DEATH OF A FOOTBALLER

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 203, 21 May 1908, Page 8

DEATH OF A FOOTBALLER

MR. A. H. BASKERVILLE. PROMOTER OF THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM. ; ■; ' IT ni.EOnArH—PBESS-ASSOCIiTIOK—COPIEIOnT. ; (Reo. May"2o,-11.22 p.m.)' Brisbane, May 20. ! Mr. A. H. • Bask'eryille, secretary .and organiser of tlio,:AD 'Blacks, died, to-night of pneumonia. - Tho" body will be'ombalmed, and will, bo convoyed, to Now Zealand by the' .first , boat. Mr. Farmer (? Palmer) arid :a couple of - others. will travel by the samo st-camor. " ' " MR. BAGKERV'ILLE S CAREER. ; A privatb cablegram received in town yes■torday morning s'ta-ted. that Mr. A. H. Baskerville, of the N(iw Zealand Professional Rugby "toam', 'which lias just completed a ,tour of England and is iat present in Australia, .was laid up in Brisbane with air attack of/pneumonia. ""A" later cablegram advised that tho young Now Zealander was iii ha xritieal condition; arid-the 'above-messago (announced his death. , Mr. Baskervillb was in good health up to latest advices-received by his friends, in. Wellington, and his sud- ■ den death'will:'co'mb (is-a shock. • Boforo ho left for Ilngland as secretary of the .Professional team, Mr: Baskerville was employed''las -.a clerk', in the Stores Department, of. tho.New Zealand Telegraphs. Ho resigned; this] position, to go Homo tho team; his express firitbrition then beirig to remain in England for ■a . timo. Howeverj ho_returned with tho l Test of;tho team and was'.within a few days of homo whon ho was overtaken by tho ■ suddon-illness which has ended fatally/ Mr. Baskerville - was a'most erithusiastio footballer, sand, up to the .time ho organised the Professional team ,ivas a member of tho Oriental .Club's, senior fifteen.' Ho played ■vbry little during..tho. tour of the professionals,' iriost.of hi 3 timo being taken up 'with, secretarial :wprk,. but '.'.in Australia' ho' ap-pears-'to; have bopri'showing ; excellent form. The- Sydney. "Refereo," commenting on the | first test; match playeij in Australia-by 'the Professionals,."remarked,that- it considered Mr. Baskerville ithp bost back on the; ground. The; sariie'paper.was-also impressed with, tho New Zealander's ability as a secretary, as in the samo. issue it suggested tho - advisability of,tho Australian Professionals engaging him to /act;.as : secretary of:; their, f forthcoming tour' of tlio Old Couiitry. . ■ , . Deceased was a gfood' all-round athlete, and had put" up somo good performances on tlio running track: He was also an enthuisiastic": writery - and., just beforo tlio Professional tearii left for England a well-written book on 'Rugby footliall, from his; pen, was placed: on tho.local market. During the recent tour Mr. Baskei'villo acted as special correspondent- for The ■ Dominion, and ■ several other leading Now Zealand .daily papers. Ho was about'2B, years of'age, arid his: parents re-sido-in--Wellington..- .