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The Return of the Spoon

The Story of this Year's Bid for the Tournament Shield is a pathetic one. It is that of a team which departed full of hope and returned without even the glory.

It is rather interesting to refer back to 1938. In that year certain events took place and certain hopes were expressed which have connections wtih Tournament of 1940.

In 1938, with what was considered rather a mediocre team, Victoria won the Tournament Shield; in 1940, the teams in each sport considered that they had excellent chances of success and only one justified the claims that had been made.

It is rather unfortunate from our point of view that the Wooden Spoon, which was originally presented by this College, should have such a tendency to return home. The reason for this may be that we, as a College, are particularly ill-fated, or it may be found connected with the peculiar lack of interest with which all but the actual participants regarded the victory in 1938, and usually regard the Tournament competition generally.

It would be wrong to advocate a narrow parochial outlook, but it seems rather strange for the members to lack interest in the activities of their College, especially when it is competing with its fellow institutions on one of the few occasions when students from all parts of the country are able to gather. But let us consider what was accomplished this year.

From an unusually large number of aspiring boxers, a very strong team was selected which won the Boxing Shield in a convincing manner. The youthful and keen coach, Ken Coveney, who won a N.Z.U. Championship in 1938, was largely responsible for the enthusiasm shown during training and the success of the team was a worthy return for his efforts.

The outstanding performance was that of P. J. Sheehan, who rowed in the Hebberley Shield Race, fought two hard fights and won the Welterweight Title.

It may have been the absence of wind—a state seldom found on Wellington harbour and rifle range, or more probably, the unusually restricted training conditions for these sports this year, which were responsible for our disappointing performances in rowing and shooting. Unusually fine weather may have disconcerted our crew which, after a good start, dropped gradually behind the others, but their combination showed that much more training together in the eight itself is required.

Victoria's efforts on the rifle range were not at all distinguished among results of an unusually low standard. The impossibility of obtaining sufficient ammunition and a range for practice was the cause for his failure.

J. Sutherland, the National Sprint Champion, kept our athletic team from being entirely in disgrace. The rest of the team ran with average success but not well enough to avoid the Athletic Wooden Spoon. The supporters tried to make up for our lack of athletic skill by entertaining the spectators with bicycle races of all des page 41 criptions and of all the Colleges probably V.U.C. obtained more than its share of the garments of the Canterbury Haka Party.

The remarkable feature of the Basketball Tournament was the narrowness of the margin between the scores in all games Though only winning one game our team was defeated by no more than two points in the others. Only for moments did they display the high standard which had been seen in their play before Easter and which had raised all our hopes so high; however, they did show great pluck in playing under rather difficult conditions.

In the swimming finals, V.U.C. was more successful than usual, gaining three second places.

Retaining only one title, the men's doubles, Victoria lost the Tennis Cup which it had held for two years. The absence of some stalwarts on whom the team had learned to depend was very keenly felt.

Last scene of all, which ended this strange eventful history of Tournament 1940, was our defeat in the Horn contest. Our misguided representatives omitted to warm up properly beforehand, and lost in the first round. However, just as they have done in the past, under similar circumstances, after losing the Horn, they set up an N.Z.U. record time during the demonstration.

In the 1938 issue of Spike, it was advocated that much benefit would result from a greater exchange of representatives between New Zealand and Australian Universities. This year, a team of five athletes and their manager took part in our Easter Tournament. If the company of these fine ambassadors was the sole benefit which we gained from their visit, then it was a highly successful tour for both countries. But contacts made in the field and socially also, proved stimulating, the broader viewpoint of the citizens of a larger university and country begetting some interesting comments on the N.Z. Universities and the activities of N.Z. U.S.A. It is to be hoped that the outstanding success of this venture will encourage N.Z. U.S.A. to promote annual exchange visits in any of the fields of University activity.

At the present time, it is still doubtful whether a Tournament will be held in 1941, and many circumstances indicate that the holding of the contest will be improbable. Nevertheless, we must realise the necessity of keeping the organisation intact with the possibility also, of fielding teams, acting as supporters and as hosts. Clubs must therefore rally their members and prepare for the season's activities and we all must have the determination that, whenever it is ordained that the next tournament be held, that thing of beauty, the Wooden Spoon, shall not be our joy for ever.

R.J.C.