THE FAMOUS ALL BLACKS.

Southland Times, Issue 21100, 4 June 1930, Page 3

THE FAMOUS ALL BLACKS.

To the Editor.

Sir,—-For a quarter of a century the words “The Famous All Blacks” have been dished up by the New Zealand Press to the New Zealand people without the slightest justification for doing so. Now, sir, may I ask a few questions of you. Why the “famous” All Blacks? (1) Is it because they beat West Hartlepool (which was a third rate team) by 02 points? (2) Or is it because they beat Devon County (a second rate team) by 35 points? (3) Or is it because when defeated by Wales they refused to accept the decision? (4) Or is it because after their defeat by Wales they played the role of a spoilt child and threatened to abandon all the remaining fixtures in Wales if they weren’t allowed to choose their own referee ? (5) Or did their defeat of the "All Whites” by one point (with their own fancy referee) make them “famous?” (G) Or was it because they were the only team in the British Isles that year that was able to beat Cardiff (a club team) and then only by two points? (7) Or was it because they made all the excuses possible to avoid playing “The Sauspan fach” (Llanelly), which was a first-class team? (8) Or perhaps, Mr Editor the All Blacks became “famous” because they took £9OOO out of the country, and refused to play an exhibition game with Wales on the Crystal Palace grounds for the benefit of the London Hospitals, although the suggestion came from King Edward VII. Now look you, Mr Editor, let me tell you this: the world is filled with admiration, and will go delirious with enthusiasm over achievement. But the whole world loaths, and is sickened by a continual bombast over nothing.—l am, etc., “TUM SHONE CATTY.”