Sports & Pastimes

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2145, 21 March 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Sports & Pastimes

CRICKET. (Notes by “Short Slip.”) "What a right royal' battle there should be for the championship this season. The result of last Saturday’s play placed the United, To liau, and Wanderers on the same mark, with 12 championship points oaeli. Exactly a month ago To Ran was leading with 12 points', and United were toiling hopelessly lin the rear with 6 points. In the last two matches, Tc it a u has suffered two defeats, while United has gained a couple of 3-point wins, and the rare ecpctacle of the three leading clubs racing neck and. neck for the coverted honour is now to be seen. There are only two matches to bo played in the Saturday competition, and both games should be keenly fought from the word “play.” The Thursday competition is' in just as interesting a state, as only 1 point separates Union, C.S. and Co. and Te Run. There is certain to he a. highly interesting finish for the premiership of Thursday cricket. Contrary to expectations, United had the easiest of victories over Wanderers last Saturday. It was expected that the Wanderers batsmen would retrievo their first innings failure at the second essay with the bat, but they again failed lamentably, and 54 was the dismal record on the telegraph lioard'when the last wicket fell. Charlie Reynolds was the destroying agent with the ball this time. He struck >a length right away, and his left-handed deliveries were nipping across from leg with a trickiness that completely routed the strong Wanderers batting side. Reynolds captured seven wickets for 33 runs, land the other left-hander, Burke, clean bowled Glennie, Babb, • and Judge at a cost of 16 runs. Two good left-hand-ers are awkward bowlers to try and get runs against at any time, as the Wanderers batsmen will 1 tell you. As I predicted in my notes last week, Taruheru upset the calculations of Te Ran, and defeated them by 40 runs on the first innings. It was thought that Te Rau would have little difficulty in heading the moderate total of 106 set them 'by Taruheru, especially as they were playing on the concrete wicket, which gives bowlers no assistance whatever. However, those two demons, Young and Charles, put such devil into their deliveries, and 'kept so accurate a length that 66 was the inglorious sum total on the board when To Rail’s innings closed. Taruheru .had a second innings, und ran up 68. Charlie Lasker, the captain, was the only batsman to shape well, and lie gave one of his intersting displays for 37. Lasker is in form this season, and “Charlie” in form is worth .travelling a mile or two’ to watch. “At ’em from the jump” is this batsman’s motto, and he is one of the finest liard-hitting batsman I have seen when in form. I shall never forgot the- time I saw Lasker make 87 (not- out) against the United Club in Napier. He put up this score in about an hour on a Thursday evening. The next morning lie went in (first against Hastings on the Heretaunga ground,- .and again gave a magnificent display of aggressive cricket, hitting up 94 in an hour and a quarter. These scores were made against tip top bowling, too. Charlie Lasker is a batsman whose back bowlers are very pleased to view. Jack Pine again bowled well for Te Ran, end bagged five wickets for 15 runs. This young tnmdler lias a peculiarity about- his deliveries which few batsmen have fathomed. He has been very successful this season, and is undo'ublcdly the best bowler Te Rau possesses. Talk about enthusiasm in the cause of sport! The Gisborne team, which journeyed to "Tolaga last week underwent vicissitudes that would have raised the hair of the average modern player who travels down to his weekly game in an electric tram, a landau, or a motorcar. The rush for the Tolaga Bay races caused saddle horses to be at a premium in and in the end one of the eleven set o-ut for .the Coast township on a bicycle. There were some queer sights seen en route. Just as the shades of night were falling, some apprehension was caused by word being brought in to the Pa’karae Hotel that a man was drowning in the river opposite. In less than no time several willing rescuers rushed down to the bank, divesting themselves of garments as they ran. On arriving at the river a strange apparition slowly uprose from out the bosom of the heaving waters. The wouldbe rescuers gazed spell-bound, and could not for .the life of them make out the weird visitant from the blue depths of the Pacific. Such a sight had never before been seen on lai.-ii or sea. The nearest description one could give was to say that it resembled a pearl diver, only-there "-.as a quantity of uinoanny-loo'king machinery, with a 'number of wheels about, bis" head, which struck holy terror into the .bchohlers. At length the second cousin of Father Neptune spoke, and to .the amazement of the crowd it. turned- out- to be the captain of the Gisborne team, who had stripped to the buff in order ~o g* t the bicycle across the Pakavae river. But this was only one of many similar incidents. The game at> Tolaga was played on the- Thursday, and the Gisborne men set off .immediatefy after the mltch and were home again at about 1 next morning. The Gisborne team put up the respectable total of U 37 for nine wickets at Tolaga. J. Gibson, the captain. gave a Hiielh-class display if! compiling his total of 61. His la:tecu.ttin.g and hooks and pulls were executed in quite h:-s old style, and the Tolaga mien breathed a nigh of relief when, lie pulled one into Nelson’s hands at deep mid-oil. Jack AVack played well also. His 27 was of more value than the figures indicate. There wars nothing -behind the captain and. J. Alack, and they realised the desperateness of the situation 'and .rose to the occasion splendidly. The Const had -a very solid -batting team, but they were nlra-id of Harry AVack, and lie had them at bis mercy. A. Ling. Rev. AY. and AT. Nelson batted well for 22, id. and 20 respectively. Harry AV-nv-k secured eight- wickets at small cost, and bus rarely bowled better. Joe Monk, although he injured bis foot rather badly 'by -tripping over the roller before the game started, a 1 so bowled exceptionally well. It was a rare feat of endurance for Monk to bowl over after over with his ankle swelled to -almost twice its natural size. AVhile at Tolaga last' week the strain on the accommodation gave me as room-mate no less a personage than AV. H. 'Skiteh. AYe .had a mo-.t interesting chat, and I am afraid

talked well on into “the woo cm a’ ’oors ayont the twa-1.” Twenty years ago Billy 'Skitch was a name to conjure .with in t-lic athletic world. I can well remember as a youngster in knickerbockers watching Skitch annex cup 'after clip and championship after championship on the running trucks of Otago. '\A r ell can I remember rt.be desperate eon tests between Skitch anil Fred AA'all.’s la.t G'ore. when they used to do the hundred yards in even time, 'and hundreds used to attend the sports simply to see the two cracks meet-. Ski-tcli has just sold out- of' the Caledonian hotel, 'Dunedin, of which lie was mine host for many years, and is now enjoying, with iliis -family, -a well-earn-ed holiday at Tuparoa. Until he left Dunedin, Slcltch was captain of the Dunedin chib’.s’ senior cricket team, which won the championship last season. He was a first class bat, and a good bowler with a break from both, .sides. He was near the top in loth batting and bowling -averages. Skitch was also a good Rugby footballer, -and for mi any .years played wing fo.rw-i.rd for the old Monteoillo Club. He was .also a prominent member of t-lie Fire Brigade for many years, and .in fact it would he difficult to find .a better all-round athlete. He has several medals for running, cricket, and fire brigade competitions. To show' that lie can stil’J run he badly took down a youngster up the Coast the other day over the hundred yards, and romped home. There is just a possibility that Skitch may -permanently take up his residence on the Coast, .and in that event (he will be a very valuable acquisition- to their cricketing strength. The heavy rain prevented any play in the Thursday competition this week. Owing to AGctoria Domain being occupied for the St. Patrick’s sports, Union and C.S. and Co. were to have met at .Taruheru. As the sports have been postponed until next Thursday, the game next week will also have to :be played at Taruheru. The following are the leading batting averages for the .Union Club in the Thursday competition.. -It will be seen that three batsmen —D. Miller, J. Gibson, and J. Lang—have practically done all?'the run-getting for

BOXING.

“FIGHT! IT AVAS BORN IN ME” JIM GRIFFIN’S EARLY ROUGH UPS. GOES FOUR HUNDRED MILES TO BATTLE. - (Sydney Referee) “Fight 1 AVhen did I start- fighting?” said Jim Griffin, moving uneasily about the l room ivitli the glint of battle in his eye, “why, ’twas born in me I ’.’ My old dad, just recovering (I was glad to hear by cable to-day) from a touch-and-go illness, licked ’em all as an all round athlete round, about where he lived, and there were games at which lie could beat the best that came from anywhere else. But lor’, what a fighter he was—all bare knuckles, you know, no gloves—in his day. No one. thought of gloves then, and ’rastle —well, 1 noticed his powers first-, and lie was then a good bit past his prime. “Nationality? Irish, of course! Betyou’ve never seen a good fighter who didn’t have a lot of Irish blood in his make. My clad was born in County Clare, Limerick. No, mother was Scotch. Me ? Oil, I’m a native of New Zealand—entered the world in Invercargill. “My first fight? I’ll never forgetit,” and Jim crouched and swung the right, fortunately against the half closed door—fortunately for his fist and yours truly, who just moved from the line of fire. “I was four year’s old, and the other cove was seven. Dad said it put new life into him; he never saw anything to equal it. My opponent—a school mate —had as milch grit- as I had, but not quite as much strength and stamina,. “I was in the seventh Heaven when, a couple of years later, dad bought Jack and me a 6et of gloves. By gum, how we used to slog!” Here Jim blinked and smothered—evidence of the respect lie still entertained for what- his pinafored elder brother could do. •

“Yes, wo (Jack and I) had many scraps, but- never a fair and square stand up fight to decide who was the fitter till I was 17 and Jack 1) years older. An uncle away in the bush, whom we had been visiting suggested a go. Socks were' substituted for gloves, and at the end of four rounds neither had anything to crow over the other about, though we both cracked hardy. Afterwards I confided to Jack, and he to me, concerning sorenc.s and othqr sensations. “Still, we roughed up again anil again. Everyone wanted to see us ‘go,’ and we didn’t much mind ‘going.’ “I was in a torrid tiling at 19. A big Tasmanian — 6ft 2in high and weighing 14st— had been a great chum of mine, and some fellow caused trouble between between us. Dad scratched his head, and said: ‘There’s only one way to settle it, lad ; but lie’s a big fellow, isn’t lie?’ However, wo got to it one night-, and 1 had a bit of luck in fluking him with the second of two right swings. A year afterwards on the Invercargill Sports ground, there was another clash between us. I tried the same blow, but couldn’t judge it, and consequently bad to fight for five hard rounds. I beat him though, then his second took to me—a lucky punch oil the jugular settled his hash so effectively that- everybody thought- I bad killed him' unT w;> were all badly scared. The police icn'k my hand next morning and .‘.'ever.il five bobs’ were added to the revenue, while my old mate and imvcll bad to find K 2.5 each as security that- we would keep the peace for six mouths. “Jack Hogan— a big, strong fanner rove, scaling 13st—was going to eat Jack, til! I told him the difference would have to be settled with me. I’ll never forget that fight on the Invercargill Sports ground. AYe had a staked ring, and the moon was half full. Neither of us wore a stitch above the waist—not even gloves. Hogan lasted 25 rounds because ho wouldn’t come up to time; He took long spells between the rounds, but I finished him with straight punches in

the face. “I won the amateur middle-weight' championship of New Zealand on April 4, 1893, and journeyed alone 400 miles to Christchurch to compete. The rest of my career is of courso well known to vourself and the readers of the ‘Referee.’ “I forgot to tell you that my dad was in the army in the East Indies, and when lie saw that letter in tho ‘Referee’ from Charlie to you, dated Colombo, said he was at- Colombo 36 SWIMMING. In the opinion of Cecil Healy, Bc-a-urepaire will open the eyes of the •world and provo the finest swimmer ever seen, Koran not excepted. “Going over in the boat,” said Healy to a Sydney pressman, “none of us considered Beaurepaire for a moment; but after seeing him in tho water practicing a couple of times it came homo to me that he would take some beating, ‘and I publicly stated as much. Before racing that quarter-mile which decided State supremacy and the destination of the Reran Memorial Shield for twelve months, I thought that only the breaking of Koran’s world’s record would ensure my defeat; but before traversing a dozen yards I knew niv usual clash was not there, and I 'actually took a pull to enable me to finish strongly. At 300 yds tho race was still mine, for I was in front; but I could see the splash ,and knew that my oponent must be bandy. At 350 yds wo turned together amidst great excitement. The effort caused me almost- to faint, and the only fear that I might be charged with showing the white feather enabled me to continue. I never finished a race so badly exhausted. -Evidence that something must have been very 'much wrong -is the fact that the water was calm and very favourable for speed swimming. Beaurepaire’s time was exactly what- I put up at Manly a month or two ago, when successful in the State championship by fully 20 yds, and then I left the water com—paratively fresh. On the same night and in the same baths the AVestrahan champion, Matson, created a new world’s breast-stroke record, as you •are already aware. The story about#; the c()llisiou' v C‘>stiug->Beaurepaire-i ;: w * yards is not true, and I am'sure that it did not emanate tram him. tie certainly did bump someone, as I did at another stage of the race, but the occurence, I was afterwards informed,, made vez-y little more difference to him than -it did -to me. I say this without the slightest intention of detracting in the remotest degree from Beaurepaire’s success, which was unquestionably full of merit.” A match is being arranged between Richmond Cavil! and George Read for £25 a side and other professional championships of Australia.

BILLIARDS. During the-week the competition for the championship'of Gisborne has been continued at the A r ictoria Saloon, and some good games hav e been witnessed. After • Thursday’s game the position of the players "is as fc-1-

“Can t you wait a year before marrying my daughter?” “I can; but any creditors can’t.” “Do you 'think y-our- Cad would say, anything if I told him we were going to be married?” 1 don t- know, but- J fancy he’d say something if you -told him- wo weren’t.” his Warning; there was great excitement on the banks of the River Afudetream, for an unfortunate man had fallen into the water and was in groat- d’ffieul- - His ones brought the people nom some neighboring cottages to tile rescue. . , ° ,One man ran ibis hardest towards the -river, and as he.threw off his hat and coat as he nan, it was eviclent ue intended plunging in to save the struggling, man. A more belated individual als 0 ran m the wake ot the first, but it was apparent rrorn ibr.s shouts -that his the waten 7 UOt ' for tlle 311311 111

q » 'weskit- off, too, ESII bmitli. yelled‘the tardier of the two runners. Aon jump in with my wen-

LITTLE BINXS’S PARTY A jovial party eat round the fire at the residence of little Biliks The conversation had glided by easy trailsitions over every imaginable subject, even to the question of drinks: and tuu+l top , lc ever ybody held forth eloquence that comes of \ dS6 '" Ha X m S jj° en informed hv 11 Sporran the Caledonian, that whisky and honey were the chief con,"c‘lts of Athole brose, Links departed in quest of these commodities. IHo Whisky was soon produced, but the honey demanded a longer search. Links was sure there was some in he house, and, a"cer ransacking the pintry for some time, came into the sitting-room, smiling, with a not of honey which he said was clotted by the frost but otherwise in urinie eondition. M Sporran was immediately cnllcd upon to brew the new drink, and, after careful manipulation or the fluids, a g.ass of steaming brose was set before each of the narty A toast- was then called for, and tho health of M’Sporran lire nosed. Every man took a long drink lien his ei.ass, and then duos ensued. fiw.-, ot the party ran to the window and. throwing it open, nut out their 1 e: ds oue , ma » i'cH upon tho v groaned, and the rema’iider rushed madly for the door. \Ykm. torn! Links was called u»« fn j explanation, and in <0 lo of his sou! 1.0 called for ],A wife „ , ; V ,' loar > M I'e said, nilwmdv, honey?’’ Ve • V ° U Wn the . honev?” retorted hAsmy.-e lid of it* 5 lu ' ~ lo( " P V fioiihn! the I ist ot it on ivitiml.ay.” Links turned ’ v T h6n ".'’V • nre U 'c been ikte.uS ktk" 1 ”, i'n'?ri”-i “Why, S()ft soan if fl< ’ d m, • replied, cheerful’ ° f °°' ,rSe *

the club. Name. Inngs. Times Total Aver. D. Miller not out. 8 0 runs. 258 32.25 J. Gibson 8 1 209 29.85 J. Lang 8 0 195 21.37 Austin 5 1 51 12.75 R. Grant o 0 60 12 .J. Do vie 7 1 65 • 10.83 R. Emanuel 8 0 56 7

lows:— ' Won Lost Nickola ... 2 1 Kay 1 3 Aston 2 2 . Valentine ...! 4 2 Wm. Forrest ... 2 . 4 Ilex ... 1 3 McGonigjal Lucas _ ... 3 0 E. Austin ... ... 4 o Te Kjuu-Fere ... ... 0 1 Nugent ... ... 1 q Munro Pere ... 0 0 2 Johns 2 Western ...' 0 3