INDOOR BOWLING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 13

INDOOR BOWLING

POPULARITY OF SPORT CONTINUES TOURNEY PROGRESS Several teams arrived to compete in the present indoor bowling tourney without bowls. They were possi'afly plumbers in private life. The organisation was equal to the huge undertaking, and the management is to be congratulated on the success which has attended its efforts. This phenomenal progress (1927, 35 teams; 1928, 50 teams; 1929, 68 teams) must have meant months of hard work, but the genial secretary seems to thrive ori work for he again appears as one of the intersection finalists. A noticeable feature of these tourneys is the increasing numbers taking part. The Mayor of an important borough, several ex-presidents of bowling aad tennis clubs, and borough councillors are among the competitors. That free and easy spirit of good fellowship so inseparable from bowls is again in evidence, and the presence of so many women competitors gives a refinement to the whole gathering. Birkenhead has a wonderful outlook, and the air must be very invigorating, for in this tourney no fewer than eight teams from Birkenhead have qualified for intersection play. As Devonport and Takapuna have each qualified with one team, it would seem as though the standard of play must be much higher across the water than on the city side. An item of interest to many outdoor as well as indoor enthusiasts is a challenge match at the indoor game to be played between two prominent members of the old City Central Association. The merits and demerits of the indoor game have been so thoroughly thrashed out at the midday conferences that it was felt nothing was now left unsaid. There was no other way to settle the argument than an actual match. So the competitors are in active training. The Dominion Road champion, who has acquired what he terms the indoor touch, is shaping well, but the West End champion, who knows that a man only plays as well as he is allowed to. is not dismayed. The open tourney of August 31 and September 7 is attracting attention from outdoor men as the weather has certainly not been very kind to them; and the indoor association, which is providing the bowls and greens for its outdoor brothers, will guarantee the weather and greens. Many of the bowling clubs will be represented and rumour has it that the famous Nomads, tired of mud baths every Saturday, are contemplating trying out the new idea. The presence of this famous combination would add considerably to the social aspect of this tourney. which might quite easily become an annual one.

Outdoor men should also avail themselves of the opportunity to pick up new recruits for the coming season.