EPITOME OF SPORTING NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3452, 17 February 1912, Page 3

EPITOME OF SPORTING NEWS.

(By “Mas O’Reilly.") “Amateur” cricketers Clem Hill, Trumper, Armstrong, Hansford, Cotter and Carter have sent an ultimatum to the Cricket Board Control that they will not journey to England unless they boss the show. The initial trouble arose over an item in the balance sheet of £492 Ss for "tips” in connection with the last Australian Eleven’s trip to the Dear Ma Land, and inquiries about details in this connection by the powers that be elicited a reply equivalent to the effect that it was time the Board of Control learned to mind their own business. Then the fun began, and as the public like to be in the thick of it, the Cricketing Rulers were encouraged to bring the mighty usurers of sport to their knees, and show them that sordid avariciousness is not to occupy a niche in the temple of cricket.

For many years past there has been a heap of dissent and disgust by genuine lovers of the game at the manner in which the members have been chosen to represent Australia in their pilgrimage to England to uphold the ashes. It lias been contended that a certain clique ran the show, and anybody outside the combine went at half fees, and the pawnbrokers in the game reached a rich harvest. * * * * * Writer remembers Trumper’s firstvisit to England and how he was selected. Trumper was then a boy, hut a brilliant cricketer. Public opinion forced the selectors to give him a trial in. an intercolonial match—X.S.W. v. Victoria. Reluctantly he was given a place, and came out on top. Shortly afterwards a team was selected for England, but Tnunper’s name was missing from tbe list—bis youthfulness was assigned as the cause. But there was such a howl of protest over this that at the eleventh hour Trumper was chosen—and it was public property at the time that he went at half fees.

It was said a few years afterwards that Trumper had joined the combine, and as his name figures amongst the Snavelling Six there appears to be some truth in the soft impeachment. ***** These “amateur” cricketers are offered £4OO and all expenses for the trip, and we all know how liberal the term “expenses” is interpreted, and to. a careful and cunning man means another £IOO in a four months’ trip to England. These coin-chasers of cricket turn their noses up at this generous offer,, but before long—when 'they are left lamenting—will themselves marvel at their own cool, consummate cheek. * * ' * * flit is to be hoped that the grab-all Six j will be taken severely at their, word { and left severely alone so far as cou- ! corns the next Australian XI. Their j defection will be a good thing for i cricket, Australia has a plenitude of i players wlio only await an opportunity • to demonstrate their worth, but will '/never get the opportunity-'while; the “Amateur” clique and has-beens rule the roost. * * * * The highest / seo re in first-class cricket is 424. by McLaren j then comes C. W. Gregory’s 383, C. Hill’s 365 not out. Woolley’s 305 not out beats' Armstrong’s 303 not out, and Trumper ’s

300 not out, made in England. Murdoch made 321 against Victoria.' * * «• . * 4s •Reynolds’s” says that Jack Johnson is believed to have lost a lot of money in speculation over land. But everyone knows that he had sunk a lot of money in Wells. The latter spouted, but never paid. '■* » * # * Many a small boy spends all bis beans on a pea rifle only to pot himself.

The flying miles in 31sec—equal to 116 miles an hour—recently recorded by Bordino on a 300 h.p car on Saltburn Beach (England) will not be officially recognised. A record will not be accepted unless the drive is. made in both directions, and the mean time taken to equalise the effect of the wind ; and those conditions were not observed. A glance over an American paper revealed that a Louisville, Kentucky, messenger boy won a four miles race in record time.' The thought naturally occurred “first time ii messenger hoy was ever known to get up speed.” 'But a second glance showed that Messenger Boy was a Horse, who carried 7.8 and made the track and Kentucky record for the distance—-7min 14 l-ssec. * * * * Sporting papers and magazines have for some time past been• discussing the 'why, wherefore and scientific explanation of swerves and googlies; yet, in times gone by, when bowlers let such, things trouble them not, such bowlers as Turner, Spofforth, Palmer, Evans, Ferris, Boyle, etc., were more successful than our moderns, with all their book knowledge. It remains one of the nine tricks, of the fox against the one of the successful cat.

The Yanks are nothing if not original with the administration of the law, and also in their police methods. The other day New York had a baseball match between the police and the fire departments, and as both are practically political bodies, considerable interest was evinced in the result, upon which there was incidentally some huge betting between the various Commissioners. The game was pretty close up to the last innings, when Policeman Mike Donohoe unexpectedly made a home run, and brought victory to the “force.” Commissioner Waldo was so pleased with Mike’s great Lit that lie immediately made him a detective, with an increase of salary of 400 dollars a vear —a mere trifle compared to the “honest graft” attached to the job—and to create the vacancy the Commissioner had to remove a clever detective, who had done good work in tracing Italian Blackhanders in the city. No ■wonder crime is rampant, and undetected in New York.

Bleriot has been figuring out the cost of acTophming, and after a careful calculation, covering the cost of machine, house, mechanic, fuel, oil, etc., he brings it out at about £3 per air-mile. The figures do not include anything for doctors’ bills or undertakers’ fees, and tile tombstone-maker has been rigidly disregarded. * * * * * The Rev Dr Eliot, President Emeritus of Harvard University, just before sailing on a peace mission, as representative of the Carnegie Endowment, the organisation and aims of which he is to explain to Asiatic countries, was interviewed on the subject of sport, and was asked what he thought of Harvard’s defeat by Princeton. “I don’t take much interest in football,” he replied. “It’s too dangerous for professional players, and college men cannot play it more than a year. They are liable to too many serious injuries —injuries for life. It’s different from baseball, and it’s worse than prizefighting. The man in the ring .does not run such a risk of being maimed as the man on the gridiron.”