A Column For the “Barrackers”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 55, 27 May 1927, Page 6

A Column For the “Barrackers”

There are thousands of loyal supporters of sport in Auckland, who week after week pay their humble “bob” at the gate. They have no direct voice in the management of the game , but it is to their collective efforts that the successful management of any sport is so largely due. Through this column, which will be featured every Friday, the “barracked 3 will be given an opportunity in THE SUN to express his views . Letters, paragraphs, queries, etc., are welcomed. Letters should be bright, brief and to the point.—Sports Editor.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

Wages: No; it is not the same player. W.M.: Bob Fitzsimmons weighed list. 2£lb. when he defeated Corbett for the world’s heavy-weight championship.

FIGHTERS AND WRESTLERS

(To the Sports Editor.) Sir,— Don’t you think it is time both the Northern Boxing Association and the New Zealand Wrestling Association bestirred themselves out of their Rip Van Winkle sleep? The N.8.A., I see, is busy making excuses about “no fighters,” but if it would show a bit of energy it would soon get the right men. This is an old parrot cry: “We haven’t got the men.” They said the same thing before Purdy and Co. went to Australia, yet it was only once in a blue moon that the N.B.A. ever gave those boys a chance in their own town. No wonder they left! I see McKnight is winning against the best of them on the Other Side. Well, why can’t they give young Jim Broadfoot a chance, seeing that he has beaten McKnight? What about Harry Casey, Artie Hay and Dick Loveridge—all good boys? As for the Wrestling Association. they seem to have died of old age. Here is Sunni following the rest of them to Australia, because he can’t get matches. There are always good men passing back and forward from America to Australia, and the association could soon fix up a bout if it showed a bit of enterprise beforehand. It seems ages since there was a decent fight or wrestling match put on here. WAKE UP.

GRAFTON IN THE COLD

Sir, — The Grafton team is at present in second place in the A.R.U. senior competition, but has not yet been seen on No. 1 ground at Eden Park. The result is that the bulk of the spectators know nothing about this promising team. It is only a fair thing that players should be encouraged by an occasional appearance on the star ground. Four matches have been played to date, and Grafton have been out in the cold for each one. On the other hand, Grammar Old Boys have played three out of four matches on Eden Park No. 1. The first round is half over, and a newcomer following Auckland Rugby might not yet know the colour of the Grafton jerseys. The A.R.U. may. have its o\yn explanation,

KORTLANG IN SYDNEY

B. Kortlang, who must be the most travelled cricketer in the world, is once again in Sydney, after a few years in New Zealand, where he had the distinction of scoring two centuries (145 . —.... not out and 180 not out) for Wellington against the country team this season (says the “Sydney Referee”). He states that he will settle in Australia permanently this time. B.K. looks bigger than formerly, and very well, though feeling the effects of a recent fall in Wellington. KLortlang thinks B. J. Kortlang the New Zealand team will perform with credit in England, and that the tour will have an admirable influence on the game in the Dominion in coming years. He speaks very highly of Blunt as a batsman. Page he describes as solid, yet very aggressive, after the style of Reginald Duff in his days of partnership with Victor Trumper. Dempster is a little chap like Macartney, and a brilliant field. McGirr is a medium pace right-hand bowler, swings, but does not turn the ball; is likely to be brilliant when he gets going with the bat. Merritt spins the ball with real fizz, and on the faster wickets will do well in England; he tosses the ball a trifle too high.

Though he made a lot of runs in New Zealand, B.K. realises that the selectors were justified in not including him in the team—it was, he considers, right to give preference to the younger players, who will develop on this tour and return to New Zealand polished in the fine points, such as running between wickets, and in returning the ball from the fields.

but to me the thing looks like deliberate prejudice. At least, one expected to see Grafton on the main ground this week, but again it is the old, old story. J. M. GORDON.

WON’T MEET SUNNI?

To the Sports Editor. Sir,— The fault of Suni not getting any matches cannot be placed at the door of New Zealand wrestlers generally. Since the formation of the New Zealand Wrestling Association, some of the best wrestlers in the Dominion have been given the go-by. Wrestling would boom in New Zealand, as it is doing in Australia at present, if carried on under the same circumstances, and with capable, uninterested referees. The “necking parties” served up to wrestling fans during the past few years are the direct cause of the poor houses obtained by the New Zealand Association. I know one man who will meet Sunni, and that is C. M. Brown, who beat the slippery Indian at Hamilton in 1924. OLD WRESTLER.