Softball Teams Settle Down After Holidays: Games Improve

Chronicle (Levin), 27 January 1949, Page 7

Softball Teams Settle Down After Holidays: Games Improve

"Strike One")

(By

Renewed interest in Softbail after the holiday spell saw some g-ood play on Saturday. There has been some speculation 011 the members of the men's representative team which will play at Palmerston North. I understand they were to have been made known at the association meeting but that was too late for these notes. On present form, my picks are: Stackhouse (catcher), Skilton (pitcher), Marshall (short stop), Morgan- (1st base), Desgrande (2nd base), Les Winiata (8rd base), Greatbach (lext outfield), Rossen (centre outfield), Fletcher (right outheld and reserve pitcher), and Harris and Warren (emergeneies.)

r 1 Wanderers (24) had quite an ■ easy game with Ajax (7), who . seem to have a lot of trouble in : keeping -their team -intact. Wan- • cicreis weie hitting lar too well off , Ajaxs pitching and the Ajax • fielciing, especially in the - outfield, seemed to be always in trouble. Ai.hi&tie (22) v. Achilles (11) was a good game with the latter's being up to top standard to keep the score ireasonabiy iow. Athletic were hitjting big ones and pitchers May and Fletcher were both steady. Desgrande, Athletic second base, played a game out of the box and was responsibie for easily 50 per cent. of Achilles' "outs." / Pirates (17) v. Punahau (14) was an extremely close game and I ;thougnt Punahau had their de'served win at last. Hemi Warren is a tower of strength to his side and should be given a chance in the repiesentatives. At present o Athletic hold a three point lead" over Wanderers with Pirates, Achilles and Kimberley in close pursuit for tniid positlon. j | Women's Section ! • The Aces (7) v. Raukawa (7) was' a close game for these Otaki teams and this draw is the nearest Aces iiave gone to being beaten this They are well out in front of all the other teams. Punahau (24) v. Wanderers (15) was a game in which bad feeling was evitient, and was mostly direct- , ed at the umpire wTho should have: made a quick shift to the sidelinej of tne glri responsible. Demon-| stranons such as this one give softbail a bad name. The incident warrante'd disciplinary action as tnis would curb others of a similar. dicpcsiticn. In most casss it is the ignorance of the offenders of the ru!e or rules applied by the umpire which eauses bad feeling and a stop should be put to it inimediately. Punaliau (12) v. Kotahitanga (9) was also a close game but the latter team does not seem to have

t'he snap or th& hard throwing required of the game. A Word Toi Delegates It has been obvious that just before th§ holidays a few of the delegates were not turning up. at the meetings. If this is the case, the clubs get behind in t'he association's activities with a consequent loSs of interest by players. Delegates should make it their duty to attend these meetings which from now on should be held only fortnightly, not weekly as at present. Do not leave it to t'he few willing workers but pull your weight and give your clubmates the henefits of the association's work.