ALL SPORTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 399, 6 July 1928, Page 10

ALL SPORTS

A Weekly Budget

' Jongens! Wat is Cricket.” That is not a question, but the name of the latest book on cricket, written in Dutch for Dutch enthusiasts. “Cricket is a simple game,” says a contemporary. But fieldsmen are always looking for the catch. • * * Gene Tunney says that prize-fight-ing should be classed as an art. The great artists of the ring, of course, are those who can put their opponents on canvas. * * * Judging by the rate that pugilists arf acquiring culture, it won’t be long before we hear jokes about the absentminded prize-fighter. * * * “When a man swears,” says a lecturer. “it costs him a certain amount of energy which can be represented in -L s d.“ How wealthy some of our golfers would be if they applied their energy differently! * * * The eight competitors for the dartthrowing championship of England had darts made to suit exactly their requirements, and each player was attended by seconds, some having/ as many as four to massage their arms during the tourney. Ye gods! * 0 0 ■ * The little dicky birds in the bush at the back of Carlaw Park get a good bird’s-eye view of the game, and hear a lot of what comes over the air from

the arena below. The topic in the tree-tops this week has been a lengthy discussion as to whether certain prominent players in a recent match Mere suffering from a temporary attack of rigor mortis. • * 0 Prickly heat seems likely to develop into a Soccer epidemic. After the Thistle-Belmont outbreak M*e have the Thistle-Nomads affair in Christchurch last Saturday. * * * Only an optimist looks to gather olive branches from thistles.

First Aid The American University debaters who are now in Christchurch were* rather surprised by the lengths of the spells played in Rugby football. “Fortylive minutes!” said one. “Why, if they played 45-minute spells in America they’d have to have a row of ambulances to cart off the sick and wounded!” o*o Not a Precedent A correspondent has sent us a “pome” about Tom Heency. Somebody might like to send it to Gene Tunney, -who is of a “lit’rary” turn of mind, and so we publish it. But publication is not to be taken as a precedent. Y r es, Bill, raise the curtain! TOM HEENEY Tom Heeney left his home shores, For lands far away. And now he’s out to beat Tunney, That’s what New Zealanders say. He’s training now in U.S.A., Good luck follow him all the way. And if the fight he wins that day, All New Zealand him will tribute pay. / * * * The first match at the forthcoming English League team’s tour will be played at Taupiri against South Auckland on Wednesday, August 1. •** . * City Has Improved Most of the senior - League teams have shown a marked improvement at different times, and one in particular is City. Early in the season it was certainly one of the weakest sides in the senior competition, but during last month it came to light, on one occasion nearly defeating Devonport, while last Saturday in the match against Ponsonby the Ponies failed to cross the line and won the match by a penalty kick. Amos, the Christchurch player, is certainly a big asset to the City ranks, and although not so prominent on Saturday he was very solid. * * * Porritt’s Doubt Some doubt was expressed by A. E. Porritt about his ability to get into top form again in order to represent New Zealand in the 100 metres at the Olympic Games this year, and thfe absence of his name from the cabled news of Olympic Games doings rather leads to the assumption that he has failed to strike form. Porritt has done but little running in the past 12 months, and he is troubled now with a knee that is liable to “go.”

Heftiest of the Hefty In a team of big men, Bill Burgess claims the honour of being the heftiest customer among the English League footballers now in Australia. Burgess, a line front row forward, is 6ft lin tall, and weighs 14st. Six-footers in the team are Sloman, Ellaby and Sullivan. Sloman weighing 13st 71b, Ellaby lost and Sullivan 13st 31b. The shortest player is Jack Evans, who is only sft 3in in height. Billo Rees is sft 4in, Parkin sft sin and Bryn Evans sft 6in.