Badminton

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 177, 13 August 1937, Page 14

Badminton

"Drop-Shot.")

N. ISLAND TITLES Chances of the Hawke's Bay Entrants N0EL WILSON'S FORM

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The North Island badminton championships will make next week the most important of the Hawke's Bay badniintorf season. Although it is unlikely that any of the leading Wellington players will be able to obtain leave for the tournament, both the finalists iu last winter 's New Zealand men's singles will compete. Against such opposition the only local man to have much ehance in next week's singles will bp Noel Wilson, who, despite lack of practice, is still playing extremely well. Although he may be out of condition, no better player was seen at tHe recent inter-provin-cial tournament at Palmerston North.

Doubles Entries. In both men's and women 's doubles the fifst pairs from the Hawke's Bay representative team have entered for the North Island tournament. In the men's event, W. Read and L. Yesty are rapidly-improving players who are both very quick about tfie court, and it will take a good pair to beat them. If tkey were to meet Wilson and Eliiot the match would be an interesting test of agility versus experience. In the women 's doubles the Misses Macdonald and Glenny should have a very good chance, and the excellent practice in Palmerston should be a help to them as well as to Yesty and Read. In the mxed doubles the Hastings club will be represented by a strong pair in Wilson and Miss Glenny. In this event the final might easily be fuught out between these two and the Hawkesworths from the Wairarapa. Loc'al players who are not in tlie first flight should remember that in badminton there are B and C-grade championships as well as handicap events; thus, any competitor can be sure that he will meet opponents in his own ciass. In this distriet there are quite a number of badminton players who had never played a singles. To - these a tournament offers a chance ' for really useful experience. Advice to Umpires. Those who act as umpires next week should remember , that spectators as well as players like to know the score of any game in progress. Therefore the score should be -called. clearly and 'distinctly. If the umpire is not sure whether a shuttle is. "in" or "out," a let should be allowed; it is not fair to ask one of tl^e players to decide, as he is sure to give his opponent the benefit of the doubt. If a player should offer a voluutary correction (in favour of his opponent), it should be uccepted. It is also the umpire 's duty to see that competitors are not hindered by wandering spectators. Badminton Control. The New Zealand Badminton Fedcration has its present headquartois at Auckland. To judge by various coniments heard recently at Palmerston, the business methods of the f ederation have not been efiicient; letters have been left unanswered and important business neglected. The following extiact from a Wellington paper publishod last Saturday may be of interest: "Apparently the provincial secretaries at Palmerston North told^ each other a few truths about the federation's business methods. And the result was not pretty. So far as can be discovered, the desire for a change of control is unanimous, and the annual meeting . of the federation during the national championships at . Dunedin next month should produce quite a few arguments. Unlees, however, there is , valid assurance that more efiicient methods of management will be adopted, it seems i.mpossible that Auckland will continuo to hold the headquarters of the game." ("Sports Post.") While the wfiter of ' this' criticism was no doubt a Wellingtonian, there is jio doubt that all New Zealand games should have their controlling bodies in Wellington. In. the case of badminton, the inter-provincial tourney at Palmerston would provide an opportunity for all competing associations to maintain contact with the Wellington secretary. ■