HAMILTON V. HUNTLY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2350, 2 August 1887, Page 3

HAMILTON V. HUNTLY.

to tub Kinnm. Sir,—Judging by the effu-iotis of some of the Hamiltonians in your issue of 7 uesday, it scums that, though discomfiled mi the football field, they intend to retrieve their laurels through the medium of the press, and at the same lime leach all wdio in future may have the audacity to score two trys to nil'that they arc hy so doing laying themsolvos open to lie denounced as mood-

thirsty, foul-spoken wretches, and unlit to breathe the same air as the pure and unsullied youth who compose'the Hamilton Football Club. Of course, the Hamilton, ians know that the poor illiterate members • - - the Iluntly Football Club cannot'defend memsclvos :•> the newspapers, and presuming on this, Mr Sanilcs and “hull-back’ give free scope l<« their imagination, without fear of contradiction, and vent their disappointment by abusing both the Iluntly players and spectators wdio were present at ►Saturday's football match. I should he truly thankful to Mr hiaiides if he could put a stop to swearing, as 1 have a great horror to had language myself, and was perfectly shocked on Saturday when f heard the remark Mr Sarnies himself made to one of the umpires when requested not to interfere iu the game. Almost all our men heard MrSaudes, and that gentleman should excuse their following his example, for, being himself an old exponent of the game, of football, the ignorant members of the Hmilly F. C. no doubt thought that swearing was a necessary qualilication of every true footballer. I must say, however, on behalf of the Huntly men, that they did not imitate Mr Sandos to the alarming extent be would lead one to believe, aud as every objectionable phrase used by onr men is duly recorded in extenso in the reports of the match, readers can judge for themselves whether these epithets are more numerous or more offensive than those in which the Hamiltonians arc wont to indulge in. Tho Huntly F.C. doubtless are very grateful to “ Full-back ” for his admission that they are the best team of the two, bnt as they proved this on Saturday they did not require to be told so. “Full-back,” however, has the manliness to acknowledge it, which'Mr Sandos has not. Another cause for the gratitude of the Huntly F.C. is that Mr Sandos exonerates some of their members from the imputations cast upon tho club. These members, however, would like Mr Sandos to explain what ho means hy saying that tho language used by tho Iluntly F.C. “from the captain down ” was shameful. I would advise Mr Sandos in future if ho desires, as he says, to promote the intcrcstsof football, not to publish such prejudiced and partial statements ns that which appeared in Tuesday’s issue, but ho would further his object much more if he could teach a losing team to take a licking like men.—Yours truly, If ALT-PACK. Huntly, July 20th.

TO TUB KDITOR. Sir,— The Hamilton football players may easily learn a lesson or two from their opponents at Iluntly last Saturday, though the accident to our best back was no doubt the cause of the loss of the match. When iluntly pave up the hand game the com biued dribbling of their forwards was altogether too much for our “ each for himself ” game. There are only three Hamilton forwards who make even a pretence of backing one another up. Secondly, in the back play, the long passes across the ground so frequently made by the local team gained them a lot id ground—though, as a rule, I agree with Dr. Irvine (captain for many years of the Scottish Representatives) that snob passes are in nine cases out of ten rather illegitimate, as either the ball is thrown a foot or two forward or the player passed to is a foot or two olf side. Jt. uvever, there is no doubt either in my mind or in that of most of our team at any rate that the best team won.—Yours truly, I'OUWAUI). Hamilton, July .‘soth, I.SS7.