Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954), Tuesday 4 November 1952, page 3


Victorian softballers too strong for North Tasmania

The visiting Victorian Softball Association proved far too good for a combined Northern Tasmanian team at the Devonport Oval yesterday afternoon. The game was spoilt as a spectacle by shocking weather.

Prior lo tho game, the War-den (Mr. M. P. Holman> of-ficia Hy opened the 1952-53 season and welcomed the visiting Victorians.

j The Victorians lost two I hatters in the first in; nings before they scored ; a run. but before thc j tliird batter was out they

j had scored ll runs and | j from then on were vastly j 1 ¡superior to their opponI cuts, winning 31-Î).

Although cn.sily beaton, the Tasmanian team was far from disgraced. Lack of experience was the big handicap and the visit of such an accomplished team as this Victorian side will do much lo improve the

standard.

The Victorians made the trip to boost .softball in Tas-mania, and in view of the response - there were 300 spectators of whom about "200 were players - the visit will no doubt prove successful.

Included in the Victorian team were three players who were chosen for the Austral-ian team alter the sottball carnival in Perth last March. They are Myrtle Kd wards

(capt.). Dot Lumsden and Eunice Walker. Myrtle Ed-wards loured New Zealand as captain of the Australian team last year. She also tour-ed New Zealand in 1948 as a member of the Australian women's cricket team.

llie visitors brought with them thc coach (Mr. T. Dob-son), umpire (Mr. W. New-some) and the manageress (Miss Irene Burrows), who is thc secretary of the Australian Softball Council.

At thc conclusion of the ex-hibition match, members of the Victorian team acted as umpires in the four "light-ning" games conducted by As-sociation teams and gave much helpful coaching to thc play

ers."

Details of the game: Vic-toria d. Northern Tasmania, 31-9. Safe hits -- Victoria: N. Alsop (5). M. Hubbard (3). E. Hardwick (3), B. I Hardwick (21. E. Lopau (2*. I M. Wilford (2). E. Walker. M.

Edwards. D. Lumsden. Tas-mania: M. stagg (2\, IL Hut

I ton, D. Hay.

Olympic softball?

Il is almost certain that softball will be included in the 1950 Olympics if

I teams games arc perse-

vered with, thc secretary of the Australian Softball Council (¡Miss Irene Bur-rows) said yesterday.

She said (he game was now being played in 15 countries, and because ot' this popularity, there was a decided possi-bility that a move to have lt included in the Olympic Games schedule would bc successful.

Ia Australia the six Stales were now aillliated with the Australian Council and all would be competing at thc carnival next year in Bris-bane, Tasmania would be sending a team for thc first time.

The game in Victoria was very popular and was now be-ing played on Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday games

attracted at least three or four hundred spectators.

Thc Rame in Tasmania had a great opportunity to flour-ish. If a coach could be ob-tained from the mainland, the standard would improve con-siderably and she was sure the Victorian Association would do all in its power to assist. Miss Burrows added.