LEVIN BOWLERS WIN DIXON CUP.

Shannon News, 21 February 1922, Page 3

LEVIN BOWLERS WIN DIXON CUP.

On Saturday last a Levin rink consisting of W. H. Wilson, J. Rankin, W. Bull- and J. Pollock (skip), defeated the holders of the Dixon Cup, an Eketahuna rink, comprising W. Simpson, J. Carruthers, W. Duiff arid A. B. Duff (skip), by 20 to 17, after an exciting game, and so bringing the Cup to Levin. 'l ire weather was tine for the game, but a tricky wind was blowing. Levin Jed on the first eight heads, the score then being: Levin 10, Eketahuna 1. The holders then had a run of fortune, and on the twelfth head had equalised the score, 10 all. Levin went away with the lead again, and at the twenty-first- head the home team required one to tie and two to win. Their lead put a toucher on kitty. Rankin drove with his last ball, but failed to cut out the shot. Bull followed with a drive that made a dead head of it. The head was replayed. Both leads drew good bowls within a foot of kitty, Levin having the shot by a narrow margin. This position was unaltered when the skips went down. The Eketahuna skip played his first shot and missed. Pollock’s bowl did not make any tulierence to the score. After inspecting the head Duff drove and hit the shot bowl, which, carried kitty on to a bowl at the back, from which it rebounded to a position which gave Levin three points and the match. Ihe last head was played amidst a great deal of excitement.

DIXON CUP HISTORY. The (Dixon Cup is a nuiable trophy that for the past-fourteen .years, nas excited .the keene'st competition amongst bowlers. It was presented in 1908 by Mr Shep. Dixon, a member oi the Palmerston Club, and a player who has occupied a place in a Dominion champion rink, and was given as a challenge trophy lor play between certain specified clubs. The Shannon Club was selected as the first holders, it being the youngest of the competitors, and were asked to nominate a rink of defenders. The first match was accordingly played on the Shannon green on November 14, 1908, between rinks picked by the President and Vice-President. The result was as follows: J. Olsen, G. Stephenson, H. K.. Knowles and W. H. Gunning (skip)—26, v. J. P. Roach, K. \V. Stephenson, T. Lind and J. R. Stansell (skip)—l7. Levin were the first challengers, but the rink composed of J. Malcolm, Cameron, F. Roe and J. G. Hankins got a record thrashing by 46 to 8 on the Shannon green on December 5, 1908. The trophy was wrested from Shannon on December 9 by a Dannevirke rink by 21 to 15, and forthwith commenced its wanderings. Since that day 168 matches haVei been played for the Dixon Cup, and a glance through the record book that goes with the trophy is interesting. It contains iho names of all players during that time, wth the scores and green on which ownership was decided. It was first taken to Palmerston on March 11, 1909, by a rink composed of H. Mowlem, N. Malcolm, H. Nash and C. Smith (skip), who defeated Masterton by 17 to 12, while Feilding’s first win was recorded on December 15, 1090, by J. Bartholomew, E. G. Manning, H. C. Steward and G. H. Say well (skip), who accounted for the then holders, Tasker’s rink, by 19 to 14. Year after year since then the Dixon Cup has been a prize, the winning of which has been the desire of all good bowlers. In all 170 games have been played for it. besides the first presentation game on the Shannon green. The only tie recorded was on April 3 last. year,

when Terrace End and Palmerston were evenly matched, and the holders retained the trophy. The Feilding and Palmerston Clubs have been the chief rivals for its possession. The following table shows the number ol games won by each club entitled to play for the cup:— Palmerston North 52 Feilding 45 Terrace End 15 Pahiatua 13 Masterton H Dannevirke ” Otaki 6 Shannon 5 Woodville 6 Manawatu 4 Foxton 2 . Eketahuna 2 Marton 1 Levin 1 Shannon are the first challengers oil the list, and Feilding next.