LACROSSE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 12

LACROSSE.

(By "Left Defence.")

On Saturday for the first'.time four full teams,/- representing the same number .of cluhG, took the' field,, and Miramar was thus made tho. deciding-ground'for yet another field game. Tho new clubs are Kelbume and, Columbia. Excellent. form was shown, and; tho older.,'"orosseis" must, have ..been doing tome -solid .tutoring, for; a remarkable improvement, in handling the stick was demon.strated. With a little more practice one of tho ■ defeated, teams last Saturday • will bo very difficult tp.-bp put under. ■• ■'■ ■-. v;;.:'... Ono of the finest promising of tho now Lplayers in Saturday's display was M'Govem, the, goalkeeper.for- Columbia. Ho has' a splendid oye, and knows ■ something of tlio. gamo," this -knowledge, .being'- the result of -being a constant spectator at-the. Basin Rc;scrvo. - Iri: this player tho game ;has- gained thc : malrings of-what has been' needed for !a long time—a really first-class net guardian. Moran.was tho best,available for■ the last two .matches, with Auckland, and'it is to his credit'; that;.ho gave such an' admirable die-, play ■■ in : goal; in each.of,the ,matches,vafter. ;playing in the field during .the club matches. Eller mado his reappearance,-and his' play ; ha's improved since, hist seen. He is'-a-haw shot, i and will bo a forward home next sea-1 son. .'O'Leary is also going again, and gave a'goodVcxhibitiOn!-;This'player would; have. ■ : givew a 'foWnof ;tho' attacV players - against Auckland ; a close run for'a place in the teamhad he- commenced, play a little-- earlier in -tho season. -, .-.--. ; --. ;'--v '"'.■; :-:.'.;,

; Apropos of tho last-named two players, who are- clever exponents of-lawn tennis as... well as lacrosse, I : cull,the following- from a -recent report on t'ho game by Mr; Mark H. Robinson, .head of tho. Loudon Civil Service La-, orosse- Club:—, ,'. '•'.'.;,.- ■. .- - --".,- -, -'-'.-v

\/"Some' of rW earlier supporters of lacrosse believed that they.had found a: game for all the year round. We scarcely, go so far',as .this; it is,a.very fatiguing, game; for. hot weather, while all oiir.aainirotion for it would not induce us, to sat up: a rival .'; to cricket, or. lawn tenuis'; winter -and spring are its scasone. It is^not.as a'rival, but'as an auxiliary; to these games that.; wo, would recdmmeud .it, and if ,we are not mistaken it is among players of those two'"games..that : it, will find its; chief supporters. Abovo. all games, :it is .a .gamo., of skill, and that/ is what bricketercs . and .tennis players , ; have hitherto Eighed;for in whiter." '. Meyer, is tho bright star of Kelburne's combination, and,wasTin a large measure responsiblo : for, thb narrow anil hard-earned victory.of the team from the hills... _ .--. ...The referee in this .'match gave.entire satisfaction; and showed superior knowledge of the finer 'points of ,tho game.. I.would,suggest to him,.however; that where Bileh a number :bf players of, comparatively small experience a.ro to be governed.and taught,, a little. more latitude might bo given with advantage. ..: ;■- ./.' ..'-. '...-,.;' 'l.Afl there appears to be a considerable di-, 1 versity,of opinion among;players.coneeriiiu^' tlio'-.: definition': of terms commonly, used in playing the game of lacrosse, I -quota, .the following from a,leading authority:—;.''■'. .'• "Taco off." . Tho.ball is placed upon the ground between, the or two opponents, each of whom shall have his loft side towards the goal lie is attacking. They .shall not move,until, "Play" is' when- the ball shall be- drawn clear.:■-.'. . • ,'." : ■.•'.,'!

"Tripping"-is the; use ,of the legs or crps'se to throw an.opponent.. . : .-'_ '■■-■ .." Body check" is tho placing of one's body in,the way of,an. approaching opponent.,-, so !that ■ the latter is simply : impeded. .No checker, shall-use force in the body check. Charging or shouldering implies motion and' unnecessary- force in chocking,, and is forbidden, because the object should be' to play, the ball 'and not the man. ■■■.. .-■>. .-;

."Free position;','. The player-awarded free position shall bo placed; in such position of advantage,as, in the opinion of tho referee, ho has-been robbed of, and all other.players shall remain in the position -in which thoy appear'to be at tho moment, excepting it bo; the goalkeeper, who may resume his place in goal. Tho player.:awarded free position shall then takotbo balloon his crosso in front of: him, and at the: signal from tho referee the game shall proceed' In the event of the goalkeeper being guilty; of a breach of the rules, by Which an opponent obtains a free throw, he (the goalkeeper) shall not ho allowed to resume nis : position iri goal.- \- ;. I-understood sometime ago that a number of the veteran, players: who havo,becn : tho mainstay .of tho; pastime hero were to forsake the field for the: less strenuous pleasure of. tutoring uninitiated colts aspiring to-attain, tho proficiency in handling the crosso that will enable them to dodge through a bunch of'defenders. -The , two parent cjub's have •been very considerably bled by some:'of the best-players in each team forming-the two now clubs, but with tho young players show-; ing such. promise'- the standard of play has decreased but little. "'■•'■••'■.