UNDER SUNNY SKIES

Evening Star, Issue 22461, 5 October 1936, Page 5

UNDER SUNNY SKIES

SUMMER SPORTS COMMENCE AUSPICIOUS OPENING CEREMONIES ■Beautifully fine weather prevailed for the opening on Saturday afternoon of the season of many of the cricket, lawn tennis, and howling cluhs of the city and suburbs. Short opening ceremonies were held in most cases, and there were good attendances, the bright sunshine inducing many to don 'flannels and enter with zest into the playing of their favourite summer game. LAWN TENNIS.

Fourteen lawn tennis clubs commenced the season, these being Otago, Boslyn, Moana, University,' St. Clair, St.. Andrew’s, . Anderson’s Bay, Taieri, Opoho, Nga Maara, Waimana, Kaituna, .St. Peter's, and Port Chalmers. The president of the . association (Air W. B. Sinclair) paid aii official visit to five of the clubs during the afternoon, and at all of the other clubs members of the association were present in an

° official capacity. The Otago Club held ' a successful fair in conjunction with 4 its opening, for the purpose of raising funds for the cost of relaying one of the courts, which is not yet ready for (5 play, and the Opoho Club commenced ' 0 its season with a Yankee tournament. q In the evening the Taieri Club held a 0 dance in the Fire Brigade Hall to mark 0 the opening of the season. The lawn tennis season is getting under way early, and matches will be commenced on Saturday next. The Moana Club held its twenty-sixth opening day under ideal weather conditions. There a record attendance of over 80 players and friends. Mr F. H. Campbell, the president, in declaring the season open, welcomed the visitors. The president mentioned that the Moana Club had only had one wet = opening day in the past2o years, and s the day was a good omen for the sea--1 son. t BOWLING. t Two bowling clubs, Eaituna and Logan Park, opened the season on Sat--3 nrday, there being large attendances at , each green. The presidents of each - club—Mr W. F. Forrester (Eaituna) " and Mr R. A. Crawford (Logan Park) T —declared the season open in appropriate speeches. The president of the ■ Dunedin Bowling Centro (Mr J. H, . Hinton) was present at the former clnh . ceremony, while Mr T. Smith repro- ■ sented the centre at Logan Park. T.-e ladies’ section of the Logan Park Vih ! was opened by the president (Mrs E. F. . Lee). The majority of bowling club? ■ will open the season on Saturday, October 17. CRICKET. Most of the senior cricket chibs commenced the season’s operations on Saturday afternoon, _ the Albion, Grange, Dunedin, University, High School Old Boys, and Eaikorai Chibs all holding their opening functions, with good attendances. The newly-formed Mornington Club and the Taieri and Port Chalmers Clubs also bad their official openings. HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS. The hope that the Otago High School Old Boys’ Club would continue to justify its existence in first grade cricket, and that the first eleven would ultimately gain the lop of the ladder in the competition, was expressed by the club president (Mr W. R. Brinsley, sen.), on Saturday afternoon, in formally opening the club’s season. It was pleasing to note such a good muster at the first practice, and he anticipated that it would he fully maintained, if not increased, at the evening practices. It was proposed that the chib obtain Tonga Park fpr this purpose, as ' it provided more satisfactory facilities than Littlebourne Park. He also stressed necessity for assiduous practice by the senior team, in view of the agitation during the year for a reduc- : tion in the number of teams in the 1 first grade competition. In conclusion, 1 ho appealed to the members to give the club their full support and talent this season. The vice-president (Mr D. A. Solomon), delegate to the Otago Cricket Association, presented to the chib the best wishes of that association, and hoped that the old hoys would obtain the ground they desired for practices. He supported Mr Brinsley in regard to the necessity for practice. Ho also ox- f tended his best wishes for success. c Members of last year's first eleven 1 present at the opening were G. R. .Mills t (club captain), R. G. Mahoney, G. R. L Dickinson, 13. Clarke, H. Otway, G. ' Edwards, N. Russell, (). I!. Payne, J. t Smith, and V. Loader. The rector of the Otago Boys’ High School also appeared on the ground during the after- / noon, and was extremely interested in I the form displayed. " | Welcome refreshment was served dur- fi iiig the afternoon. 4

TAIEUI CLUB. The cricket enthusiasts in Mosgiel were favoured with good weather on .Saturday, when the local season was opened. The president (Mr A. Murray) said a few words at an interval, and, with his wife, supplied afternoon tea. Opportunity was taken to present to the retiring .secretary (Mr W. N. Muirhead) and the retiring treasurer (Mr W. M. Fogo) pocket wallets in recognition of their services. The customary match. President v. Vice-president, was played. PORT .CHALMERS. A sunny afternoon, a good attendance, and the playing of the Marine. Band, were features of the cricket opening at Port Chalmers on Saturday. The men’s club and girls’ club hold a combined function. Mr D. Middleton, president of the men’s club, in declaring the season open, praised the playing last season, and congratulated the girl players on their win in the competitions. Ho was indebted, he said, to the band and to the ladies for their work for the club throughout the season. It was a pleasure to present'Mr T. B. Wilson with a framed acknowledgement of the members’ indebtedness to him as. club secretary. The' president of the girls’ Kopatai Club, Mrs T. Scollay, said it was just a year since the club was formed. The fact that the girl players won the C competition in their first year

I was very creditable to themselves and l to Port Chalmers. They must have ; practised very very hard to bo so snef cessful. The president expressed in- • debteduoss for the assistance rendered I by Mr T. Armstrong (coach), Air T. B. Wilson (advisor), and Aliss L. AA'il--1 son (coach) ; also thanking all those : who helped the club financially and otherwise. ; Air J. Fraser, past president of the ! 0.C.A., congratulated both clubs on the result of tlvo past season’s play, and also wished the players success during the ensuing season. He was , disappointed at the state of the ground and hoped the council would help to improve it. The mayor (Air T. Seollay) said both clubs were doing well. The girl cricketers’ performance in bringing home a cup in their first season was a notable achievement. He mentioned that last season over fifty pounds had been expended in wages to keep the ground in good order. His AA'ovship’s good wishes wore with the cricketers tor their coming season. ALBION’S SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION Glorious weather favoured the various clubs which opened the 1936-37 season on Saturday. At Logan Parle, the Albion Club, winners of the senior and intermediate competitions last season, hold a most successful gathering, a large attendance of members participating in net practice, and about 70 members and supporters of the clnh listening to the various speeches at a most enjoyable afternoon tea function in the chib’s pavilion. Members of last season’s senior eleven present wore J. Shepherd, S'. Duncan, L. Smith, O. Dalziel, O. Everson (wicket-keeper), AA r . Brookes, AAC Uitchfield, H. Martin, R. Silver, and J. Allen, while H. Aliller, a former senior member, who has returned from AA’ellington, was also present. Mr L. J. Joel, president of the clnh, wished the members every success in the coming season, and "appealed to the members to do all in llicir power to assist the club, not only on the playing field, but from flic social point of view. Air E. Ferguson conveyed to members the greetings of the Otago Cricket Association, and, on behalf of the Otago Boys’ Cricket Association, appealed to the chib to enter a team in the coming season’s competitions. He stated that the boys’ association had mado provision for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade competitions this season, for hoys of 17, 16, and 15 years respectively. Air G. Austin also spoke on behalf of the governing body and congratulated the. Albion Club on having made such excellent preparations for its opening. Mr AV. G. Pickard, president of the Albion Ladies’ Club, thanked the men’s club for all it had done, to assist the ladies’ cause, and trusted that the same amiable spirit would continue to exist between the two clubs.