DESPOILERS OF SPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 619, 22 March 1929, Page 7

DESPOILERS OF SPORT

ArREND in sport which does not appear to be in the best interests of any popular pastime is the tendency to regard Sunday as a suitable occasion for an annual meeting, and Christmas Day and Good Friday as inclusive dates for big spot” ing fixtures. It is to be noticed that some football clubs have reached a stage where they openly advertise their annual meetings to be held on a Sunday. Further than that, a number of bowling and cricket fixtures are already being mooted for Good Friday. The playing of important cricket matches, such as the Plunket Shield, on Christmas Day. has already been provocative of considerable discussion, but this latest trend seems to be a good deal worse. It reflects very little credit on tjie members of any football club if they have not sufficient enthusiasm to attend the annual meeting of their club on a week night. The holding of sports on Good Friday must make any think ing man wonder how long Anzac Day will be kept from competitive sports gatherings. There are days in the year which possess a deep significance to the community, and to sportsmen, too, and there are surely enough days available at. Christmas and Easter for sport without dragging competitive fixtures into Christmas Day and Good Friday. The Auckland Rugby Union lias already given the clubs under its jurisdiction a strong and commendable lead on tliU question, and it behoves other sporting organisations in the province to face the question squarely, instead of winking an eye at what is going on.