Finmark, would only run in public up to his track gallops, he would win one of the big spring handicaps, comments an Australian writer, on the ex-New Zealander. In a training gallop lately, Amythas ran the first three of six furlongs in 39 l-useo, and the final three furlongs in 36 l-ssec. This works out at train IP 2-nscc for the six furlongs, and the big fellow ■could have gone faster. _ Thespian (Absurd —Leta) is doing excellent work at Wanganui, and local track watchers expect Mr Currie’s coll to beat The Hawk and company in the Wanganui Guineas. Thespian showed good form last year, but will be at a disadvantage at Wanganui, seeing he jbas not had a race this season. / Zouanc,’ the Martian-Rose Red colt, a full brother to the defunct Risingha.m, and a. half-brother to Sir Ralph, purchased by Mr Chas. Elgar for 800 guineas at the November sales in Christchurch, is showing a lot of pace in Ins work at Tanherenikau, and/bids fnir To reach a high mark amongst this season's two-year-olds. Richmond Main has been reported 'lame on and off for some time past, and his withdrawal from his Rnndwick engagements was not unexpected. Probably Mr John Brown’s champion will now go to the stud. The New Zealand Cup candidate. Fno Chow, is working particularly well. In one of his recent gallops he had Some Kid well beaten at the end of six furlongs, which ho ran in drain 15 3-5 seconds. He finished full of running. Latest Australian papers state that a very determined move was made recently in connection with the Demosthenes marc Fluency for the Melvournc Cup. Fluency’s weight in the biff event is S.JO, and according to members of the ring the New Zealand bred marc was backed to win a very big stake. G. Jones, the Napier trainer, has a

...Jhp team of Mr W. G. Stead’s horses at [Avondale. They arc Sasanof, Mcrmin, Tibsiirdum, Radiant Light. Truthful. Stein and Sir Otway (the full brother of Surveyor). Stein is a two-year-old filly by Fcranmrz —Steinheii, by Martian —Class. Mermin. who has been working very sluggishly, is In he given a run in the Flying Handicap at Avondale, in order to sharpen him up for —the Guineas, v ifc is'pleasing to note that Affectation j s standing up to his work, and his | jjecoi'd to Verbosity at Marlon was a „00,l performance after such n long ' jjpell Mr A. McDonald has a. weak spot for the son of Kilbroficy—Simper, and" if he keeps sound the Mnsterlonowned gelding should pay his way this reason. Mr G. L. Stead’s ihree-ycar-old colt,

Royal Box, has made considerable improvement under the care of Dr. Ring, although still being in a pretty bad way. The swelling of the leg lias been got rid of, but the serious trouble is.in the hip, the point of which was broken, and it is still too early to judge wind the ultimate result of the injury will be. Hymestra has been retired from the racing track, and the Karamu-bred son of Hymcltus and Straga will be used as a stud horse at MasLcrlon during the present season. When the racing stock of the late Hon. J. D. Ormond was sent up under the hammer in 1917, HymesIra, then a three-year-old, was purchased by Mr W. 11. Kembail for 2050 guineas. " Up to the time of his retirement, Hymestra has won 4510 sovs in slake "money for the Masterton own Cl’.

It is hard to say what will start in the Wanganui Guineas to-morrow, but there is every prospect of the field being a strong one, both numerically and in'point of quality, though it remains to be seen how several of the starters will shape over the mile. It is expected that at least eight or nine will go to the post, including Quest, Tolerance, Tamatulc, Thespian, The Hawk, and others, all of whom have proved their ability to gallop six furlongs at a very fast pace, but which one will go on with it best remains to be seen. It looks a very open race, and should be one of the best Guineas contests ever witnessed in Wanganui. When the last mail left Sydney, Loyal Irish was favourite for the A.J.C. Derby, but ho was, only one point shorter than Gupidon, and as the latter has won since, and lias the advantage of coming from a strain more noted for producing slayers than Loyal Irish can claim, it is probable that R. J. Mason’s representative has since supplanted Loyal Irish from the position of favourite, considering that he won in his first race with the colours up. Another interesting item from Sydney states that Veil, the full sister to Rational, also owned by Mr G. D. Greenwood, is showing more pace than any of the youngsters trained at Randwick.

Amythas looked well at the Marten meeting, but as if another month or so would be required to get him right back to form. He travelled so fast at one stage of the Railway Handicap as to show that he possesses most of his old-time brilliancy, and he will 0 only require to keep sound to be as good as ever by November. The son of Demosthenes will b(f a starter in the New Zealand Eclipse Slakes at Wanganui, m which he will probably show considerable improvement, but several of the other starters will be more forward, and it may be that he will be beaten in this event, as he was last year, when Trespass won. There appears to have been at least one exciting incident during the running of the Hcalhcrlic Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday week last. After the race, a Melbourne writer says, F. Dempsey was warm in his expressions of gratitude Towards W. Foulsham. Dempsey declares that the presence of mind of Foulsham saved both jockeys from being pitched over the rails. Section came in and collided with Red Dome, on whom Fou'fsham had the mount. Dempsey, on Tangnlooma, had the inside berth, and if Foulsham had not promptly pulled back, Red Dome must have deprived Tangalooma of galloping room and precipitated a smash. Tangalooma finished so brilliantly, says the writer referred to, that there is every reason to believe he would have won but for the serious mix-up which occurred. The prospects of Holt landing the Caulfield Cup wilh Tangalooma and the Melbourne Cup with Eurythmic arc becoming radiant.

The fa el, of Wallace being numbered among Ihe defunct, and that Malstcr is now well up in years, there is not the same interest in their stud records as of yore. Still standing out as they do at the head of the list of Aus-tralian-bred sires, the figures connected with their respective records always commands attention. At one time it seemed likely that descendants of Wallace might dethrone Malstcr from the head of the list of Australian sires but ilm latter have made .he matter quite secure for ilm Bill of Portland burse during the past L;.v >cars, Un to drift desccndvns of,.Malstcr tune won in stakes the sum of £264,894, while those of Wallace are credited with £236.863. The feature of this record of Malstcr is that it is the product of only thirteen seasons.

Bookmaking is to be legalised in Germany. Bookmakers’ accounts are to be open to inspection, and 10 per cent of their takings will go to the Government. They will have to Kite a receipt to their clients, and, if they fail to pay, redress may be had in the law courts. One supposes bookmakers will be given the opporlunity of getting money from defaulting clients in the same fashion. The Bill to legalise bookmakers makes the work of tipsters, apart from those on newspapers, illegal. One of the notable characters associated with the hunting field in England is Tom Ventriss, who a few weeks ago celebrated his one hundredth birthday. Tom Ventriss was for many years the North Yorkshire huntsman, and his hundredth birthday was marked by a meet of the Gothland park of fox-hounds on the green in front, of his cottage. This remarkable sportsman was formerly identified more particularly wilh the Sfantondale park, which hunts the cliffs helween Robin Hood’s Bav and Filey. With the exception Unit he "is slightly deaf (says the Yorkshire Post), he relains all his faculties, and still reads his newspaper, smokes his pipe, and lakes Ids whisky “nightcap.” The prize offered for the Pakuranffa Hunt Club Cup (£700) was an extraordinarily large one, and it was out of all proporlion to the Hass of horses invited t.o compete (Ihis event was open to qualified hunters which had not won a race of more Ilian imisovs.). The actual conditions prevented such hunters as Merryowen, Fire Eater, and Tigerland, and even modern I e-Hass hunters such as Onipoto and Simple Barn were not eligible. Thus the mnciilioiis of the race were simply absurd, more especially when one remembers llial the event under notice is the richest race of its kind in the world.

Australian horse-owners who do not understand the position prevailing in lids Dominion must have a queer notion of club management in New Zealand, for on perusing ihc official racing calendar, one may read a programme like that of the Wanganui Jockey Club, and find champions like Amylhas, Arrowsmilh, Listowel, Mnioha, The Hawk, Tamatctc, etc., asked to compete in a weighl-for-agc race for £OOO (the value of Lite Eclipse /takes). while in the same issue Ihc Pakurauga Hunt Ciuh offer a prize of £7OO ; value of 1 luri I Cup',, but eon line Hie event to Hie very poorest class hunter. According to Hie London correspondent of the Sydney Daily I e| eg rap In Hie, English /t. Imgrr went to one, of the biggest outsiders in the history of the race, the winner. Polemarch. starling a! extravagant odds. This was dim In Hvo reasons, one nf wide!) was lint Craig-nn-Eran was a red-lml favourite, and the other that Poiemaieh had run unplaced in Ihc Two Thousand Guineas, and fared no better in the Royal Standard Shakes at Manchester, which Long Suit won from Polymcstor, wUh Biora third. But, Polcrnarch war,

really one of the promising two-year-olds" of season. lie ran live times, and, in addition to being second in the Stockton Wynyard T.Y.O. Plate, and a good third to" Monarch and Humorist in the Middle Park Plate, won the Gimcrack .Stakes at York, beating- that good performer Lemonora and others, and Hie Rous Doncaster, in the SI. Reger calculations it is therefore evident that Polemarch's form of last season was ignored. Polcmarch was bred by Lord Londonderry, and got by that great galloper, the telurch from Pomace, who was by Polymeiua from Permain by Persimmon and Nenemoosha by Hagioscope from Wenonah.

BOWLING. i (By “Toucher.”) The local clubs will all be in full swing shortly. Hamilton players arc am nag the fortunate ones in having one green ready for duty, and the weather lias been on its very best behaviour for an early in the season rollup. The Pranklon Club is now busy making its preparations for additions to the pavilion on the suburban green. This extra accommodation is a necessity, and members will greatly appreciate the increased facility in this direction. The Whitiora Club anticipates a very successful season. Last year the members had a very enjoyable period oT playing, several competitions being conducted by the Club, and the interest taken in these games ancicff greatly to the general enjoyment Cf bowling. The coming bowling season is likely to be a busy one, as it is practically certain that visiting Learns from New South Wales and South Africa win tour the Dominion under the auspices of the Association. The New Souiii Wales bowlers were to'have come last season, but owing to the uncertainty of steamboat connections, the trip had K> he abandoned. It is hoped they will come over about Christmas time, so that they may participate in the Dominion Association’s tournament, which this season will be held in Dunedin in January. The South Africans, according to' the last advice, propose to send a team of twenty crack players. It was calculated that the expenses would amount to about £3OO per member, and it was proposed that the £6OOO necessary to cover the cost should he subscribed by the various bowling clubs of South Africa, rather than by individual players. Tiie famous Blackpool professional gathering is in danger, according lo i.TiTfollowing extract from an English ex-change:—-“It is not yet definitely known whether the handicaps will he held as usual at Blackpool during flic autumn. Last October a High Court case decided that the playing of a game for money or money's worth was illegal, and at the Licensing Sessions in February the Chief Constable called the attention of flic Bench lo the decision, but nothing was done in the matter at the time. A short time ago. however, when it was announced that one of the handicaps would be held as usual, the Chief Constable intimated to the licensee what he would do if the bowling proceeded, and it was at once announced that the handicap would nut be held. The same announcement was made with respect to the handicaps at the Waterloo Hotel. The abandonment of the events, which do so much to lengthen the season at Blackpool, did not meet with the wishes of the townsfolk, and the Mayor at once took the matter in hand, a conference being held between members of the corporation and the owners of the green; but the Chief Constable would not move from the position ho had taken up, and it was decided to lake counsel’s opinion in regard to haying bowling without entry fees being charged; and, as he expressed the opinion, such handicaps could be hold, the corporation committee decided to recommend the corporation to contribute £256 to each green. This amount represents 1024 entry fees at 5s each, and the prize-money will be provided by the green owners. The action of the Blackpool police has led to the police in various parts of Lancashire stopping bowling matches on licensed greens.”

GENERAL' ATHLETICS. (By “The Scout.”) The Dominion Amateur Championships have been sot down for December 9 and 10, at Christchurch. More than £2OOO was recently offered in prizes for the Lancashire Homing Pigeon Derby. Flown from Prance to England. A proposal for Sunday lawn tennis on the corporation courts at Dover (England) has been refused on the ground that Sunday labour would be necessitated. A new British amateur record of 6ft. Sin (running high Jump) has been established by B. Howard Baker, a noted Liverpool pumper. Association football is a, profitable game in England. Aston Villa Club made a profit of £12,192 on its working last season. With balances from previous seasons, the club has £27,107 for 'disposal. It is announced that the Russian chess expert, Akuba Rubinstein, TFas issued a challenge to Gapablanca, [he champion. Rubenstein bus the best title of any chess player to meet Capahlanca, having a score of a win and draw between the two masters. No one else can boast of having a lead over the Cuban. John Strong, one time heavy-weigh I (Tia;npion wrestler in I lie Cumberland and Westmorland styles, lias died at Bootle. Cumberland. He first made his mark in 1886, and won many trophies, including three Grasmere bells. Strong aceeplcd Ihickenschmidt’s challenge to Britishers some years ago, and in London CrusLniled the “Russian Lion's” endeavours lo Mi row hint in Men minutes, but was beaten in a match To a finish.

There. is ;i. race !iold in Paris known as 1 ' 11 1 o fa I, man's race/' >\ r )j icli is run from Hie Lop of I fie Butte de Montmr.rIre clown to the IMtiirie. The annual event look place on Sunday, JulyJJ, anTi no fewer Ilian 77 . competitors look part. The first, prize in the heavyweight idass was won by. M. Alzas, who scales IS.tst. 'Hie second prize went to a, man weighing iyst 811). Alzas holds tlu; record as the heaviest, passenger ever carried by an aeroplane. In the international flat-racing af. Stockholm, about two months ago, Nurmi, of Finland, won the 10,OOP metres run in ttOmin 70 l-sscc., healing the world’s record. A. Shrubh’s record of 29min 50 2-sscc for six miles also went, by the board after endurin'-;' for 27 years, the Finn clipping 18 l-usec off the Englishman’s record. Nurmi won the 10,000 metres rare, at the Olympic (James last August. Organisation of Hie Eighth Olympiad, in (02i which has been awarded I) Paris, will be entirely in Ilia hands of the French Olympic Oommil lee aclina under general dip'ciion of an aiding committee, notwithstanding Mo- find that I h c Fi , encii Oovernmenl and the. City of Paris will furnish llm newssary funds. "The inl.eulinn is In make it a gre.il niani Testa lion of spurt, smdi as never has been seen lirfnre.'’ rccenlly remarked M. Vidal. I'liderSerretary of Stale for Physical Education, to an interviewer. The site for the stadium lias not yet been chosen definitely, but- in all probability it will be on the old wall of Paris, in the neighborhood of the Bois de Boulogne,

making Dial pari, of Paris 111f' most imporl an I. sport fp.nt.rc in Iho world. As I,ho result of a sports meeting held at. Lexington (H-S,) recently, one 01' the. < ioit.cn brothers is bantamweight wrestling champion of AVastiinglon and Pee I'niversity. as the result of his victory at. I.tie annual hoa\> gjmnasiurn mo't thero. hut, neither the ro-I'pi-cp nor Hie. student, body knows on which to place the laurels wreath of victory. Henry Gotten and Nicholas Gotten arc twins, weighing MO pounds each and looking more alike than two peas. Since they entered the freshman class last September front Memphis, Tenn... Il|bir identification has been a puzzle. Henry and Nicholas arc good wrestlers and each grappled his- way to the bantam-weight, tryouts. On the night of Mu; final Gotten and Gotten dashed in the deciding bout. The referee couldn’t tell whether Henry was on top most of the time or whether it was Nicholas. He announced that the championship had been “won by Mr Gotten.” _ A sensation was caused in English athletic circles last June when at the London Athletic Sports H. M. Abrahams was officially timed to do 7 2-5 seconds for the 75 yards invitation race. For all practical purposes this time is equal to the world’s record for the distance, 7iisec., established by Donaldson, the Victorian, at Johannesburg, in 19JO, Hie difference being l-'iOth of a second. The track when measured was found to lie :l 5 inches short. The recorded time is likely to lead to endless discussions. fin the, one hand there arc three well-tried exponents of “clocking,” and on the other good, judges who consider that Abrahams is not. capable of showing the speed that made the Victorian. “Blue Streak” the wonder of the world in his day, while several watches made the time 1-5 of a. second slower. Abrahams, who comes of a well-known athletic family, is a youthful runner who generally averages about even time lor a hundred..

LAWN TENNIS. TENNIS TEMPERAMENT. (Miss Ryan, in The Ladies’ Field). Last week I scorned to have a great deal to say about myself, but now I am going to talk about you, and rue, and all the rest of us, and how wc are, all affected, more or less, by the same thing.— temperament. Do anyone of us realise, how important it is, and what a continual struggle it is to get the better of it? Have you ever noticed the beautiful free shots people make when •‘knocking up? ’ —so much so, that the gallery feel that there is a treat in store for'them. But alas! the ensuing game never comes up to expectations. The players could bring off the same shots, but' why don’t they? Because they know now that every ball counts, and this makes all ...the difference. _ They seem to become tied up and stiif, and the grace of their knock-up shots has departed. Let us he truthful with ourselves, and ’admit that wo all suffer from some kind of fright, or nerves, or whatever wc like to call it. Otherwise why should our game change at all once the score is being called? The “safety first” tennis is a fine way of getting one’s weight down, and personally I wish I could play it; but it is terribly dull to watch, very hard on the modern gallery who want their money's worth of thrills, very hard on the referee who must finish all the events by Saturday night, and even the ball ho vs now arc all.for the “kill me quick” kind of tennis. A small boy was ovcrhoaj’d to say in disgusted tones to his companion when a certain player come on the' court: “Oh, Lor! I’ve got Midnight Charlie!” As"to this type of game, shall we leave it at this —that the safety shot is invaluable at limes and would have saved all us wild players many matches, but 100 much of it is a great mistake. Have you ever noticed that defensive players arc always bad in doubles? One simplv cannot see them dashing to the net and killing anything- Surely temperament comes in very strongly here, as it is all some form of nerves, and lie is most successful who makes up his mind to combine dash and safely, and uses them both at the right time, whatever the consequences. Now I am going to mention several famous players who arc noted for their temperaments, good or bad, and I hope they will forgive me if I say anything they do not like. It is only by realising the truth that wc arc going to do ourselves any good. - 'For instance, Major Kingscote, who is-well known to be one of the greatest match players of the day, has confessed to me that sometimes ho is badly attacked by nerves. If he is, then he is an example of what can he done in the way of controlling nerves and temperament. I have never seen any body show such command of himself by his perfect shots at critical moments. In contrast to Major Kingscote, leT me take M. A. Gobert. He is a man wilh Iho most beautiful strokes in

world, and with every physical advantage, allowing his nerves to take such charge of him that he has been beaten, time after time, by people to whom he omrhh to bo able to give 15. Avery f?ad sight it was last year at Wimbledon to see him absolutely unable toMo himself justice against his minute opponent, Shimidzu, Hie impeiTurbahTT'. As I have remarked before, Airs Lambert Chambers lias almost the ideal temperament—her only weakness home for the centre court at Wimbledon, the scene, of her many triumphs. Mr N .Mishn. the Roumanian player, really suffers over ids tennis, and Tie frankly admits he cannot help being put off by the merest trifles. He lost one match on Hie Riverina this season because, as lie told me, lie had a strong impression (lint. Die hall boy was going to throw a, ball at him from behind when ho was serving. This explained his sudden furlivo looks behind him between his first, and second service. If lie ever grows up and centres his great power of concentration on Ihe hall, lie, will, he a very difficult man to heat. Mr P. M. R. Fisher’s tennis is one of the most glaring examples of a beautiful game spoiled by tempnrnmenl. Seme people say lie plays heller when thoroughly aroused, hut he rannot keep up the pace for a whole week, so in the end Iherc is no-advan-tage. If you want to see. a delightful personal! I y on Ihe eonrl, you must watch Mr M. Woosnom. Here is the one player who looks ns if he was enjoying every minute of Ihe game, and Um sterner Ihe tussle Ihe more lie revels in it. I know 1 look in fierce gain all the lime myself, so I can anprecialc Mr Wonsnam more Ilian most people. Let, ns come flown from Ihe heights of navis Cup matches and oilier momentous games at Wimbledon to everyday phy in tournaments. With the very best- intentions in Ihe world we ere ell effecled by small things Which Ia k all.enlimi off Ihe game. A! Ihe lime they do im|. '-eem so minnle. hut afl erward- we cannol think Imw some nim 11 1inworried ns so 'much. Shall I. cniil'ess what really iij-isels me oiil of all proportion In l.he lin'dThat is. my opponent reluming, with Ihe ere,deal, pegni:u i 1 y. and wilii a eol1Ip l 1■ [,■ I'lilliiw I!ini11m!; shot, service,. which are over a. fool Oil 1110 wrong sifie of Ihe line.

A funny t.liiru,- is 11 1 nI. one day nothintr ran upset you—bad ducisinns. ii.yiil wind. etc.. am bandy noticed; hut, Die next afternoon a. t.iuy incident lias just enough power over yon to mar Ihc pleasure of the came. tVe all

know what, we ought to do, but the lining of it id nut too easy. Perhaps it would be as well if the English Press was as outspoken as the American. Over there, if a player gets rattled, loses his temper or his head, it is always commented on in the papers next morning. It is extraoTdinarv how few people play with intelligence. Mrs Laresmbe does, perhaps more than any other woman in this country. She has a nack of pulling the ball in the one place you are not looking for it. It is a 1 great thing to keep cool and think quickly while dashing about the court in a fast match. Players of one country have certain characteristics of temperament in common which affects their game. The majority of Americans play with great briilancc and pluck, but under no circumstances will they play a safely shot. Their game consequently lacks steadiness and control. On the other hand, ttie certainty of the average Englishman’s games drives one to despair. Their “fancy" shots arc few and far between. However, the tendency of the younger generation is towards the inclusion of more dash. The Australians appear to have a national temperament eminently suitable to lawn tennis. The man whose game I know best, as I have played so oTfen with him, is Mr R. Lycett. Not only are his shots brilliant and his tactics excellent, but he seems in imbue his partners with his own high spirits and self-confidence. Shall we take this for our motto: “It is better to have hit and lost, than never to have hit.at all.”