FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 306, 1 June 1889, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The Turanganui Club, which started on a very modest scale, is now coming into prominence, and the senior clubs may look closely to their laurels if they wish to prevent Ming outstripped by the rising stars. The jawbreaking name they have adopted would M enough to trill through the marrow of any one but a devil-may-care footballer. Tnty place two teams in the field to-day, ana the amount of their success (or, whisper it, u>s reverse) will be watched with interest. Though the name is a Maori one, the players profess no more knowledge ot the " ake aka " businees than an infant does of Euclid. Seven erstwhile New Zealanders played for the Victorian Rugby Union in the match against the Maori team in Melbourne last week, viz., J. M’Clesry (tats of the Union Club, Wellington), J. Rutaell tanox-mem-bar of the Pirates, Dunedin), E. Btohr (at one time a member of ths Dunedin High School Club), J. Brown (an ex-Aucklander), A. Miller (an Otego representative), Dta. mond (who learnt hie football at ot, Patrick’s College, Wellington), and Dench.

“ SMILEB ” INTERVIEWED. It is not alone in football circles the good tempered “ Smiler " has gained a reputation for himself: if be had been a Bight Honorable Somebody, mixed up in soma spicy scandal, it is not likely he would have come into so much prominence. The Napier Telegraph has the following concerning him Many footballers were agreebly surprised at meeting the invincible “ Smiler ’ ana Karauria in town on Sunday. Tbs-two players of Jos Warbriok's team arrived by the southern boat, and we feel .certain that had it been known amongst followers of the rough and tumble game that Smiler and Karaurta were returning, they would have assembled on the wharf to givejthem a hearty welcome on their landing on their native son once more. Gags also returned to New Zaatand, but he did not come on with Smiler . and Karaurta, remaining at Wellington, his 4 home, Smiler eeemsjto have benefited by the ■ trip home, snd has lost none of that pleasant ’ smile which secund for Mm his cognomen. The old Maori player ta as jolly as ever, and on ths Marins Parade on Sunday he was the centre of a group of admiring footballers' to whom ho recounted soma interesting facta of the recent tour. Smiler had a good kugh over a letter that hafl appeared in a locnl contemporary about a lady of rank at Hom« E resenting Mm with a diamond ring which; a uld, wu all " put up." Karaurta looks bad, and ths tour does aot appear to have agreed with Mm; in fast, ba thought be would not ho his native land again, so bad did hs feel at on* time at Home, He does not know whether ha will go in fog football this aoMon in Hawke's Bay, u ho desires a spell. , . Smiler took up his quarters at ths Star Hotel for a short while, ana in a conversation on Sunday evening with a Telegraph reporter, he eave some interesting details of the tour, •' Call me Smiler," he said, in bio broken English, “ I like det name do host. My .real name IMmalra in Maori, and Ishmael In English." , . ~ He said the trip was a grand one, and all the boys enjoyed it ImmenHly, but hs wag glad to get back again; there was no nlaM like Napier after all, and Karaurta held the same opinion, Gage came beak on account of his slater being very elolt at WolUngton, but he joins the team again et Sydney, piny, Ing with them in their return matches In Naw Zealand. Warbriok’s team, Smiles ■aid. will play at Sydney, Brisbane, Dunedin. Ohristohureh, Wellington, Napier and Auckland, the team finishing up at Auck, land, and then returning to their homoe, “Jimmy " Soott, Smiler »id, wax a fins manager, and all the arrangementa for their matches were capitally fixed, the teem having no cause for complaint anywhere. The match with Hull wee an exceedingly hard game, and resulted in a draw. In thu match Smiler related how he eeoured the try for the Maori team. The same was nearly over, when he, playing at half-back, eeoured the ball, and he ran with it almost the length of the field. As he neared the goal lino two of hie opponents threw themselves at hiuk both collaring him, but ho carried the men behind the line with Mm. He smiled—as ho alone can do it—when ho recalled thia incident. “ What sort of gams did Keogh play! Is this true about him playing selfishly ?“ Smiler replied that Keogh was a good man—one of their beat half backs, but he was rather a selfish player. Keogh always sang out Ki Muri (heel out) when the scrutni were formed, as he wanted to score, and would seldom pass after he got the ball. He spoilt the play of the forwards. Elliott, Gage, Wynard. and Madigan all played excellently. He said their forwards wore a very strong combination. Dick Taiaraa was one of their best forwards. Smiler did not play in all the matches. If he played well in one match he might be picked for the next, but if he played ■’ a little wrong" he would not ba picked to play again for some time. M’Caustand, ho 0010, captained them on some occasions, and the hoys liked him, as he was kind to them, He did not notice any extra rough play on the part of the Englishmen. He was of the opinion that a pakeha football team from New Zealand would do well at Home. Smiler was presented with a handsome silver medal at Manchester, which bore the following inscription“ Presented to Smiler, of the Msori Football Team, by C, Falshaw, on their first visit to Manchester, England, 1899-9." In return for this Smiler ptesentefl Mr Falshaw with a Maori tug. Smiler related (hat a distlnguiehlng oharaoteriotic of the spectators was to hoot when the Maoris won a game, and whan they lost the crowd would cheer enthusiastically; that did not take plane at all the planes tfiey visited. For instancs, at Widnes, where they . won. the crowd drew tbs Maori team in theta carriage to the hotel where they were During the proceedings one boy was. killed,W falling underneath the carriage wheels, When T the Maoris lost a match the Englishmen said, ” Oh, you fine fallow}." When they lost, Smiler said, 11 Dey walk away I" " Didn’t the dinners knock you up 7 " Smiler said they had “ too mush ot the dinner." The boys played too many matehet a week— four. Sometimes they UM three or tour hours training In the forenomi and then they would bate to play a foatett la the altaraooo. McCausland wag a finaoeMtM; Sometimes Bill Warbrick captained Utanu but Joe Warbrick had never played the ume game since ha had his ankle broken. At Sheffield was the only time the " hCYl 1 ' JIM star taken too m u °b champagne, and tbeq Lord Sheffield entertained them at a fliuMt before the match. Smiler said It wae a grind dinner, but it had its effect on the mateh which was subsequently played. It wm a great mistake. Smiler thought, to have the dinner before the match, as some of the non got drunk, and the mult wae that they loot the game. “Youwere not ae bad u the others; Smiler 7" " No, I no drink. Only drink lemonade" (and Smiler on Bunday night 'carried out what he said). They had their photo tatcq after the match, and Smiler made bls listener roar when he related that on the photograph nearly every one ot the tam looked as it half asleep; with their nceea nearly touching their shuts (and Bttllu gave a practical Illustration, which he die to perfection), “Did you go to the theatre ai all Smiler 111I 11 "Oh, ryes 'but, by golly, de pantomlMl it grand! Want every night I I like de pantomioe de best I"