BOWLING IN CANADA

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12615, 27 November 1926, Page 3

BOWLING IN CANADA

A DEAD “TOUCHER” DIFFICULT TO “DRAW” ON THEIR GREENS BRITISH BOWLERS’ REUNION Mr James Brackenridge, senior, who, with his three sons, comprised the once famous bowling quartette, has recently returned from a visit to relatives in Canada, and while there was made an honorary member of the Assiniboine Bowling Club, Manitoba, by which he was treated with wonderful hospitality, forging another of the links which bind the • Dominions together. The veteran bowler speaks with the highest appreciation of his experience at the hands of our Canadian cousins, and says that soon after his arrival in March he received a letter from the Assiniboine Club extending to him a cerdial invitation to bowl with them during the season, and asking him to accept the honorary membership of the club. Mr Brackenridge wrote thanking the club for their welcome, for he regarded their invitation not only as an honour to himself but to his club and the Dominion Bowling Association. He played with the club right through the season, and they were one of th© finest bodies of men he ever met in his lffe. The weather was fairly good through the season, but while for a few days it was warmer than in Wellington, the conditions generally were not so favourable for bowling. The ground freezes to a depth of three or four feet in winter, and when the thaw comes the earth breaks up and the surfaces of the greens become uneven, so that they practically have to be remade and resown every year. In such circumstances it was to their credit that they kept the greens in such good condition as they were. It was no special credit to New Zealand that the greens here were better than in Canada, for the climate* in New Zealand settled that question for them. BOWLS WITHOUT BIAS j The Canadian greens were much heavier than in New Zealand, said Mr Brackenridge, and the bowls run practically straight. They are satisfied with the maker’s stamp upon them, or if made in England or Scotland the stamp of either association is sufficient. Most of the bowls take very little green indeed. He took his own bowls with him, but unless lie struck a pairticularly gookl rink they would not draw at all. The game they play in Canada is to boost the front bowl up. The third player goes up with the skip. They have no to the greens, the space corresponding to the ditch being indicated by two strings about 8 inches apart. Bowls and kitties driven over the boundary are returned to the point where they went over. They have much the same rules, but the interpretations are very different in some cases. They say that one toucher “kills” another. For instance one player gets a toucher. Another player follows and also scores a toucher, and the bowl goes on to com© into contact with the first toucher. The first toucher bowl then becomes “dead.” That one toucher can “operate” upon another toucher is something new in interpretation in "New Zealand, for here no bowl within bounds can become “dead” if it has been properly delicered and has not been interfered with outside of play. LIGHT TOO PRECIOUS TO PLAY No matches are played in fue afternoons in Canada, continued Mr Brackenridge, as th© daylight is too precious for working purposes to play bowls. They play from 7 o’clock at night, and the greens are lighted up brilliantly with electric light, and they frequently play till 11 o’clock and even midnight. He quit© enjoyed this, although it was cooler and he had to wear a little more clothing. About 8 o’clock at night a heavy dew came on and made the greens get very heavy, and the greenkeeper goes round to each rink, leaving a couple of towels at each for the players to dry their bowls on. Ladies play bowls as well as the men, and they are as keen as mustard. They play in all the clubs and have tlieir own competitions, and also engage iu competitions with th© men, these games being enjoyable. They arc all good sports, ladies and men, nnd their hospitality was boundless, nnd they hoped that any New Zealanders going that way at any time would visit Assiniboine Club. Personally he made many friendships which would last as long ns lif© lasted. Mr Brackenridge’s nephew, Mr George Fisher, is a member of the club. VISIT TO SCOTLAND Many bowlers are under the impression that Mr Brackenridge only visited Canada, so that it will be a surprise to learn that he visited England and Scotland also. When in Ayrshire Jt« met Mr Fleming, one of the British bowlers, who visited New Zealand Inst season. He invited Mr Brackenridge to visit th© Totwood green on the occasion of a reunion. He accepted, and at tho function met all the Scottish bowlers who were in the British team in New Zealand. It was a delightful evening of reminiscences, and he brought back all good wishes from them to bowlers in the Dominion.