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SQUASH RACKETS

by Roy Owen Haddon, Hon. Secretary, New Zealand Squash Rackets Association, Palmerston North.


SQUASH RACKETS

Squash rackets has been played in New Zealand since 1932. The New Zealand Squash Association was formed in 1939 with 15 member clubs divided into three classes – open clubs, closed clubs, and private court owners. The first president was the late G. E. F. Kingscote, of Christchurch, who was succeeded in 1947 by the present president, R. S. Mitchell, of Oamaru. The association has grown to 2,000 members in 19 clubs with about 40 courts among them.


Championships and Competitions

National men's championships are held every year. The winners are:

1932 G. E. F. Kingscote (Christchurch)
1933 P. D. Hall (Christchurch)
1934 P. D. Hall (Christchurch)
1935 P. D. Hall (Christchurch)
1936 W. R. Fea (Hamilton)
1937 W. R. Fea (Hamilton)
1938 W. E. Renton (Timaru)
1939 W. E. Renton (Timaru)
1946 A. H. Malcolm (Timaru)
1947 A. M. Johns (Palmerston North)
1948 M. J. Souter (Timaru)
1949 A. M. Johns
1950 J. A. Gillies (Invercargill)
1951 J. A. Gillies (Invercargill)
1952 J. A. Gillies (Invercargill)
1953 D. D. Mochan (Palmerston North)
1954 P. R. Vesty (Timaru)
1955 D. D. Mochan
1956 D. G. Green (Dunedin)
1957 D. D. Mochan (Hawke's Bay)
1958 J. Cheadle (Australia)
1959 M. Oddy (Great Britain)
1960 C. Waugh (Palmerston North)
1961 C. Waugh (Palmerston North)
1962 C. Waugh (Palmerston North)
1963 C. Waugh (Palmerston North)
1964 C. Waugh (Palmerston North)
1965 R. Carter (Australia)

In 1947 the late F. A. Cousins donated a shield for a national teams competition. Five members make a team, and separate Island competitions are held. The Island winners play off the final. Winners are:

1947 Palmerston North 1950 Timaru
1948 Timaru 1951 Palmerston North
1949 Timaru 1952 Timaru
1953 Timaru 1960 Palmerston North
1954 Timaru 1961 Palmerston North
1955 Palmerston North 1962 Timaru
1956 Oamaru 1963 Timaru
1957 Oamaru 1964 Timaru
1958 Timaru 1965 Remuera
1959 Palmerston North

Women's championships began in 1951. This competition is for the Mitchell Rosebowl and has been won by:

1951 Mrs N. New (Palmerston North)
1952 Mrs N. New (Palmerston North)
1953 Mrs R. Maddern (Australia)
1954 Mrs N. New
1955 Mrs N. New
1956 Miss A. McKenzie (Oamaru)
1957 Miss A. McKenzie (Oamaru)
1958 Miss A. McKenzie (Oamaru)
1959 Miss B. Patterson (Hamilton)
1960 Miss A. McKenzie
1961 Mrs A. Stephens (Hamilton)
1962 Miss P. McClenaughan (Australia)
1963 Miss D. Linde (Australia)
1964 Mrs D. Deacon (Henderson)
1965 Miss H. Blundell (Australia)

Winners of the Mitchell Shield event, for play between women's teams of three players, are:

1958 Hamilton 1962 Remuera
1959 Remuera 1963 Hamilton
1960 Remuera 1964 Palmerston North
1961 Hamilton 1965 Palmerston North

Overseas Competition

Overseas tours have so far been made by a men's team to Australia in 1953, by a women's team to Australia in 1954, and by a men's team to Australia in 1959. Overseas players and teams paid visits in 1952 (Hashim Khan, of Pakistan), 1953 (an Australian women's team), 1954 (Janet Morgan and Sheila Speight, of Great Britain), 1957 (Hashim and Rosan Khan), 1958 (an Australian men's team), 1959 (a U.K. men's team), and 1965 (a U.K. women's team).

Since 1960 the following tours have taken place: Australian Women's Team toured New Zealand (1960); the Australian “Walleroos” toured New Zealand (1961); New Zealand Women's Team visited the Australian inter-State series and National Championships at Perth (1962); and, in 1963, an Australian Junior Women's Team toured New Zealand. In the same year New Zealand Men's and Women's Teams visited Melbourne for the Australian inter-State series and Australian Championships.

Test Matches (Since 1960)
Year Against Held in New Zealand
1960 Australian Women New Zealand Lost
1961 Australian “Walleroos” New Zealand Won
1963 Australian Junior Women New Zealand Lost
1963 Australian Women Australia Lost
1964 Australian Men New Zealand Lost
1965 British Women New Zealand Lost

by Roy Owen Haddon, Hon. Secretary, New Zealand Squash Rackets Association, Palmerston North.