ALL SPORTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 10

ALL SPORTS

i A Weekly Budget I

Roger Blunt has cut his Wisden teeth. * * * A Victorian footballer complained that an opponent kicked him on the chin leaving a scar. A high mark! • * * We do not suppose the New Zealand cricket team minded a few ducks at the Lord Mayor’s breakfast. “Plus-fours for country rambles,” says a fashiqn advertisement. Yes I Picnickerbockers!

Old Rivals Parts of Scotland are menaced by the rabbit. This refutes the theory that it is too cold for cricket there. • * * When he was; in Sydney recently. Jack Henderson, the Christchurch cyclist, saw the world’s professional sprint runner, Tim Banner, compete in two races, and the manner in which the champion cut down large handicaps was amazing. He was as steady as a rock on the mark, and there was no suggestion of heating the pistol about his start. Like Jackson Scholz, the American Olympic champion, who toured New Zealand, he exercised the champion’s prerogative of getting down on the mark after the others were down. While waiting on the mark he demonstrated to others how to go down in the holes. Banner is a sportsman.

We hear that at a recent boxing match in England a spectator, who arrived a few minutes late, was overjoyed to find the bout still in px-ogress. * * * Recently a man fell into a lake, swam ashore, and then had to run three miles to escape a. swarm of bees. He is writing a book on “Training For Football Referees.” * * • A Question of Form “Women will never be ble consistently to defeat man’s athletic* records/* says a critic. In spite of the excellent form they display? Oh, Girls! Trouser golf skirts, short socks rolled to the ankle, and men’s wide-end ties of every pattern and colour, were fashion features at the Royal Melbourne links at Sandringham, when the Victoria women’s golf championship was played. Trouser skirts with the accompanying severe shirt blouse, these women declare, are the only wear for serious play. Silk stockings are tabooed. * * * Whirlwind Chess There were 28 moves in nine hours at a recent chess match in England. We learn that an ardent county cricket pa/tron had to be led out because the pa.ee was too hot for him. French Professional Rugby The movement to introduce professional Rugby football in France is making headway. It is reported that there is plenty of money behind it, and teams will be run in Paris and other big centres. Steps have been taken to acquire and lay out grounds. Important developments within the next few weeks are promised. Previous attempts to run Rugby in France on a professional basis have fizzled out. * * * Paddock to “Come Back”? Charles Paddock, the holder of the world’s record for the 100 yards, intends dropping his motion-picture work completely, early next year, and devoting three months to rigorous training for the Olympic Games. Paddock is confident that he can “come back** and believes that he will be able to lower the world’s 220 yards record. * * • Back from Argentina The British Rugby football team, which has been touring the Argentine, has returned to England. The manager'of the team said that it had had a wonderful time, and had won every match. The total number of points gained was 295, as against nine. He added that the Argentine teams played very well, particularly their forwards. Good Umpiring New Zealand cricketer’s opinions of English umpiring: “With so many county games to provide umpires for, it surprises me that-the standard of the umpires is so uniformly high. It isn’t as if any experienced old player makes a good umpire. The job requires special qualifications and some of the best players prove bad umpires. Officials in most games are only heard of when they make a mistake, which seems hardly fair. The umpires we have had so far have been as near perfect as it is possible to get.” His Country’s Call Several, times this season Mark Nicholls, Wellington Rugby skipper, has stated in definite terms that he is not available for. the New Zealand Rugby tour of South Africa. _That is. unless it is found that New'Zealand really wants him. Nicholls, with all modesty, evidently has decided that New Zealand does need him. Those Were the Days! “I am completely disgusted with this so-called training grind, so peacefully indulged in by Jack Dampsey and Gene Tunney in their luxurious country estates,” said the former world’s champion, James J. Jeffries. “I am glad I lived and fought when 1 did, when fighters got into real condition, hard as nails, and exchanged blows that meant something. It took me three months to get into real shape for Bob Fitzsimmons: but I knew I could beat him. I used to spar before breakfast, and do 10 to 12 miles road work each forenoon: and that was real running, too. Then I jumped a rope two or three thousand times without a break, had half an hour at punching the bag, end then 12 to 16 rounds of hard fighting daily. That was real training/’ he added, “not this soft stuff they have nowadays, made to suit Tex Rickard’s nice people/ who pay £6 to £ 8 to get within telescope distance of the fighters. Why, prize fighting to-day is a mere social function. That’s how I feel; but you bet your life I’ll be there in one of those £8 ringside seats.”