stranger, who, mistaking the grave for an artificial formation, asks what it is for, that it is the grave of the first two teams of the Addisons and Charleston footballers who met.
Yours, etc.,
SOLOMON MALAPROP.
FOOTBALL.
The Seddon Shield matches are one of the greatest draws on the Coast at the present tine, but I must give an account of one of the greatest football matches that ever took place in the history of the West Coast, and it took place on the Charleston beach in the year 1868 for a wager of £50 a-side, between Charleston and Addisons teams. Near the football ground a man named Jack Cullan had a hotel, and on the football ground Phil McEnroe had a publican’s booth 100ft in length. About 5,000 spectators were present to witness this wonderful event. Three matches were played on that day, and Charleston won two games and Addison one. It took nearly the whole day to play the matches, and the excitement was somewhat intense and betting was brisk. Jim Dee captained the Addisons team and amongst the 15 of the best players from Addisons in that team were Pat McEnroe, Jim Haden, Jimmy O’Riley, and Hughie Moran (the present caretaker of the Westport Domain). The publicans took hundreds of pounds at the drinking booths at 1/- a nobbler. In the evening a grand ball was held at Charleston to finish up the day’s sport. For many years after that great event football went dead, but about the year 1893 it came to light again when a club was formed, and amongst the crack players were Jim Hepburn and Billy Armstrong. Just about that time Denniston had been winning all the matches on the Coast, but when they met the Addisons boys in a rep. match at McPadden’s paddock on August 4, 1894 the Highlanders met their Waterloo. The Addisons team won by 3 points. It was a great “suck in” to Denniston, who thought themselves cock of the walk. Hepburn and Armstrong were the only two men of note in the Addisons team and the remainder were native born. In the Denniston team were J. Smith, H. Levy, J. Smythe, Charlie Brown, Peckham and Kennedy in the backs, and the forwards consisted of Duncan, Jack O’Leary, Hope, Osborne, Lutton, Glover, G. Smith, Tony McGee and Jock Moye. It was in this match that Jimmy Hepburn kicked one of the longest and most awkward goals ever kicked in Maoriland history. Through losing this match no doubt Denniston got the “wind up,” for they immediately imported Bob Henderson, D. Peacock, Nipper Rhodes, Bill Bowers, and several other players to the Hill from Brunner, and by doing so regained their lost honors.
CRICKET.
About 1905 the Addisons boys formed a Cricket Club and they made a name for themselves in the world of sport. Tom Kane, M.A., now in Wellington College, was captain, and some real good batsmen and bowlers were turned out from that Club. When the said Club had won honors for themselves, I wrote several verses in their praise, and in looking through my old scrap book I find I have my poetry still in safe keeping, and the verses were written under the title of “The Addisons Cricket Team,” and the first and last verses ran as follows:—
