DAYS WHEN THE GAME WAS YOUNG

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 4

DAYS WHEN THE GAME WAS YOUNG

Y.;- ••■■ REMINISCENCES.. ' ■■■;. - : .v>- : . :■.•■ . v; f --. : - ; -'.'' "" ' "■'-":' .'■■-**. ■>'/_ ■ Liko old : friends; reminiscences /are nearly..' , always pleasing '.'.to ■ encounter.-; Mr. T.'. S; 'Ronaldeon ■ has grown grey in tne ranks 'of. the.v.'Well.ington,Football Club, but; his•';.memory.is'fresh with the doings,',o{ ■the players of the :past. ■. - '■'• "I thinf it a 'great pity," he' said at the smoke ooucertlastnight,' : "that all these "penal -rule's hid. to .be) introduced. ■ .If•■•. boys were brought •up and taught toiplay the game for the gamers sake,' there would be -very much better football.'!' ■'" -..' ■■^.-. ":'■:■? ■•;;':•:' : ~v" '.• "There,;were..no gymnasiums in:,my cJaysi" -Mr. continued, "and; for 'training, 1 we •'used' : .to'' go out about three nights a week after, dinner,-and follow vtho>,feather to.lsland.Vßa>,,. and then come back.round, 'the rocks home." : A.nd' -Ii think "that" is; training than theindoor work. ';I_ a'ia not\s .beiiever in gymnasium , training, and never will , be. . :, '. ' ,; '".■-■ .-f. ■ ■' '-•■ "Inthe. old r days .when IWas; in the Rangitikei, : :if we. wanted, to; play ; Wanganui, .both .teams, had. to go halfway, arid 'we; used to meet at Turaidna. ; .We would get horses, and:start off in'the morning with,; say, thirteen, men, hoping to : .pick; up the. others on the way..- When wo got to Tnrakina'wejivould have to buy a spade, , and some five-by-twosj and WO: , would mark.' out the ground and put .up; the' goal-posts.: ■■ : ':' 'On one occasion in : the Wairarapa I had : to. cut away, portion of one of my boots during, a game,, and proceed with half a-; boot on : one.- foot. ' The Maori.;, players; saw' me perfoi-miug the. operation on the ; footwear, and.asked if that, was.a good way ;to play football.' 'Kapai,', I told them. . The next Saturday' three-fourths of, 'the • Maoris .turned out : with;half a; boot." : ; ; ; ,