A NOTEBOOK OF SPORT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22519, 29 September 1938, Page 14

A NOTEBOOK OF SPORT

A Tennis Pilgrim’s Progress A. D. Brown, the New Zealand lawn tennis champion, in search of experience overseas, is having many successes in minor English tournaments, and from the results of his matches against good opponents it would appear that he is already a much-im-proved player. The London correspondent of “The Press” states that Brown recently won the Budleigh Salterton tournament from a field including R. K. Tinkler, a highly - ranked British player, R. C. F. Nicholls, the junior champion, and A. D. Russell, a South American. Brown’s hardest match was against Tinkler, against whom he had to save match point in the second set before winning 6-8, 8-6, 6-4. At Sidmouth, Brown reached the semi-final, where he thoroughly, extended Britain’s Davis Cup player, C. M. Jones, who won 9-7, 5-7, 6-3. “Brown has patience, is painstaking in the production of his strokes, and forceful,” states the “Sunday Times” in praising Brown’s play at Budleigh Salterton.

Looking For Fights After a fairly long absence from the ring. Kid Reekie, who will be remembered for some good performances two or three years ago, is again looking for fights. Reekie has been training solidly in Christchurch and is hopeful of another meeting with Clarrie Rayner, the present light-weight champion, Gildo, or Aitken. He is unlikely to find such a bout in the immediate future in Christchurch, because the Christchurch Sports Club has planned for its next bout, probably on October 19, a meeting between Ern Jacobs and the winner of the middle-weight championship bout at Timaru to-night between George Allan (holder) and Cliff Hanham. Reekie, who is a terrific puncher for his size, gained most of his ring experience in Australia, although he was born in Dunedin. He is stated to be fitter now than at any time in his career of some 300 fights in Australia and New Zealand. Provided an opponent of quality is found for him he should provide a good contest for any association which promotes a bout.

Defaulting Sportsmen The valuable service rendered to clubs by limiting the activities of defaulting sportsmen is referred to modestly in the annual report of the Canterbury Athletic Clubs’ Protection Association. As a result of the association’s work the sum of £45 was recovered from defaulters during the year, but the report rightly points out that this is not the full measure of the benefits conferred on affiliated organisations. “The very existence of the association acts as a deterrent to those members of clubs who might otherwise refrain from meeting their obligations.’’ The membership of the association increased to the record figure of 74 clubs, and the accumulated fund reached a new high level of £76 19s sd. Thanks are expressed to the governing bodies of all major sports in Canterbury for their assistance in endorsing disqualifications imposed by the association.