TOPICAL TATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICAL TATTLE

BY H.P.S.

Primary School Athletes. The big event of the primary schools athletic year, the annual championship sports of the Otago State Primary Schools Sports Association, will be held at Logan Park on Saturday, October 12, when the usual comprehensive programme of boys’ and girls’ events will be staged. The meeting does not merely cater for the champion athletes, for one of the most successful features of the fixture is the boys’ tabloid athletic competition, which is intended primarily for boys who are not considered of championship standard. _ All members of each team compete in all events in the tabloid competition. All start off scratch, and the time of the first and last boy is averaged, giving the time for the team. In the broad jump each competitor scores 1 for jumping into the pit, and an extra point for each peg passed. In the event of a tie the team scoring highest marks in the relay race is declared the winner. For the non-championship girl competitors there is a basketball passing race. The championship shield is awarded to the primary school or sub-association whose pupils gain the highest aggregate points in the boys’ and girls’ championship events. Entries for ,the meeting close on September 26, the secretary being Mr L. Hubbard, Macandrew Intermediate School.

World’s Swimming Records. Australia, whose swimmers once held all the free style records from 50yds to a mile, does not hold one. to-day. The latest official list, issued on July 31, shows that of 31 men’s and 29 women’s world’s records the United States holds 25 men’s and eight women’s. Due mainly to the remarkable achievements of Miss Ragnild Hveger, who holds every woman’s free style world’s record from 100yds to a mile, excepting the 100 metres and 500 metres, and was also a member of a record-breaking team, Denmark holds 17 out of 29 women’s records.

NiZ. Athletic Championships, The £225 received by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Asiiociation through the Minister of Internal Affairs from art union moneys towards the cost of the expenses of sending teams to the New Zealand championship meeting at Wellington last season is to be shared by the Auckland, West Coast (North Island), Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay, Canterbury, and Otago Centres in proportion to their actual costs for athletes over and above their first six, and these were respectively £73 6s lOd, £3l 10s, £26 15s 4d, £64 Bs, and £IOO 10s Od., Batted a Few Flies.

George Herman “ Babe ” Ruth, former American baseball idol, as an added attraction to the Utah semi-profes-sional tournament, recently batted a few flies to the outfield before a crowd of 600 fans. Even against a semi-pro-fessional hurler, the Bambino, who in the 1933 all-star game smashed out a third-inning home run with a mate aboard to give the American League a 4-2 victory, showed little of the power at the plate that carried him to the pinnacle of baseball fame—and fortune —a little more than a decade ago. He hit but two balls the semi-professional fielders couldn’t handle.

55 Years a Playef. A record of 55 years as a playing member of his club stands to the credit of Mr M. M. F. Luckie, and it has been specially recognised by a presentation made at the Wellington Cricket Club’s annual meeting. The report made mention of the fact that this player with the longest service had in one match last season taken six wickets for _B9 runs, the performance being against one of the strongest sides in the grade. On behalf of the club, Mr P, Henley (club captain) offered congratulations to Mr Luckie upon his achievement, and presented him with the ball with_ which he had bowled so effectively in his fifty-fifth season. The ball was mounted on a stand bearing silver plates with the inscription: “ Wellington Cricket Club, presented to M. M. F. Luckie—six wickets for 89—193940,” and “Joined the club 1885—still an active player 1940.” First in Fourteen Years, The win over Wellington last Saturday was the first gained by Taranaki at Athletic Park since 1926, when the local representatives were beaten by 30 points to 12. Doubly pleased with the result was the Taranaki captain, J,. L. Sullivan, as it was the first time Taranaki had won in Wellington since he began playing for the province. Commenting on the latest match, states the ‘ Taranaki Daily News,’ Sullivan paid tribute to his forwards for their great work, and to the team as a whole for its fitness. Weight-lifting Records, A successful attempt on records was made at Auckland recently by the New Zealand and Australian champion weight-lifter, H. Cleghorn. A technical fault prevented recognition of his main efforts on the press, on which lift lie recently created a record of 27041 b. Ho exceeded the record by 21b, and, though not recognised, the performance served to show that he is within striking distance of the American champion. This was made more apparent by his record-breaking effort on the snatch lift. Ho improved upon the previous best by lllh, his best lift being of 2651 b (which was increased to 266 Jib on the official scrutiny being made).