SPORTS TOPICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 246, 29 July 1937, Page 3

SPORTS TOPICS

ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

CALENDAR OF COMING EVENTS (“By Flagpole.”) Saturday. Basketball competitions. Rugby competition. Women’s hockey trial games. Springboks v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth. Men’s hockey competitions. Alienton v. Christchurch, badminton. August 7. Ashburton v. South Canterbury, Rugby, at Timaru. Ashburton v. Canterbury, basketball, at Ashburton. Ashburton v. South Canterbury, women’s hockey, at Timaru.

Torn* Lurich, heavy-weight wrestling champion of Australia, is recuperating at home after a sojourn in Lister private hospital. He is anxious to try conclusions with the pick of the invading American wrestlers and specially mentions Joe Savoldi.

Max Baer has accepted a film job at Elstree Studios (England). It wall be remembered that Baer, displayed considerable histrionic talent in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture “The Prizefighter and the Lady.” “A better actor than fighter,” said the critics.

Lou Ambers, the light-weight boxing champion of the world, is considering offers from London for a fight at catch-weights against either Harry Mizler or Jimmy Walsh. The fight would be held outdoors, an'd, according to plans, would take place about July 15.

Owners of the 16 major league baseball clubs in America this season face an aggregate salary) list of more than £640,000. Unless there is a big advance in attendances, beybnd anything yet recorded in the history of the two leagues, the salaries for 1937 represent the limit that can he paid to the players.

A novel race at a recent charity carnival in Sydney was between a sprinter, a cyclist and a, greyhound. The dog gave J. Beer, a well-known track cyclist and F. Bradley, winner of the Stawell Diamond Jubilee Gift, 40 yards start in a hundred. Getting away best Bradley won by a yard from Beer, who narrowly beat tbo greyhound.

On liis way home to the United States from his Australian tour, JacK Medica, the American and world’s champion swimmer, who paid a brief visit to Auckland in January, competed in a 400 metres event at Tokio last month. He won by a touch from G. Ishiha.rada in 5m 6s, the finish being so close that Isliiharada was credited with the same time. 'S. Uto was third.

The Efigland v. Scotland. Soccer match drew a gate of £22,000. Of this huge sum, the players were paid £132 —£6 each. The Scottish footballers demanded an increase in pay, which was refused; but they are receiving plenty of support. In fact, the Scottish authorities a.re in favour of an increase—to £B. The arrangement for the English internationals is that they receive £6 or a gold medal to the same value.

The Australian Rugby League team, which will open its English programme on September 18, against Leigh, will play the first test match against England at Leeds, on October 16, the second at Swinton, on' November 13, and the third at Huddersfield, on December 18. These are grounds on which English clubs teams have put up stern and attractive games against the Kangaroos..

Miss Gladys Lunn, who set up a British record for the one-mile of 5m 255, at the Women’s Amateur Athletic Association’s championships at the White City last year, lowered these figures by 4 1-os in a recent one-mile women’s team race at Dudley. She ran wonderfully well on a small track (320 yards), the surface of which was by no means smooth while a bitterly cold wind was blowing at the time.

The annual report of the Mosman District Cricket Club, New South Wales provides an epitome of the great scoring by Stan McCabe. In all first-class cricket he has made 10,099 runs at the remarkable average of 58.04. His Sheffield Shield figures are 2948 runs at 89.33. In tests against England he has 1569 runs at 49.03. When it is realised how perfect in style and vigour is the batting of Stan McCabe, his record is extraordinary.