“SKINNY’S” DOUBLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1003, 20 June 1930, Page 9

“SKINNY’S” DOUBLE

CURIOUS INCIDENT ON FOOTBALL TOUR N.Z. PLAYER IMPERSONATED Arthur (“Skinny”) Humphries, the 1 great Taranaki and New' Zealand Rugby half of long ago, had a curious experience during his first visit to Australia with the 1897 New Zealand team. At the dinner following the team’s first game in Sydney, “Skinny” received a message that he was wanted at the chairman’s table. Wondering somewhat at the request, Humphries made his way to the “king” table, where he was greeted with the question. “Are you Humphries?” Arthur blushingly pleaded guilty. “Quite sure?” was the next question. Arthur now began to have doubts about it, but stuck to his previous assertion. Well, then,” was the next question, , ‘how do you account for this?” “This” was a wire from Bathurst asking “Is j Humphries in Sydney?’ *A reply was dispatched stating that Humphries was undoubtedly in Sydney. MYSTERY EXPLAINED A few days later the team reached Bathurst, when the mystery was ex- j Plained. It seems that a few' days i before the arrival of the team in Syd- J ney, a stranger bearing some super- . ficial resemblance to the redoubtable | ’ Skinny” had appeared in Bathurst, i He sought out a leading hotelkeeper j and told him a wondrous tale, in which be claimed that he was the only and original Humphries; that he had arrived in Sydney before the other members of the team; and that he liad tone on a “bender” there. Then, having run out of cash, he had set out to walk to Bathurst to obtain some needed rest before the arrival of his mates and the start of their campaign. It seemed a tall talc, but the ; stranger told it convincingly, and furnished what appeared to be adequate Sroof of identity. Be that as it may. convinced the Bathurst folk, and the strength of his football repuAAJion was most hospitably treated. The hotelkeeper put him tip, and *e was called upon to take in hand the coaching of the Bathurst football * -am. The first suspicion as to his j/ona-fides arose when Humphries’s yiame appeared among the team for the first match. Hence the wire. When the answer arrived from Sydh«v that the real “Skinny” had played that day, a large publican arose, took The impostor gently but firmly by the xoruff of the neck, and led hint forth. 4 'Xow, then, me lad.” he said, “you Took the name of Humphries when Jou came: you take the name of Walker now- son, and git!” And he fcot! IIONI KARUWHA.