Sports Review

Radrodro Should

Have Retired

ays Norman Baxter, in Suva TOJI heavyweight boxer, Isimeli I Radrodro, was with the Ist I Battalion in Malaya as regi aental sergeant-major, and in the oxing ring when he took time off rom hunting Communist terrorists, ie won the imposing title of Champion of the Orient”. .He should have retired with that itle when he returned to Fiji two nd a half years ago, for honours fere then thick and heavy on him.

But no—he continued professional -oxing and has steadily gone down all.

He left the Fiji Military Forces fly a few weeks ago, and in his irst professional fight since then fas knocked out by the up-and oming Sakiusa Cawa at Nausori.

Radrodro is a grand sportsman hd earlier this year captained the rugby team in Tonga. He oured New Zealand with Fijian flgby teams in 1951 and 1957.

He will admit to no particular ge, but must be well beyond the 0-mark, which is just a little bit 30 old for professional boxing. He 'lans to continue his rugby career he has played as long as apakuki Tuitavua, captain of the

1952 and 1954 teams in Australia and a member of the 1939 team in New Zealand. Apakuki gave up rugby at 41.

Editor’s Note: Radrodro, in De cember, is scheduled for a series of fights in Tonga and Fiji and to de fend his Orient title in Singapore.

So we’ll soon see if he has, in fact, “gone down hill”.

They've Revived the

Five Events

From a Honiara Correspondent THEY called it The Five Events before the war, because that is what it was.

Competitive teams —Commerce v Government—clashed annually at Tulagi in cricket, tennis, golf, snooker and swimming: winner of the majority of events to take the cup. , , ..

But the war put an end to it, and only last year, for the first time, was The Five Events revived at Honiara. , , Swimming has been dropped from the new series because there are no facilities, and athletics sub stituted.

Each team comprises 14 players, from which a cricket team and six men for the other events have to be selected, which isn’t easy.

The 1958 competition, just com pleted, was won by Commerce —3-2 (successful at tennis, cricket and golf).

And to prove it, they now, have a cup donated for old times’ sake by five original players—A. E. Palmer, R. J. Lotze, Tom Elkington, “Johno”

Johnson and Bob Firth.

A Concerted Effort

Might do it

Prom Norman Baxter, in Suva MORE and more people are taking an active part in sport in Suva, but they are finding that their main playing area, Albert Park, is becoming more than a little congested.

The population is growing rapidly, which means there is going to be a bigger demand for playing space, but no one seems to be doing much about it. A few years ago an area capable of taking eight football fields was set aside at Buckhurst Park, Laucala Bay.

Although Buckhurst Park has a fine playing field, it has one only —what could be the other seven is virgin countryside. Sports bodies say it is the responsibility of the Government or Suva City Council to lay out the grounds, and those bodies say they have no money.

If the various sports organisa tions made a concerted effort and showed they were prepared to help themselves it is more than probable that they would receive official as sistance In the meantime Albert Park becomes more and more congested.

King of the

Canvas Kissers

Prom Fred Dunn, in Noumea NOUMEA’S many boxing fans still haven’t got over their wrath following a deplorable exhibition by yet another of Aus tralia’s champions, Bob Murdoch, publicised here as Number One Australian Middleweight. This gentleman proved to be the king of canvas kissers.

He was billed to fight Mahoni, the Bombardier of Tonga. Local fans, wary of Australian champs, rolled up only in hundreds, and saw Murdoch hop into the ring and Mahoni hop into Murdoch to such good effect that the Australian be came groggy and so incapable of defending himself that the referee stopped the fight. . . before the end of the first round! .

It was about the most unremark able exhibition of the noble art ever seen here. , .

The second match was about as good. A Fijian matched with a New Caledonian was floored in the sixtn, and just reclined on his elbow while the referee counted him out.

[?]T'S ALL SMILES HERE. And with good reason, for the Port Moresby Golf Association had a [?]uccessful year, and a very good dinner and Trophy Presentation rounded it off in November. [?]t the microphone is Associates' president Mrs. Cecily Perichon, watching secretary Mrs. Ann Adler hand cups to one of the season's winners, Mrs. L. Kattern. —Papuan Prints.