Tour That Was Troublous One

NZ Truth, Issue 1237, 15 August 1929, Page 18

Tour That Was Troublous One

STORY Was Boxers P^cb of Mind In Pieces? PARTNERSHIP IS SPLIT

Why is it, that sometimes when a : party embarks on a tour overseas, harmony is pitched out the porthole and happiness is foisted out for snappiness? . . .• ■ . '

IN 'every, branch of sport, be it amateur or professional, the arrival home of a touring party coincides with tales of internal strife, of bickerings and back-bitings, of friends turning to foes. Occasionally it is found the tales of troublous' times precede the • arrival of the parties, and once they are started an avalanche has nothing on them m gathering size. So with the recent tour of the Leckie party to Sydney. : When Johnnie Leckie and his wife arrived : home last week and left Johnnies friends, ' philosophers and guides, Mr. and Mrs. Arc'riie Leckie, m Sydney, the tongue's started to wag, and, before twenty-four' hours had elapsed, all manner of fanciful stories were being circulated. ■• •• . News to . hand by that mail stated that Jolvinie and Archie '"'had split. This was a trcriiendous . surprise to th ose wh o kn ow th c two • wel I , an d■t i 1 1 "N.Z. Truth" got m touch with either of the principals, sleeping dogs were allowed to snore. But on Tuesday Archie, accompanied by his wife,, called m. They had just, come off the "Maheno." , . ■ .., .. . There were the usual mutual greetings and then talk went straight to Sydney, and the experiences, of five, months m, Australia. , It Avas thg_ usual tale of no money on offer, but it. was not the desired story that came when" the question was put anent the happiness of the party whilst domiciled in -Sydney. - Archie, -"Truth" has .always found, is- as sincere' and as honest a fellow as could be met m a month's walk, and he is not given to talking just for the sake of : exercising his tongue. But he had something to say, and he said it. That right from the- outset the paths had been strewn with boulders, was ■Archie's allegations. There had been too milch interfere ence, and sad 'to relate the authority of Experience had been - Over-ruled m an alarming manner; ' ;-'. '. - : '■ Getting a boy- ready ' for • a ■flght- is a ticklish job at any time T - and one has to lie a large edition -of; the ;Jatc.?lameiit - cd' Job. ' ' ' ; ■;;'.; .: ; ; ' ''.- •;.': v ;- -v;: '•: : y ; - x; : y Hi- i\ ■%/ '■:■" Fighters, wljeir their prejiaratidnV is drawing near its ; end; : v are :Ss>;perT jnicketty as it is iyossib.le\t'6:-iniaghiei;an'd..: [what a ; trainer: may con'cbiVe'^toV-b'e; a word that will rock. his boy off to' sleep jin • perfect contentment may start! the fighter going like the celebrated seven devils.- . — ' ■ . Outside influence is absolutely unwairl'eil v= : a.h d- wh en ~\ k- 1 ra i n e>? fi n d k;h i'nVself being pushed -into the background, by one \yhp knows nothing, he is likely to be peeved. * ... . ' • •. • But, for the welfare^ of his boy.and with' the fight at hand, he emulates.; the,

oyster-.- and sings : "dumb— all for the boy's good. , / But m .return the trainer has - every right, to expect, that certain rules laid down should be followed, and every boxer who can see past his nose has no hesitation m following them.

In Sydney, however, Archie states that- there was too much .interfereneq coming from, the inside, and not only was he getting his share of the brickbats, but that Johnnie himself Avas being upset m a most unreasonable manner. ' .-'■ •'.•'" . ■

At times^ it;isralleged, Johnnie would

riot have been recognised as the Leckie that New .Zealand knows, and these words' 'were borne' out- by an independent spectator who saw Johnnies last fight. - , ;■,.-. ■ "' ": It became so bad that something had tb break, and the break severed the long association of Johnnie and Archie, an -.association that was for "mutual benefit." If onlj^half of what can be gathered is true' it "must 'have been a jolly hectic time. Arguments and such other pleasantries were common-place. The whole tour points a. very • . strong ' moral . and to those who • have had any ' experience of the game the moral is v not difficult to "" perceive. ■ - •To make a, success of fighting it is necessary :to • strictly adhere to. the convrnandraents of the. game, and no one has 'yett been able .to ride rough shod* ovcr.-^them.y. It simply cannot be done: .' ,^ . ■■•■■:":''{ .•'T-.i...-.- : ,■■';■: Fighters! are short-lived, m the sense of earning:, power, and it is' wise r - for all to. remembeiMha^ once they 'start- to go they go ..quickly. '.\ - •,..•...>;.; „; l iiMMimim'..m.L.»..;.;;:.;!!"K;!V";!":i:irtiffliiiiiniiii|Hini»niJiiiiiii..iiii