Sportsman's Notebook TUNA SCANLAN MATCHED AGAINST TWO NEGROES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 22

Sportsman's Notebook TUNA SCANLAN MATCHED AGAINST TWO NEGROES

The New Zealand middleweight boxing champion. Tuna Scanlan, is to fight two Californian negroes. Sonny Gill and “Tombstone” Smith, in Auckland during June.

Scanlan’s first bout will be against Gill on June 12. and is likely to serve only as a warm-up for the remainder of the season. Gill figures in records as far back as 1954. but is not listed on his own account in Nat Fleischer’s “Ring Record Book.” 1960. It is planned to hold the bout at the Y.M.C.A. stadium. The fight with Smith is scheduled for June 26. Smith. 6ft and aged 28, could prove very formidable. He held the California welter - weight title between 1957 and 1959. and since 1954 has had 15 knock-out victories. The two Americans were signed up for the Auckland Boxing Association by Mr Clive Spilsted, manager of Eddie Cotton and Artie Dixon on their recent visit to Auckland. Both will operate on a fixed guarantee for one fight. Depending on their form against Scanlan, each may be offered at least one more match. The nation?! light heavy-weight champion. Johnny Nomura, and Earl Nikora, of Wellington, are regarded as possible opponents. # «s # Auckland Golf The Auckland team in the Freyberg Rosebowl tournament at Napier on May 17, 18, and 19 will be led by Ross Newdick. the New Zealand and North Island amateur champion. Auckland holds the trophy jointly with Wellington. The team is: R. New. dick, W. Godfrey, N. Dowden, G. Lees, B. Vezich and W. Smith. The reserve is N. R-andrup. $ $ Fighting Family The Australian light heavy-weight boxing champion. Clive Stewart, who recently fought George Mahoni in New Zealand, at 23 is the oldest of three brothers who are all fighting professionally. The other two are Merv, a light-weight, and 18-year-old Ernie, also a lightweight The three probably set a record when they recently appeared on the same

i programme in Sydney. AU won. St # * Cricketer’s Transfer The former Wellington and New Zealand representative cricketer, R. T. Barber, has been transferred back to Wellington from Napier. During his two years in Hawke’s Bay, Barber captained the provincial and Central Districts sides. In the employ of a petrol company. Barber retired from first-class cricket at the end of last season. & $ $ Women’s Basketball The New Zealand Basketball Association has received its first invitation from the English association to take part in an international tournament. This is a direct result of New Zealand’s change to seven-a-side international basketball rules. The tournament, which is to be held in 1963, will be dis. cussed by the association’s national council in Hamilton Application is to be made at the meeting by the Auckland association for a tournament in 1962. It is 10 years since Auckland held a national event. * jt # Lawn Tennis The third member of the New Zealand Davis Cup ■team, the young Waikato player I. Crookenden, will play in the senior championship at Wimbledon. This has been decided by the management committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association.

Originally it had been decided that Crookenden would play in the junior Wimbledon championship, where he was thought to have an excellent chance, but the change has been made on the recom. mendation of Mr D. C. Coombe, the New Zealand representative in England.