Personalities In Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 345, 4 May 1928, Page 10

Personalities In Sport

Known By All Auckland Bowlers —A Keen and Enthusiastic Official

Find yourself in the midst of a group of bowlers and ask them what’s doing in the bowling world. If they can’t tell you. it’s a hundred to one that they will all say, “Ask George Gladding?” This goes to typify the man and his work. As secretary of the Auckland Bowling Centre he is undoubtedly one of the hardest-worked bowlers in New Zealand. But, of course, George Gladding has not been a bowling fiend all his life. Thirty years ago, in the summer months, he played cricket for the old Grafton Club and during the winter he took the field for the Arawa Rugby Club, later to join up with Newton and become a senior and an Auckland Senior B representative. Over a quarter of a century ago the game of lacrosse received a great run in Auckland and George was one of the most prominent players. In those days there were five clubs catering for this branch of sport. In 1902 he bid good-bye to his many sporting pals, and sailed away for Samoa on business. Four years in the Islands seemed to take a lot of pep out of George, that is, as far as active sports were concerned in which he indulged in Maoriland, although, of course, while in Samoa he played a deal of tennis.

and took up “ye grand old game of bowls” and joined up with the Rocky Nook Club. He held every official position in this club right up to the presidential chair which he accepted in 1914. After being a member of Rocky Nook for. 20 years, he found it necessary, owing to residential qualifications, to join the Carlton Club. Just to show how much the officials and members of Rocky Nook thought of George they made him a life member, a thing which is by no means an every day occurrence where bowling clubs are concerned. He became delegate t q the Auckland Centre in 1920 and during the last four years when he has been a most popular and active secretary of the centre, he has also held the position as a member of the Dominion Bowling Council. So much for George’s official standing in the bowling world, but at the same time he can play the game with the best of them. On three occasions he skipped the championship fours for Rocky Nook, skipped the championship pairs twice and was four times runner-up for the championship singles of that club. Last year, playing for Carlton, he was a member of the team that won the big Christmas pennant competition. It is well for the sport that such enthusiastic and keen workers are

available as Mr. George Gladding. He , stands in the highest estimation of every fellow-bowler and by those who know him in business, and his pleasant manner carries him along as one of th© most popular officials and players connected with the game in this city.

I The racing in the Stawell Gift demonstrated, as did his victories over Tim Banner, that T. J. Miles is a wonderful runner, but not quite the equal of that great world champion of other days, A. B. Postle. But Miles is young and has yet time in which to improve.