Hockey.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 253, 6 September 1928, Page 8

Hockey.

Considerable amusement was created last Saturday when the Putaruru ladies played against a team of men who were handicapped to the extent of having to wear long skirts and to use only one hand in holding their sticks.

As the teams filed on to the ground the men revealed several artistic “ creations ” evidently secured after no little thought from mother’s wardrobe. The pace was a cracker from the start and despite “ stays ” several pseudo ladies failed to stay the pace set.

The scoring at times appeared to be judged by the referee from a set of rules compiled by himself. “ What was wrong with that one ? ” asked a local pedagogue after a glorious burst which ended in a goal. “ You beat three ladies, sir,” came the reply in tones which caused the interested forwards to slink quietly away. Notwithstanding such admonitions the game waxed fast and furious—too fast for some. “ Here, don’t put in the dirt,” came a cry as a hefty back in the last stages of exhaustion turned sharply and tottered right over the ladies’ “ bully,” whose inches might be measured on a fullsized hockey stick. The roar that followed temporarily put the referee out of action and the “ gent's ” escaped penalty. For the men everybody played well, more or less, according to the state of their “ bellows.” In this connection it must be noted that the goalkeeper’s job proved a most popular position at times, many of the forwards seeking the less-troubled atmospheric conditions which were to be found between the sticks. For the ladie.% it must be said that they were somewhat handicapped by their own laughter, but that was their own fault as it was not provided for in the rules governing the game. Much sympathy, however, was expressed with their goalkeeper. She had to stop some hot ones—they were so hot she could not get out of the way in time. The official scores according to the referee were 5—3 in favour of the men. What he told the ladies is not yet to hand. The teams were: —

Ladies.—Goal, Miss Miller; backs, Mrs. Brown and Miss Gallagher; halves, Misses W. Wheeler, Benton, and E. Rolfe; forwards, Misses Lopdell, Berg, E. Wheeler, M. Rolfe and Lopdell. Men.—Goal, H. Berg (and several others); backs, Lochhead and Vosper; halves, Fendall, Snell and Gawith; forwards, Scholz, Edmonds, Gasparich, Griffiths and Brown. Referee: Mr. E. Carr.