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All Honour to …
New Zealand's Famous Athletes
Part 1.

By W. F. Ingram

Acavalcade of Champions passes as I sit and type this humble tribute to the champions of field, flood and ring … New Zealand's famous sportsmen who have won renown in international sport and have done much to place the name of our fair land high among the sporting communities whenever sport is the subject of discussion.

It is not my desire to single out one champion as our greatest; nor do I want to leave out one worthy of inclusion—but our sporting history is so wonderful that space is not available to give even a brief summary of all the champions. Nor are the facts about the earliest champions in existence—or available. That is something about which I feel strongly; I feel that the time is opportune to make an effort to chronicle some of the deeds of the old-time champions.

We are celebrating our Centennial and are paying tribute to the pioneers who made this little country a land of which all should be proud. But what tribute has been paid our sportsmen?

Boxing is a sport that flourished in the earliest days of New Zealand history. From the days when the whalers went ashore to settle their differences in the true British manner, until to-day bouts of fisticuffs have attracted public interest. For that reason I commence this tribute by referring to Bob Fitzsimmons, who came to New Zealand as a lad of three years and went to school at Lyttelton, in the shadow of the famous gaol, before moving to Timaru, where he developed his strength by swinging a blacksmith's hammer.

It was at Timaru that Bob Fitzsimmons first came into prominence by winning a tournament staged by Jem Mace, the most famous of all English boxers. Fitzsimmons then went to Australia, where his ungainly build—he had the upper frame of a heavyweight and the legs of a lightweight—allied to his superb collections of freckles earned for him the ring cognomen of “Ruby Robert, the Freckled Wonder.” Developed in New Zealand, Bob Fitzsimmons was the first boxer to win world boxing championships in three different weights—middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight. He introduced the solar-plexus punch to boxing, winning the heavyweight title with it by defeating James J. Corbett in fourteen rounds in 1897 after taking a merciless beating. Ruby Robert died at Portland, Oregon, on October 23, 1917. At his best he weighed 11st. 6lb., but he had a record of knock-out wins among heavyweights that will stand comparison with that of any champion.

Just a few months ago, Billy Murphy passed on. Here again New Zealand developed a world champion, for “Torpedo Bill” won the world featherweight title by knocking out “The Belfast Spider,” Ike Weir, in fourteen rounds at San Francisco in 1890. Billy had a brother Tim, who won many important heavyweight bouts, including the South African championship—although he weighed no more than 10st. 10lb. when he knocked out Mike Williams, at Johannesburg, to take that title. Giving away weight never troubled Billy or Tim—they loved to fight for fighting's sake.

Another famous New Zealander—he has never received his just dues in the land of his birth—is Tom Heeney, whose gallant losing battle against Gene Tunney is ranked as one of the ring's epics. Blinded early in the bout, Tom Heeny, “The Hard Rock From Down Under,” as he was called by the Americans, fought back against one of the most clever heavyweights in ring history before the referee called a halt to save a game boxer from permanent injury. Otto Crib, who died following a bout against Mick Dunn in 1901, is another famous New Zealand ringster and old-timers would be justifiably offended if I omitted reference to Dan Creedon, page 42 who fought such champions as Bob Fitzsimmons, “Starlight,” Joe Choynski, Kid McCoy, Joe Walcott, Jack Root, Marvin Hart and Mick Dunn. Dave Smith, one of New Zealand's most talented middleweights, who had much to do with the moulding of the great Australian Les Darcy, will never be forgotten by true New Zealanders. His thrilling battles against Darcy, Clabby, Fritz Holland, Colin Bell, Bill Squires, Jerry Jerome and Les O'Donnell entitle him to an honoured place on the Roll of Champions.

Wrestling is not the modern sport many imagine, but the deeds of the oldtime champions would take much research among musty old files—records of Caledonian Games and such gatherings—before even a sketchy outline could be given. But in recent years the names of Ike Robin, the giant Maori, and Lofty Blomfield have commanded respect among the world's greatest wrestlers. In his solitary world title bout, Blomfield held Bronko Nagurski to a draw and he has defeated two former champions, Lopez and Detton. In conversation with Dean Detton, considered to have been one of the greatest since Frank Gotch, I was assured that Lofty was among the best six in world wrestling last year, and he seemed headed for the top when the war interfered with the sport. But his turn will come, and he will take his place with other New Zealanders to win world championships.

From boxing and wrestling to tennis is a big step, but New Zealand has a history in the great social game that is not to be kept under a bushel. In 19141919 New Zealand lost many wonderful athletes and numbered among those to fall on the field of honour was. Anthony Wilding, who was associated with Norman Brookes in winning the Davis Cup for Australia and New Zealand. As a tribute to the memory of “Tony” Wilding, the Davis Cup finals were played in New Zealand when competition was resumed after the war, America winning the coveted trophy at Auckland.

To-day the name of “Tiny” Freyberg is held as an inspiration to New Zealanders; 30 years ago he was famous as a swimmer, second only to Malcolm Champion, the first New Zealander to win an Olympic Gold Medal. MajorGeneral B. C. Freyberg, V.C., D.S.O., was born in London in 1890, but he came to New Zealand as a lad of three years and was brought up and educated in New Zealand. He is now to command the First New Zealand Echelon in the Battle for Democracy. Winner of countless New Zealand swimming titles, “Tiny” Freyberg put his natatorial skill to good use in the Dardanelles campaign by swimming ashore and setting alight flares to distract the attention of Turks while a landing was being made at Gallipoli. For this daring feat he was awarded the D.S.O.—later he secured two bars to it—and for exceptional gallantry in France won the most coveted of all British awards, the Victoria Cross.

Malcolm Champion, who passed over a few days before Billy Murphy died, won more swimming championships than did any other New Zealander, and as mentioned earlier was the first New Zealander to win an Olympic Gold Medal, the symbol of world swimming supremacy.

So far I have not mentioned one woman champion, but I cannot give a comprehensive review of champions without mentioning Miss Violet Walrond, the first New Zealand woman swimmer to use the crawl stroke. She placed in the final of the 100 metres at the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920 and qualified for the final of the 300 metres, although ill-health prevented her from taking her place in that final. She was the youngest competitor in swimming events at Antwerp and earned the praise and admiration of the world's best coaches. Misses Kathleen Miller and Gwitha Shand are two more swimmers to bring fame to New Zealand, while Miss Ena Stockley, who won many New Zealand and Australian titles, is entitled to rank among our list of champions.

Space prohibits me from giving details of other champions in this issue, but I hope to continue my tribute to our champions of the past in next month's issue of the “Railways Magazine.” I am mindful that the facts are not complete, but nothing less than a volume is needed to give the champions their just dues.

(To be continued.)