AUSTRALIAN BOXING SLUMPS

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19899, 30 May 1936, Page 22 (Supplement)

AUSTRALIAN BOXING SLUMPS

Kelly Not Out of Action : Val Luttrell Injured : Perry Confident of Britain’s Tennis : Surprising Jumping Performances : Need for a Cool Head : Technique of Golfing : Glimpses of Sport Overseas.

1 SO FAR AS BIG FIGHTS ARE CONCERNED the boxing game in Australin has slumped, both ill luck and the dearth 'of suitable opponents for the overseas team being important factors in the position. Rosenbloom and Kelly were listed to meet on May 18, but Kelly went down with a bad eye which was found by specialists to have been irritated by a piece of metal. An operation was necessary and my informants in Sydney send over the startling news that Kelly may never fight again. With Palmer’s retirement so fresh in the memory it would almost be a calamity if such a game and able fighter as the American Negro were to pass from the ring. With Kelly and Palmer out of the picture the promoters are left with no one to match with Rosenbloom, but it is an open secret that the stadium manager has got into touch with several prominent light heavyweights in the United States and several are expected out shortly. We understand that one will be Simpson, who has done well in the light-heavy class in America and may give Rosenbloom a good run . for his money. A big shock to followers of the boxing game in Sydney was the retirement of Merv. Blandon, brought about by the advice of his doctors. A great fighter and a thorough gentleman in and out of the ring, his wonderful victories over such world famous fighters as Speedy Dado and Star Frisco will not easily be forgotten.

Joe Hull, ear-featherweight champion, is again Australian title-holder for hil title was only lost to Blandon who has now retired. A strong and clever two-handed fighter, he has the advantage of youth and, boxing- very well at the present time, offers stern opposition to any claimants who come through the elimination contests. Hopes are still held that Palmer will return to fight Rosenbloom and big offers have been made to him by the Sydney promoters but he has turned them all down without hesitation. Without a doubt, in view of the fears that have been expressed for his health, he is doing the right thing. U U U C On May 18 the Commonwealth’s best welterweight to the peerless Jack Carroll, Dick Humphries, met the Italian importation, Saverio Turiello, Humphries, winning in the twelfth round when Turiello bumped him badly in the eye to earn disqualification. According to ringsiders it was a fast and clever bout with Humphries slightly ahead on points when the match closed so unexpectedly. This is the' second bout in Australia in Which the Italian 'has been disqualified for catching his opponent with his head. Competent Sydney boxers writing to the Waikato Times this week take pains to assure readers that his action was not intentional. It arises from the way in which Turiello boxes. He is very fast and uses his head a good deal to drew his opponent’s punches before countering very fast. He was not a little disappointed over the decision and has said that he will never fight in Australia again. He affirmed to my correspondent that he had had 200 fights and had only been disqualified twice—both times in Australia.

to equal the present world’s record held by Percy Beard. It was the second occasion on which Cope had tied the world’s record for this event on the same ground, the Los Angeles Coliseum. At that same meeting, between the University of Southern California and Dink Templeton’s Indians, another great performance was

Latest advice from Sydney is to the effect that Va] Luttrell, the Hamilton heavy-weight boxer, will not be in action again for at least three months. After gaining an easy knock-out victory over Les Brander, the New South Wales champion, he was foolish enough to take on a fight the following night with Pat Appleton, the Tas—manian title—holder, and well off his form he was sent down for the full count in the second round. This was the first time Luttrell had ever been knocked out and, as a result of the fight, he will be out of the game for some time to come owing to an injury to the jaw It was bad luck in more ways than one for Luttrell as the fol—lowing day he received a cable from the Auckland Boxing Association asking him to return to New Zealand and fight under contract Roy (is Grans was named as his first opponent. Then again, Luttrell had been asked to meet Tiny Nicholls, heavyweight champion of Western Australia, in an elimination bout to find the new Australian titleJiolder.

Perry Confident. Fred Perry was in confident mood when interviewed just before he left Cannes for home, recently, after a successful fortnight's tennis. The champion, who won three events at the Cannes Club tournament, said that in his match with Max Ellmer he was hitting the ball harder than at any time since his back injury. “Bri—tain will retain the Davis Cup," added the champion. “Germany cannot beat us on grass courts, and either America. or Australia will be our opponents in the challenge round.” N.Z. Bowler Eulogised. "There are times when we sit .‘Avn to pay a special tribute to someone or other, and feel the blood in our veins running faster and warmer for the doing." writes R. T. Harrison in the Sydney Referee. “1 take it as a great privilege to write as I feel about one, who, in the ordinary course of events. must strike that dead-end that awaits the swiftest, the hardieat. and the (Imm. irrespective of who or what he might be. William Carswell. ‘Old Bill’ to New Zealanders, has for half a century, almost, been the outstanding figure in New Zeaiand bowls. I had many opportunities of looking him over, from all angles, little more than a year ago, and most of my conclusions I kept to myself—was forced into doing so because of a wonderful and rare sporting gesture he made concerning me. C I. O D ‘ “He was ruling champion, and with 48 hours would be called upon to defend his title. He was asked to play a visitor, consented with a consent that excluded all thoughts of his own great prestige. and when beaten never ceased to extol the good points of his victor. What Australian would ever do that? ‘Old Bill,’ to my way of thinking, has been, and still is. the world‘s wonder bowler. He is. according to those who know him through the years, more than that. die is the ideal gentleman, philso—pher and friend. Before that deadlend rises up before him, I take this liberty of paying my small tribute to his L'l't‘fllllf‘sN‘. :ind Mum's! of heart. The host loser. and the most modest winner. also the bank's favourite player. good ‘Old Bill.‘ " News for Jumpers. On April 18 at Los Angeles (U.S.A.) that prince of lmrdlers. Phil Cope. of Southern California University, whipped over 120 yd: hurdles in 14.94.

achieved. Kenneth Carpenter, also' of the U.S.C., Wound himself up tightly, released himself in a vigorous circular motion, and sent the discus spinning out 165 ft. iin. As the} .American discus record is 169 ft 8 7-8 [in, you can appreciate the merit of] ’the Carpenter throw. At the same‘ lmeeting .Smith, of Southern Cali-I fornia, sprang cleanly over 6ft. 4in.§ Lin the high jump. 1 maa o l l 0n the same day at Berkley (Cali-7 fornia, U.S.A.), in a meeting between the San Francisco High School and l-the California University Freshmen, a young Japanese broad-jumper from Alameda (California), who was re-' ,presenting the Freshman, leapt into. {prominence in the broad jump with; la caper of 23ft. 6in., new record for! a freshman at the California Univer-é sity. A Cool Head. ' This is what M. N. Masud, the bril- i liant Indian half—back, has to sayl about scientific hockey: “Hockey is} a game of science, needing your‘l physique and your mind to carry out; [its movements, but if you get excited? or worried your mind will not helpl your physique and you will not be: able to make the finer movements of the game. You may find it difficult to keep down your temper against ; some of the rough tactics of your op—[ponents, bad play of your team or. faulty umpiring. Try to accommo-i date yourself to these and think only of yourself, your game and the high ideals of the game in such circum-; stances. And when you are able to keep your head cool you have achieved the basic principle upon which modern games are played and your success will only be a matter of time." New Zealanders‘ Success. C. E. Hare and F. H. D. Wilde, of England, who were beaten by the New Zealand tennis stars, A; C. Stedman and C. E. Malfroy, in the semi-final of the British hard court doubles g championship, are regarded as one of the most promising doubles pairs in v England. In the annual covered court: .match between London and Paris the [young Englishmen played aggressive tennis in beating J. Borotra and J. lPelizza, C. Boussus and A. Gentien,

land P. Goldschmidt and J. Jamain,l all without loss of a set in best-of-five ' [set matches. lAbe Mitchell on Golf. l . I It is a funny thing that any begin.ner, when he essays to strike a golfl iball, is practically certain to lift up lthe club with the right hand, says} i Abe Mitchell, and do his best to make :a chopping block of the ball. Swung that way, the club is never under proper control, and as likely as not the golfer who fails to push up the driver with the left hand is almost ,certain to be somewhat of a slicer.l The left hand, used as it ought to bel :used, to push the club away and well ibehind the ball, will add that neces—gsary width to the circle of the club- ‘ head, but if lifted with the right hand it has a tendency to come up over the shoulder too soon. When the club l is pushed away with the left hand, lthe player will find that the left arm ihas been kept taut and fairly straight , until it gives a little, but it gives that . .llittle only at the last moment, itsi ;!duty having been accomplished inl lguidin‘g the club—head away from the ,’ ball. The right hand then takes its ,lshare in getting ready for the final - punch. _ ano a I ’ But more than this, when the left I hand commences the swing, the bal- : ance of the body is better maintained l ; until the end, and players are then I less liable to lift up the shouldersl as the club comes down. That push ; away, too, seems to help to “time" I the club-head better and to eliminate the liability to snatch the club-head : quickly away from the ball. It also ,lbalances the whole beginning of the ' swing, and once that has been started in a leisurely fashion the player isl better able to speed up its pace in a_ f more natural way than if it is lifted v back almost entirely with the right 1 hand. In effect, the swing becomes 1 more smooth. The push away with s the left hand seems also to help us 5 . keep a grip of the club in the most n important part of the swing, namely, a just as the clubhead reaches the tope and is about to come down. e .__ l; Goal-scoring Record. A young player, Joseph Payne, set up a new goal-scoring record in the English Soccer league during the 'holi- . day period. Playing for Luton Town against Bristol Rovers, Payne scored ‘lO of his team’s 12 goals. and thus lbroke the record held by R. Bell, of ‘Tranmere Rovers. The opening half lwas nearly half-way through before‘ Payne began scoring. By the interval . be had completed the “hat-trick," and l in the second half he brought his ]total up to 10. I