Our Sports Summary

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 41, 18 October 1923, Page 33

Our Sports Summary

~ r/ ' ST. MARY'S TENNIS CLUB, ASHBURTON. -The 3rd annual meeting of the St. Mary's Tennis Clubwas held recently, when the vice-captain (Mr. H. Lennon) presided over an attendance of about 30 members (writes our own correspondent). The annual report and balance sheet covering the year's operations of the club were read and adopted. The balance sheet, which was deemed satisfactory, showed a cash balance in bank amounting to £6, while the assets totalled £25. The calls on the finances of the club during the year were very heavy, and the balance reflects great credit on the joint secretaries (Misses McSherry and Dalton). Considerable discussion took' place regarding the future operations of the club, and a motion to the effect that the secretaries obtain information from the local sports association re courts was carried. The meeting was then adjourned for a fortnight. . ST. PATRICK'S RIFLE CLUB, TIMARU. ✓*■••■ (From our own correspondent.) The St. Patrick's Miniature Rifle Club held a very successful social and presentation . of prizes on Thursday, the 4th inst., at St. Patrick's Hall. Miss Morgan's band supplied the music, and Mr. Phil Stapleton carried out the duties of M.C. in his usual pleasing manner. The committee made complete arrangements, for the social. A competition for a beautifully decorated iced cake, made and given by Mrs. Chas. Knight, was won by Mrs. J. G. Venning. During an interval the trophies won were presented by Rev. Father J. More O'Ferrall, S.M. The club championship was won by Mr. F. R. Bartos (hon. secretary), who holds the Byrne Cup for the second year in succession, and also the trophy presented by the clergy. Mr. W. McGrath was second, winning Mr. M. O'Meeghan's trophy. A handsome shield, donated by Mr. Jos. Gilmore for competition amongst those not placed in the championship, was won by Mr. E. Hall, who holds the shield for the season, and wins the gold medal presented by Mr. D. Doyle. Other trophies won were as follows:W. Stirling, John Jackson arid Co.'s; Jim Crowley, Mr. M. Houlihan's; J. Murphy, Mr. V. Median's; P. Dickel, Mr. T. Cronin's; W. Mcgrath, Mr. J". Collins'; C. Harding, Mr. M. J. Doyle's; L. Gilmore, Mr. J. Murphy's; J. Leigh, Mr. T. P. Crowe's; P. Downey, Mrs. F. W. Clarke's; R. Seaman, Mr. G. F. Doyle's; H. Travis, Mr. E. Fountaine's; E. Hall, Mr. P. McDonald's; E. Prendergast, Mr. R. ! Marshall's; J. O'Keeffe, Mr. W. McCulloch's; ; F. R k ßartos, Mr. M. Muslins'; Jerry Collins, Mr. P. McDonald's; C. Knight, Mr. M. Mullins'. The club, which has a large membership, possesses a fine shooting range at St. Patrick's Hall," and has just completed a most successful season. The club also took part in everal local competitions and was successful in a few of the matches. THE MARIST FOOTBALL CLUB AND THE CANTERBURY RUGBY UNION. 1 (From our own correspondent.) At a recent meeting of the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union, the Marist Football Club wrote asking that the case of its suspension by the Canterbury Union should be submitted to the New Zealand Union, with the object of having the suspension removed. This suspension arose out of the trouble over the Payne Trophy match. The management committee decided to submit the matter to the New Zealand Union. Mr. J. M. Coffey, secretary of the Marist Club, wrote as follows: "On behalf of the Marist Football Club- I wsih to acknowledge your letter of September 19 intimating the suspension of the club. I hereby make application, on behalf of the club, to have our case submitted to the New Zealand Rugby Union with a view to having the evidence of ' the club placed before that body, and the suspension removed by virtue of the powers possessed by the supreme Rugby tribunal in this Dominion. With the application I enclose the sum of £1 as prescribed in the case of suck applicai tions to have the case heard -by the New .Zealand Rugby Union." Mr. Coffey enclosed a copy of the following letter which the club to forward to the New Zealand

Union:"As the New Zealand Rugby Union has power to receive appeals against penalties and to remove suspension, the Marist Football Club hereby appeals to the supreme controlling body in the Dominion that the suspension inflicted on the club by the Canterbury Rugby Union be removed. The case is unique in the history of Rugby in New Zealand, and no lover of the game can view the sweeping suspension of a club comprising over 200 players and patrons (some of the patrons including the most loyal supporters of the game) without a feeling of grave apprehension as to the far-feaching consequences of the present situation. The case is likewise unique in this respect that, the penalty has been inflicted without the club having been given the opportunity for explanation or defence. We are quite satisfied that the case for the club is worthy of a. hearing. We are prepared to submit our case in person or by advocate or by written statement, and will be ready to appear at such time or place as your motion may appoint. Study your Tennis Faults TIPS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR PLAY. If you wish to improve your tennis (says a writer in a Home paper), you should ' think over your strokes and puzzle out for yourself the reasons for your successes and failures. When you make a winning shot, remember how you played it, the position you were in, the angle of your racket, the "feel" of the ball at the moment of impact, and so on. . After a time you will be able to repeat the successful effort almost mechanically, falling into the correct position, and "tuning" your swing to a nicety. In the same way, a mistake should never be dismissed lightly. Discover how the error was made. Then you will be able to set about remedying your worst faults, and by means of intelligent criticisms of your own play you should be successful in adding to your strength by eliminating obvious mistakes. In match play you should concentrate upon your strong points, but in practice give chief attention to your weak strokes. Save Your Strength. ' •* ■- --..:'■' If you are expert at hard forehand driving and can , "place" the ball with reasonable accuracy, go up to the net once or twice in order to induce your opponent either to try some high and deep lobs or to run in at a short return. Then make for your true position behind the baseline and produce your hard, straight, passing drives as winning strokes. It is of little use tiring yourself out by sending over your "killing" shots time after time if the player battling against you is in a good position to return the compliment. You will have to use guile and cunning in order to make effective use of your strong point. .-.. . ■; Of course, if you are the more experienced performer, you will be safe in keeping to your base-line game altogether, and relying on well-placed drives to win points, but in an even match, or against a stronger opponent, this is too much in the nature' of 'defensive warfare," as you are simply waiting for your opponent to make mistakes, rather than hoping to win by your own superior play. • Should your speciality be "volleying," you will have to produce some "deep court" shots in order to keep your opponent back and give time to reach the net for your favorite smash. When playing this type of game, remember to keep opposite the ball, so that the, amount of space for a passing shot against you is reduced to a minimum. Play for the corners of the far court in preference to placing the ..ball along the middle line, and then you will have plenty of room a winning "smash." ! • vX : - - >i_ Pace That Means Points. .■""""'. ■'-■'-''. ' r s[^ You may find that . your opponent ( ! is' a better ■tennis exponent in every way than you are, >ut not nearly so active. In this/case, '(chop" returns to the service when you are thesitriker out* dropping the ball short over the net. ~ Keep ta.the middle of your}own base-line, so that you will always -. have td move forward in making a stroke Do not worry much about "length," but rather try to make the play fast and furious in the early stages; K'----.: '-- Even if you lose one or two games, it is possible that you will make the slower player ease . up, and then your superior fleetness of foot may enable you to snatch - a vietory t ,- - =- •'■ ; ' •' '■■'■• ;: ' -■'■■■-».■,■.■.' • , s-'--" : *'■'• -^"■- ■■■