SPORTS GATHERINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 6

SPORTS GATHERINGS

THE PLAYING FIELDS. NOTES FROM. HERE AND THERE. British Miler. The ambition of R. H. Thomas, the English champion, is to run a mile in 4min 8sec. Last year Thomas made a British record of 4min 13 2-5sec, which was reduced a week or so ago to 4min 12sec by the New Zealand Rhodes scholar, J. E. Lovelock. Thomas won the mile at the recent British Gameg .in 4min 20sec, on a sodden track. He is one of England's hopes in the coming Olympic Games. Jimmy Mill. A famous ex-All Black in the person of Jimmy Mill Us still going strong. Although generally thought to have retired, Jimmy captained Tokomaru Bay in a challenge match against Ruatoria for the Lockwood Memorial Cup recently. Motor-cycling. The success of L. Perry in the 125 mile motor-cycle race, held at Mangere recently, is particularly noteworthy, as his machine was of only 2| horse-power, in open competition "with models up to 31 horse-power. Perry, who was one of the youngest competitors, rode a very steady race, lapping consistently at about 65 miles an hour throughout. His victory augurs well for future success. Cycling Records. The real significance of Hubert Op- . perman's recent record breaking ride is lost until it is realised that his time for 450 miles was four hours better than 'the time the express occupies in i travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne. His time for 600 miles was an houi? less than that taken by the Sydney express to reach Sydney. A remarkable fact is that he ha.d never before ridden more than 100 miles behind motor-pace. Ojpperman enjoys his cycling. '1 dont do it to put up endurance records," he says. "I like doiug it. I train and I like it." Rhodes Scholar's Feat. W. G. Kalaugher, New Zealand Rhodes scholar of 1927, was the most successful bowler for Oxfordshire last cricket season. He took 65 wickets at an average of under 13 runs. Olympic Record Holder. D. G. A. Lowe, the only athlete to have won the 800 metres race at two suceessive Olympiads, is the present hon. secretai'y of the English Amateur . Athletic Association. Lowe set the Olympic record of lmin 51 4-5sec. in 1928. Politics and Sport. Many in the crowd at the Australian Rules match between Victoria and New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on June 11 showed that they did not believe in politics interfering with sport. When the Prime Minister (Mr. Lyons), who is an old Australian Rules player, went on to the field to bounce the ball a very small section of the spectators hooted, but it was quickly drowned by the cheers and handclapping from all parts of the ground. Turning Professional. Danish hopes of retaining the Olympic road race title have been dashed by the decision of Henry Hansen to turn professional. Hansen is the worlds' amateur and Olympic road champion. Thirty-one years of age, Harry intends realising on his ability before he retires. Playing to a Finish. The M.C.C. have approved the proposal of the Australian Board of Control that during the 1934 tour of England by Australia, the final Test matched be played to a finish, if after the fourth Test match neither side has won two Test matehes or if the results are even. The conditions previously were that the final Test match was played to a finish only in the event of neither side, after the decision of the fourth Test, having gained an advantage. Athletic Tour. A proposed tour of the Dominion next summer by leading Australian athletes is to be sponsored by the Auckland Centre of the N.Z.A.A. and C.A. The tentative suggestion is that eight athletes be invited to take part in the tour, the party to he divided on arrival into two teams of four, one team to tour each island, and then to combine at Auckland and meet the cream of Dominion talent on the Domain. It is suggested that the personnel of the northern team comprise a sprinter, a cyclist, a walker, and a mile and three-mile runner, and the southern team a jumper, a polevaulter, a quarter-miler and sprinter, and a half -miler. The Auckland Centre is to be congratulated on its ambitious project and the tour will, if it eventuates, create tremendous interest in New Zealnd, and it is hoped that the local Amateur Club will be enabled to hold a fixture at which the visitors will compete. Swimming Records. Jean Taris, the famous French swimmer, set up new world's records for the 400 and 500 metres, free-style, at Rheims a few weeks ago. He covered the 500 metres in 6.1 1-5, and the 400 metres in 4.48 2-5, beating the previ'ous records, held by the Swede Arne Borg by 7 1-5 sec, and 1.9-10 sec respectively. Successor to Hobbs. W. W. Keeton, the 27-year-old Nottinghamshire batsman who is suggested by Maurice Tate as a possible successor to J. B. Hobbs as an opening batsman for England, became a regular memher of his country's first eleven only last year, he having been previously in the seeond eleven. Skilful and steady — indeed, a r^ther dour batsman — he went right ahead from the time he was brought into the first eleven, and scored 1140 runs for the county last season, at 'an average of 31.66. He scored two centuries that season, and has scored more this year, including the first double-century of the season. Keeton eomes from the same small district in Nottinghamshire as such noted Notts player s of the phst and present as George Gunn, F. J. Shacklock, Fred Barratt, Harold Larwood, W. Voce, and the Stap'les brothers, besides some others. In the winter Keeton plays Association football as a professional.