Personalities In Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 405, 13 July 1928, Page 10

Personalities In Sport

“They Can’t Come Back ” —But Delgrosso Did

A New Zealand and Auckland re-« jjresentative and for six years captain of one of the finest club combinations in the Dominion’s Kugby League football —that is the record of L. Delgrosso, the well-known Ponsonby player, who staged a “come-back” this season and on Wednesday last was seen lurking behind the scrum in the winning team in the trial match, playing with as much vim and dash as ever. A diminutive youngster in short pants, “Delly” first showed a weakness toward football when h€; attended the Marist School in 1911. Nuggetty and as hard as nails, he became one of the leading lights in the school team, for which he played until 1914. Then he became a member of the Ponsonby Rugby Union Club, spending two seasons in the second grade team which, by the way, won the championship in both years. The “heads” of one of the best-or-ganised clubs in Auckland soon realised that young Delgrosso was a coming champion, with the result that, in 1917. he was included in the ranks of the Ponsonby Club’s senior grade team. It was in the next season, 1918, that he changed over to the Rugby League code, and lie has worn the familiar blue and black colours of Ponsonby ever since.. A RAPID RISE From then on “Delly’s” career was meteoric. As a leaguer he developed into a champion, and in 1919 gain€»d his Auckland and New Zealand cap, playing for the Dominion against the visiting English team that year. Perhaps the greatest event in his career was when he captained New Zealand against England when the All Blacks clinched the “Ashes.” Another notable distinction for the Ponsonby skipper was his inclusion in

►the New Zealand team which toured Australia in 1921, while a couple of outright brilliant games which he played in the All Black trials in 1926 gave “Delly” his place in the. New Zealand team which toured England that year. A CLUB MAN FIRST Until the representative game this year, when Auckland met South Auckland for the Northern Union Challenge Clip. “Delly” had never missed an Auckland rep. team since 1919, and to his credit it has to be said that this year the welfare of his club means more to Delgrosso than a representative cap. Last season, still recognised as one of the best backs in the Dominion, he went out to the wing position to fill a vacancy there, and with his customary versatility, held down the job admirably, although he did not get the same opportunities to shine as he would in a more congenial role. At the end of last season Delgrosso announced that he had given the game best, and this year he was appointed coach to his old team. He soon found he had a stiff task on hand, for the Ponsonby team was undoubtedly showing signs of “going off.” and its displays were unconvincing. So once again, “Delly” donned the old blue and black jersey, with the result that Ponsonby is again in the limelight. A good fotoballer and a fine fellow both on and off the field, “Delly” is deservingly popular among the fans and his fellow-players. There is no need to say much about Delgrosso’s chances of again wearing the All Black jersey of the League game this year, because this is in no sense a “build up” for a player who can be judged entirely on his merits. But if he does go in, there will be no more popular man in the team to meet the Englishmen.