OBITUARY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9094, 21 May 1908, Page 5

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF MR A. H. BASKIVILLE. Received May 20, 11.22 p.m. BRISBANE, May 20. Mr A. H. Baskiville, secretary and organiser of the professional "Ail Blacks," died to-night from pneumonia. The body will be embalmed and conveyed to New Zealand by the first boat. Mr A. H. Baskiville organised the New Zealand professional football team wliicli is about to conclude its tour throughout England and Australia, and it is particularly sad that he should be carried off at this time. He went as manager and secretary of the team, and also took part in several matches during the tour, playing in the three-quarter lino against New South Wales only a week ago. Mr Baskiville's family reside in Wellington, and he was engaged for some years in the Post and Telegraph stores at Wellington. As an indication of the spirit which prompted his undertaking the work of initiating the professional movement amongst Rugbyites the following letter received by a well-known local enthusiast from Mr Baskiville is distinctly interesting:— "Many thanks for your kind expressions of good wishes. Yours is but onfc of several received lately, all written in the same strain. Coming from you well-known to me as an out-and-out amateur —it is doubly pleasing—encouraging in fact. Some of us will return amateurs; perhaps in a truer sense than the last "All-Blacks." I, for one, am out for a good holiday, and the honour and glory—if any. You know sport with me is the breath of life, and I wanted a good flutter before withdrawing from the arena. Several of my friends had the same desideratum—hence the approaching tour. We hatched the scheme out. I perfected it, and organised the tour. Money did not create the idea. As I said before I nm for the tour, ar.d do not expect to bring the "hoot" back at all. In fact, lam prepared to sacrifice the money I have put into the scheme—no small amount —without a pang, if we can repeat the 1905-6 performance. Here let me assure you that we will always go out to win. Every man with us is one of us. We left out several because we had doubts as to their palm —->r the itchiness thereof. We hope to be a happy family, and keep up the reputation of this dominior, both on and off the field. The sympathies of the masses —since the error the Union made in persecuting rrie so relentlessly —have turned towards us; as you say, we will have the eyes of the football world on us, and we will be as keen on winning as the "All Blacks" were."