"Mick" Kinzett

With the bowling season on us again, it is perhaps appropriate that our selection for this month's "Sportsman" is a man with a tremendous bowling record. It's appropriate too, since our Sportsman, Mr C. H. ("Mick") Kinzett, has also had a long and successful association with the winter sport of Rugby, the season for which has just ended.

Mick began playing bowls as a member of the Maitai Club in 1940 and he remained a member of this club until ill health forced his retirement from all sport for four years. He resumed his bowls in 1965 as a member of the Mapua club, and he is enjoying as great a success with this club as he did with Maitai. His first notable bowling achievement was in 1944 when he played his way into the finals of the Maitai club's junior singles. He won this title the next year, and thereafter, with the exception of one year, he contested a club final in singles, pairs or fours every year to 1960 inclusive. Throughout his playing career, he has won 19 club championships and four champion-of-champion titles. His successes are almost too many to list but briefly here are some: 1950-51 inclusive, skip of Nelson Easter tournament fours champions; 1948 among the last eight in the national singles tournament; 1950 a member of G. Piper's four which was third in the national fours; 1953, skip of the only South Island four to reach the quarter finals of the national fours. Making a comeback in 1966, he was runner-up in the Nelson centre open singles title, and he took the title last year.

In the Rugby world, Mick represented Nelson in 1924-26 but an injury forced his retirement. After coaching the Nelson club senior team from 1944 to 1953 he was appointed the Nelson union sole selector from 1955 to 1960 inclusive. In this period, only one season elapsed without the Seddon Shield being in Nelson. His teams' record in Seddon Shield games was 10 wins, a draw and four losses, Today he is a life member of both the Nelson union and the Nelson club.

On the cricket field Mick distinguished himself in the 1933-4 season by establishing a Hawke Cup record of 272 not out - a record which stands today (the pic at right was taken after the innings closed). He played for Nelson against the touring Australians in 1932-33 and retired in 1941 with a record of seven centuries in club cricket. He played for Wakatu.