The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954)(about) |
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Tuesday 8 January 1935
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WOMEN AT BOWLS
Staunch Veteran of 81
Playing in the Rain
Whether a woman is 18 or SO she can enjoy a same of bowls.' This was evi- dent at Eastbourne, England, a few weeks back, when 400 women players from near- ly 100 different clubs In Britain opened their week's tournament on four greens. Wives were In the majority; only a'quar ter of the players were unmarried.
One of the most sprightly pf the un- married competitors was Miss Woodfield, a slim little lady with snow-white hair, who-ls proud pf the fact that slie.^vas SI last July. In pouring rain, during which men spectators ran for shelter, she put up an excellent fight against Mrs. Wllmott, who is a noted Eastbourne player and 50 years Miss Woodfield's junior.
Miss Woodfield refused to hold up the ganio to take shelter. "Bowls is the best game'of all for women," she said. "It is a game that can be learned at any age. I did not even , start playing until I was 70. I was too busy working before then to go In for games, but the last ll years have been my playtime." ? Miss Woodfield was formerly proprietor of an Eastbourne boarding-house,
Mrs. Craxford, of Southgate, is cham- pion, and this year is challenged by all the English county and club' champions and by some from Scotland.
The men were very impressed by the women's play. "Some of them- Can give the men points in style," said one of the husbands who had come to watch.
'. There are several family partnerships, Mrs. and Miss Huggett and Mrs. and Miss , Llewellln . are . two Eastbournt mother and daughter pairs who play to- gether. Mrs. Johns, tho president of thc IEnglish Women's Bowling Association
and her daughter, Mrs. Greaves, ar« rivals. ' '