Fire Brigade Aids Injured Footballer

Press, Volume C, Issue 29501, 1 May 1961, Page 12

Fire Brigade Aids Injured Footballer

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 30 A fire brigade raced through Upper Hutt to Maidstone Park on Saturday afternoon in a dramatic bid to save the life of a Rugby footballer.

Officials and players uprooted iron posts to remove a section of wire fence round the field to admit the fire unit to the playing field Oxygen respiration apparatus was rushed from the machine to join the battle going on for the life of lan Watson, aged 19, a student at Massey Agricultural College, who lay unconscious on the field. A Wellington Hospital house surgeon in St. John Ambulance uniform had found the player’* breathing stopped and revived it with manual compression. He used the oxygen to sustain it After about 25 mindtes »t the spot where the player fell he injected a sedative to quieten the patient for removal by ambulance to the Lower Hutt Hospital. The game, a junior first division fixture between Upper Hutt and Wellington College Old Boys, was abandoned The injury to Watson. who was full-back in the Upper Hutt team, occurred 15 minutes before full time, when Upper Hutt was leading. 11-9.

In the play leading up to

bis injury he had fielded the ball and kicked up field He followed his kick which was fumbled by the defending full-back. Watson attempted to take the ball but collided with the other player and fell to the ground Watson s condition was reported by the Lower Hutt Hospital tonight as satisfactory. Watson is also a Wellington Brabin Shield cricket representative and considered a highly-promising medium-fast bowler. The match was later declared completed, although it ended 15 minutes before time.