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COLLEGE SPORTS.
WEEKLY JOTTINGS.
By OLD BOV.
While our Victorian school boys were wrestling
with the missing number competition, and trying
to find the distance of the star Sirius from the
earth, expressed in light years to the satisfaction
of the University professors, their brethren of the
other colonies have been hard at it settling their
little differences on the cricket fields of Adelaide
and Sydney, and on the beautiful Home Beach on
the Tamar. With matriculation disposed of, the
schools around Melbourne are all agog. Cricket
matches, sports, and speech daj-s will now be the
order of the day until next week. There will he a
general exodus, boarders going to their homes in
the country, and day boys off holiday-making for
the Christmas vacation.
The public schools of Sydney, or, as they arc
called, the "great public schools," in contradis
tinction to the state schools, have finished their
cricket prcmierslup- The two leading schools,
Sydney Grammar School and the King's School,
Pariamatta, met on Friday and Saturday, 2nd and
3rd inst., on the Sydney oval. The Grammar
School won the toss, and batted almost the whole
of the first day for the very large total of 524.
Three of the boys got centuries—J. Woodburn 101,
C. Brown 100; and A. Johnstone 100. Woodburn
is- a very finished batsman, and a terror to tiie
school bowlers about Sydney. He has already
scored four centuries in school matches out of six
innings—110 against St. Ignatius's College, 115
against Sydney Church of England Grammar
School, North Shore, and 108 against Ncwington
College. E. Gamscy 47, D. Close 44, A. Farrar
42, S. Powell 30, G. Campbell 23, also contributed
to the large total, and the batting was, so my in
forms i tells me, very sound all the way through.
The Ring's School boy's began their innings on
Friday evening, and put up 9 witiiout losing a
wicket. Next day play started early, but, owing
to the ground being otherwise engaged, the match
had to be abandoned at 1 o'clock. The King's
School team had then lost four wickets for 164.
Waddy, who is a brother of Stacy Waddy, who
plpyed for Oxford University a year or two back,
batted nicely for 52. Irwin made 31, Verge 26
(not out), Eversted 23, and Futter 14 (not out).
The game was thus abandoned at a very unsatis
factory stage, and the question of premiership re
mains in abeyance. This game is of special in
terest to Victorian school boys just now, as tiie
Melbourne Grammar School team leave by the ex
press on Wednesday, 14th inst., for their biennial
visit to Sydney Grammar School. 1 understand their
programme includes a match with both the King's j
School and Sydney Grammar School teams. Mr.
G. E. Blanch, the head master elect of the Mel- ]
bourne Grammar School, is at present on the Syd- j
ney Grammar School staff, so that in this visit |
of his new charges lie will find liimself in the same j
position as Mr. Lindon did some years ago when '
coming from Sydney to Gcclong—he found Ins
old school playing the new. I am sure the Mel
bumians will have a good trip, and with my old ■
friend Mr. Barbour to look after them in Sydney |
they will have nothing to complain of.
No match in South Australia creates so much in
terest as the annual contest between the two Ade- ;
laide colleges, St. Peter's and Prince Alfred's. St.
Peter's batted first, and 169 was the total before |
the last wicket fell. St. Peter's were represented
by only two of last year's eleven—SandUand and
C. Hodge. The score was, considering the state j
of the wicket, very moderate, and with more cor- j
roct fielding might well have been less. L. Hodge J
was the top scorer, his 43 being well made. Jen
nings, who used to play for Cumlodcn, only got |
a dozen, but Parker 28, Thomas 16 (not out), C.
P. Hodge 16, Lewis 13, and Campbell 10, all j
helped the score along. The fielding, as I have j
atid, was not very good, hut. Jolly, who kept
wickets, and Kirkwood and Bob Osborne (not our
old friend of Wesley College and University
High School fame), did a lot of good
work. Osborne handled his bowling well,
Smith, 2 for 12; Osborne, 2 for 19; Drew, 2 for 17
and Waldiek, 1 for 7, doing the best. Prince |
Alfred's representatives, thoroughly satisfied with
their success in disposing of the other side, went
in, and before time was called had lost 4
wickets for 57. The Princes have five of their
last year's team available, and have also the ad
vantage of Joe Darling's coaching, while Fred.
Jarvis looks after their opponents. Next day the
innings closed for 104, Jolly 36, getting top score;
D. Osborne, 13, and Willsmore, 11, being the only
other doubles; Campbell, 3 for 12; Webb, 2 for
18, bowled the best, and in fielding, C. Hodge, at
the wickets, though below his form of last year,
did well, and Parker was very brilliant at mid-off.
With 65 to the good, St. Peter's began with Jen
nings and L. llodge; again Jennings, by clever
placing on the leg side, and clean, straight drives,
got 42 in excellent style, and Hodge made 98
carefully before Smith held him beautifully in the
longfield." C. Hodge, the'St. Peter's captain,
showed lib quality in'a fine' innings of 51, and
Hayward'played "splendidly for 79 (not out). At
one time only three wickets were down for 190, but
the next four wickets only produced 21 runs.
However, when stumps were drawn, the score
stood at ,225 for, seven wickets, St. Peter's being
thus 290 kilns' on, with three 'wickets to fall. The
game was finished on Monday, December 5, when
Hayward took his score to 112. E. M. Webb helped
him with an able 52, and the innings closed for
329. In this large score there were onty 7 sundries,
which speaks volumes for Jolly's wicket-keeping.
With 895 to get to win, the Princes began well,
and 00 went up before the first wicket fell, Wills
more tailing iui ...... j
but C. Osborne 20 aud Chappie 13 (not out) were
the only others to make any stand against
Thomas, who bowled splendidly, his record read
ing, 20 overs, 7 maidens, 80 runs, <6 wickets. St.
Peter's thus won by 203 runs; but though they
deserve great credit for their win, their supporters
cannot he complimented on the style of their
barracking." In fact, at one stage, there was
nearly a riot.
In reference to the united public schools sports
question, Mr. J. Lake, the secretaiy of the Old
Mclburnfans' Society, has given me some interest
ing particulars of the meeting held in 1875. At
Htat time Melbourne Grammar School, Geelong
Grammar School, Scotch College, Wesley College,
and St. Patrick's College competed, and each in
stitution contributed £16, thus making a fund
of £75. Mr. Lake jvas secretary to the delegates,
two of whom (a master and a boy) represented
each school. The Melbourne Grammar School pair
were Mr. Lake and Frank Stephen, who, by the
way, won the championship that year. The
Bports were held on the South Melbourne ground
just before the Cup meeting, and excited a great
deal of interest. Sir William Stawell was Acung
Govefnor at the time, and presented the prizes at
Governor av u -norm. No one was asked
BlneWS Ol war. w>. .
Wesley College) arranged for tiie prises, which
were exhibited during the week in Brush and
Drummond's window, and were the centre of at
traction for days. This was almost the first occa
sion ~on which the now universal -University run
ning costume was insisted on, and the old tights
abolished. The boys sank their individuality as
and each one ran
auoasneu. aiic «vj ..
far as colours were concerned, and each one ran
in the colour of his particular school. The prizes
consisted of cups, lockets, pendants, and other
trinkets suitably inscribed. The expenses of the
*"* " » bandnomn
S^^reonly
margin for prizes. I tnisf^
meeting to-day will decide on holding a meeting
next year. -
Maurice Herring, the Old Melburnlan, writes
me tliat he and his brother are doing well at
cricket in the Maryborough district. In one match
t .flcc ma^e 60 Cn°t out) and Edmund got 24. I
]n the next game Ednhind scored 28 and Maurice '
took four wickets for 10 "tiftis. ' |
In Launccston the annual schools' race drew a 1
record attendance to the banks facing the course
of three-quarters of a mile in Home Reach, on
tne la mar. The prize for the race is a cup, pre
... Mr* Thomas Burke, wliicli has to be
won three times by the same school. Hitherto
the contestants have been the Launceston
schools, but tills year the Devon College boys
Si ln J1 c!'cw> an^. though beaten, were not
aisgraced; they had an inferior boat, but rowed
7 pTklly- The race was won by the Laun
ccsion Grammar School crew, who have now two
wins to their credit, the High School and Com
mercial College each having won once. The
Grammar School boys led all the way, and won
oy two lengths from the Commercial College boys,
wno made a desperate effort in the last furlong, i
J1®' Set up. The High School crew
w as third half a length away, the Devon repre
iri Ye?, the same distance behind fourth. '
ine following were-the crews:—
Grammar School.—R. Grubb (bow), 8.9: H.
| 0. Ellis (2), 9.7; C. C. Ring (3), 9.12; A.
Evans (stroke), 8.9; H. Dally (cox.), 7.2;
| H. traser (coach) .. i
Commercial College.—S. Anderson (bow), 8.2;
| R. Peters (2), 8.10; V. Thurston (3), 9.101
ur "®u'_ (stroke), 8.0; J. Searson (cox.), 8.2;
W. J. Hogg .(coach) 2
m o 00'*—J- Browne (bow), 8.13; S.
T. Scott (2), 0.8; B. T. Sadler (3), 9.6; H.
Holmes (stroke), 9.12; H. Fletcher (cox.),
7.o; A. W. j}. Percival (coach) 3
Devon College.—A. Fairlcy (bow), 8.0; C.
Barker (2), 10.7; D. Poulter (3), 10.7; R.
West (stroke), 10.1; W. Murray (cox.), 6.8;
A. G. Cox (coach) 4
"S1®'' there was plenty of animated racing
. » «cclong Grammar School regatta, and some
excellent form was shown in the senior fours and
I eights. Special mention must be made of White
head s record in rowing (his year. He rowed
bow for his school against St Peter's College in
April then stroked the second crew in May,
I rowed two in the first crew at the head of the
nvcr in _ October, and at this regatta stroked
both senior fours and eights—all winning races.
As he is only a lOst man it is a case of well
applied strength and pluck. Mr. Linden (the
head master of the 6cliool) acted as judge, and the
captain of the boats and . Mr. Cuthbertson as
•jj;rs umpires. Lyne's crew won the
middle fours. 11. Davics stroked the winning
crew in the junior fours. A. M'Konzic, with P.
as boiv, won the middle pairs, and Teddy
W "itc the junior pairs, with ,J. Russell as his
cow. a he senior eighis' winning crew was, as
l have said, stroked by R. Whitehead, who won
by a length and a third.
The Argus" of Friday, 2nd December, con
tained a notice of the death of Mr. Charles
l hoinas. There were no particulars given, but to
Old Brighton schoolboys the news was conveyed
that an old school master bad passed away. It's
over 20 years since I first knew Mr. Thomas and
attended his school; and ever since I have had
nothing hut the most kindly remembrances of the
old gentleman. Although bent with age and
rheumatism, to which he was a martyr at tliat
time, Mr. Thomas had plenty of energy. Amongst
his pupils were Jack Mouritz, one of the finest
of Brighton boys, who died before his master,
Marcus and Harry Johnston, C. Adumson (now a
doctor in tlie old country), Boyd, and Donald
M Leod, Dot and Claude Desaillv, Culiu M'Dougall,
Robin and Charlie Smaie, A. Blyth and his
brothers, and numbers of others. To those who
are living the news will come with sadness, for
we wore ail treated with great kindness and care
by the old gentleman, who never tired of telling
of lus adventures when a squatter in the far west.
As a teacher he was sound, and many an old
Brightonian can look back aud thank liim for
sound grounding and steady work. Wc used to
play sorry pranks on the old gentleman perhaps,
but boys will do that, but we all loved him never
theless. His sons were at the school too, Mr.
Chas. Thomas, manager of the Bank of New Zea
land, and llev. Ward Thomas being the eldest.
I join with his other old friends in offering them
my condolences.
I have received the following letter:—"Dear
Sir,—I wish to make a few remarks respecting
the merits of the leading batsmen in the Schools'
Association. It was stated in your columns two
or three weeks ago that Scott was, undoubtedly,
the best school batsman of this vear. Well, look
ing at performances, which, I think, is the best
possible test, it will be found that E. Baird, of
Geclong College, comes ont on top by a good
deal in the batting average in the Schools' Asso
ciation matches. I heard it said tliat Charlie
Over, who is, undoubtedly, a good judge of the
game, considers Baird the best schools' batsman
he has ever seen, which is saying a great deal
more than that he is the best batsman in the
Schools' Association this year. Appended are his
scores in the private school matches:—Geclong
College y. Cumlodcn, 55 run out; Geolong College
v. Brighton G.S., 123 retired; Geclong College v.
S.M. College, 115 out; Geclong College v. Carlton
College, 101 retired; Geelong College v. Hailey
bury C.t 0 out. Counting the retired innings
as not out, which, I believe, is usually done
compiling averages, gives him the fine avera:
of 131.3. He also made against Geclong G.S., 3
5. 75, and 26 not out; and against the Scoti
College, Melbourne, 71 not out.—I am, yours, &<
Old Collegian."
The remark I made about Scott was that he w
tlie best batsman since the days of R. Smith ai
Svd. Donahoo. Baird is. I admit, an exce
tionally good batsman, but I do not think he
equal to Scott. It is a pity that Baird did n
play against M.C.C., in which match Scott play
so very well.
The Grange Preparatory School, for so mai
yearn under the control of Miss Tompleton. was
regular nursery for the Church of England Grai
mar School in tlie days when Mr. Thomas,
whom I have referred above, had his school
Brighton. Last week the Grange boys held the
sports on the Warehousemen's ground. Tl
judges, Messrs. W. T. Coldham, R. C. Kent, ai
G. Gill, with tlie assistant judge, Mr. G. A
Stokes, had lots of wrgk to do, as the finishes we
all close. E. Willis won the cup for most points ;
open events. He was first in the Hurdle Race ai
High Jump (3ft. llin), and also got several place
R. Joynt was also to the fore, and C. Pinnock, F.
Hamilton, C. Danby, G. Joynt, H. Gibbons,
Davis, O. Synnott, J. Campbell, R. Moore, and
Dickson were all returned as winners in one
more events. Kent wOn both the old boys' race
The most exciting race was the Consolation,
which young Coldham and Grantham ran a do:
beat, and in the final Grantham won by a nos
Little Aclond Stokes was very keen on winnin
but though he got two seconds he could not qui
manage to win.
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