Weismuller for N.Z.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 512, 15 November 1928, Page 1

Weismuller for N.Z.

UNITEDS CLAIM TO HA VE MAJORITY

AUTHORITIES SEEK TOUR

Due in Auckland Next Month

EAGER to secure a visit from a prominent swimmer to assist swimming: in New Zealand, the Auckland Swimming Centre has approved of the proposal by the Dominion control to bring Johnnie Weismuller, of the United States, on a tour of New Zealand this summer. The centre expects Weismuller to reach Auckland from Vancouver on December 3.

The centre executive met at noor to-day to consider a letter from the New Zealand Council asking if the centre favoured the extending of an invitation to Weismuller for a briel tour. Members were strongly in favour oi the suggestion. A sub-committee was appointed to draw up programmes and make complete arrangements for carnivals in Auckland. The centre decided to send its approval to the council immediately. Further, an application for two carnivals —one r ’ week and one on a Saturday—will made for Auckland. Weismuller expected to remain about a month in New Zealand. TO AUSTRALIA, TOO The proposed tour will be made in co-operation with the Australian Swimming Union, which made the original invitation. The Australian authorities had originally intended to secure the servces oi Clarence Crabbe, of Honolulu, another great American swimmer, but latest reports say that Crabbe will be unable to come owing to the possible interference with his education. When a visit from Crabbe was first mooted, the Waitemata Swimming Club raised the suggestion to bring him to New Zealand. The Auckland Centre took the movement up and suggested visits to the Dominion from Andrew Charlton, of Australia, or possibly Takaishi, of Japan. POSSESSES SPRINT RECORDS Weismuller’s proposed visit has come as a surprise—and a welcome one. He is easily the greatest sprint swimmer the world has seen, and has been a United States Olympic representative for several years. He holds world records for most of the sprint distances from 80 yards up to 440 yards, and has been the star swimmer of his club, Illinois, from 1921. He was also a member of the world’s champion relay team over the halfmile. Latest reports from America announced that Weismuller, like many other American swimming representa-

tives at Olympiads, had turned professional, and would shortly take the post of professor of swimming to the VVaseda University, Japan. Nothing official has been heard in New Zea-

me wc.ioiYiui_U.tK ■ land, but Weismuller is believed to have been considering a tour of Australia, at least for some time past. After the trip to Australia and New Zealand, he will probably go immediately to Japan. Should the tour take place, much of the credit will go to the Auckland Centre, which has been busily discussing overseas visits for several weeks past. Co-operation has also come from Wellington.