Brothers may clash in world series

Press, 10 February 1986, Page 44

Brothers may clash in world series

By

TIM DUNBAR

Two brothers from a Burwood family could very well be in opposition when the next men’s world softball series is held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1988. The softballing brothers in question are Alan and Jimmy Hall, making their mark thousands of kilometres apart these days in Perth, Australia, and Wellington, New Zealand, respectively. Jimmy Hall, aged 23, has already represented his country several times, playing short-stop for the gold-medal winning New Zealand side at the 1984 wor® series in Midland,

Michigan. His older brother, Alan, now 26, moved to Perth in May, 1983, and could well still be around in 1988 when Australia is expected to send a team to the men’s world championships for the first time.

Alan Hall, one of three New Zealanders in the Western Australian state side at present touring the South Island, said in Ashburton at the week-end that he would love to play against little brother, Jimmy, at a world championships, though adding: “He’s a bit out of our league now.” “I wouldn’t mind playing in the worl| series,

but I don’t think I’d go away pitching. I’m getting a bit slow for that,” Hall said. Alan Hall said he had not been included in the Australia side picked last year, but if he can maintain his present batting form it will be hard to leave him out in 1988. In the Australian men’s nationals which finished in Perth a week ago, he had a batting average of .428 and won the tournament trophy for most valuable player. Among his hits were three home runs.

For the first time the tournament was played on fenced-in diamonds. “It’s getting pretty professional now,” Hall said.

Only three Australian men’s national championships have been held and Western Australia has won all three. The team went into the final in Perth with two lives, lost the first game, 3-1, to New South Wales, and then turned around to win the second game, 10-0, in six innings. Hall said that the state team was “damn near an Australian side.” He has been enjoying life in the land of the “Sandgropers,” and has taken the chance to sample the famous Alehouse brew known as “Dogbolter,” which weighs in at 12.5 per cent a£:ohol.

The softball, he said, was just starting to come on well and all the former basebailers in the state side were now sticking exclusively to softball. In Western Australia baseball is played in the summer and softball only in the winter, though there are moves for a change in some quarters. After the softball season is finished the players in the state squad take only a couple of weeks off and continue to train over the summer, with the odd practice match, to build up for the national championships. Hall, who plays for the Hellenics alongside his old Burnside clubmate

and New Zealand representative, Lindsay Anderson, said that there were certain disadvantages in winter softball. “We play in rain, hail or snow.” He told of one game in which play continued in torrential rain. The players could see only about three metres in front of them and, as the pitcher, he was unable to read the signals. With 15cm of water on the ground the players finally broke for cover and headed for the bar. They had, already changed into dry clothes when an umpire, subsequently reprimanded, made them get back on the diamond.