Jack's Football.

NZ Truth, Issue 63, 1 September 1906, Page 3

Jack's Football.

■Birsbane "Truth* reporting a match between a team of men-o'" Iwarsmen from H.M.S. Prometheusand a Brisbane 15, gives the followJng funny' story of the sayings and* •■doings. of -a Jack Tar who looked* on. • The press was most particularly indebted to a very intelligent bluejacket, who very kindly took up his position at the table and gave all particulars as to, names of individual players and so on. He took a lively interest m the game; and barracked most consistently for the ■'Prom- . mies,'.' indulging m a running com-^ mentary on the points of the game the whole time. "Play up, Prommies,' " he'd yell; "you belong to 1 a little boat, and you've got to beat the whole of the State of Queensland. You haven't got 17 millions to pick from"— what he meant was not quite clear— "but play up, boys, and show 'em what you're made of." He used to get greatly toubled when the baH* neared the sailors' line; and wotrtd, yell to the, full-back, "Pookie ! Pookie ! Pookie ! Look out, Pookie 1" ' And then if . the unfortunate Pook, missed or fumbled, his disgust was indescribable. "What's the matter with ye, Pookie \ It can't be beer, 'gos you don't drink. Play up, JPookie!" . .

The whistle of the 'bus drivers on the Bowen Bridge-road bothered him. Whenever he heard one, "Came back, come back," he shout, "The whistle's pone." At last the ball came out close to him. He made a wild rush at it and launched a fearful kick, [missed it, and fell on his back. "Tljey don't make them balls big enough," he said quietly as he picked himself up. and then he discovered he'd split his shore-going pants about 8 inches along the seam of the hind.ermost part. - It didn't trouble him though. When he appealed fruitlessly to the onlookers tor a needle and thread, he. quite coolly ' covered up the ghastly wound with his cap, and the last "Truth " saw of him was j walking off the ground with his headgear held to his sternsheets so that decency should not be offended.

He was a jovial, light-hearted Jack. Tar, and' took the chiackine of the crowd m general and the small boys m particular with most unruffled composure. He was very useful to the press anyway.