SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1938, Page 9

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

TOPICAL TATTLE. Hurricane Hitting. A magnificent innings by the West Indian all-round cricketer L. N. Constantine dwarfed everything during the season in Lancashire League so far as hurricane hitting is concerned. Returning to his old form with a vengeance, he scored a brilliant 106 versus Middleton, reaching 50 in 15 minutes and the century in 33 minutes. He hit seven sixes and 10 fours. Tennis Marathons. And now tennis marathons are providing news for American sporting writers. An endurance match has been arranged between Alfred Berg and A. Sutor and Jack Dever and Bob Nelson on the California Tennis Club’s courts. Play is to start at dawn and the four enthusiasts will attempt to keep going until night falls. The players believe that they will have no difficulty in playing for over 14 hours. There will be a prize of £5O for the winning team. Safety First! South African golfer, Bobby Locke, enjoys wrestling, but believes in safety first. Recently, at the Sydney Stadium he had as companion P. Sydney Jones, Jim Ferrier, Lance Giddings, and Jimmy Hines, and when one of the 16stone men hurtled over the ropes, Locke was generally the first to move. Once, after a particularly rapid exit, Ferrier asked, “Where have you been?” “I saw a friend,” was Locke’s terse reply. “After watching Brother Jonathan in action, I am convinced that Whiskers Blake was a sissy,” was Locke’s summing up. Open-air Table Tennis. ■ Table tennis may yet rival the popularity of its big brother, lawn tennis, if a new move by the West of Scotland Table Tennis League catches on (says the Fife “Press”). This enterprising organisation is out to boost the game played in the open air. Recently they gave a week of outdoor demonstrations at the National Fitness Pavilion, Empire Exhibition, before crowds of about 15,000. Advocate-in-chief of the new variation is ex-world champion table tennis player Viktor Barna, who says: “Open-air table tennis is most difficult. It teaches ball control, quick change of strokes, and gives training in the game not possible indoors.” 71 Consecutive Wins.

Is there ah amateur football club with a better record than that held by Payneham (Adelaide)?. Their win in the final match was their seventy-first in succession. They lost their first match four years ago., but have since been undefeated under the captaincy of Bruce Hann. Payneham, in their first year in the Amateur League, have won the premiership ol A2 grade. They will be promoted to the Al grade next season. Timing a Punch. An “electric eye” timing device showed that the right fist of Al Albin, a heavyweight, who was once attached to Schmeling’s training camp, travelled at the speed of 40.2 miles an hour. It is understood that Joe Louis would not submit to similar measurements. Apparently he does not want to scare possible opponents. « Champion Golfer’s “Best Friend.” Bobby Locke says his greatest friend

is his putter. During his matches in England he amazed galleries by the manner in which he sank long putts, and already in Australia he had found the tin from “impossible” distances. Some regard him as one of the greatest putters in the world, but for confidence and ability it would be difficult to overshadow Jim Ferrier (says an Australian exchange). The Australian amateur champion never lines up a putt Unless he is sure that it is going down. When the American ace of putters, Paul Runyan, was in Australia, he would bet colleagues an even dollar that he would sink a putt of 30ft seven times out of 10. Runyan’s “secret” was, to use his own words, “Hit ’em straight.” Italy’s Decree. The Italian Government will shortly issue a decree giving sports referees the standing of “public officers,” with powers comparable with those of the police. . The “Littoriale” comments: “The public insulting of referees will be punishable by a fine, and in extreme cases persons will be arrested and charged.” Up and Down Display. When Alf Robinson, of Manchester, and Bert Iken, of Congleton, Cheshire, two heavy-weight boxers, fought 15 rounds in England that is what happened: In round 2 they collided head on and had to receive medical attention. In the next five rounds Robinson was floored five times, but recovered sufficiently to knock down Iken nine times. Result: Iken hurt his hand and retired in the seventh round.

Tennis Ranking. England’s famous tennis critic, Wallis Myers, ranks world players for 1938 as follows: —1, J. D. Budge; 2, H. W. Austin; 3, J. Bromwich; 4, R. L. Riggs; 5, S. B. Woods; 6, A. K. Quist; 7, R. Menzel; 8, J. Yamagishi; 9, G. Mako; 10. F. .Puncec.