Army softball also has an urban myth from the
1950s (told amongst former Army softballers
in 3 versions).
over the decades
the 1950s
Written by Dean Groves
The Command Trophy competition began in
1948. It was an annual competition between
the Military Districts of the New Zealand Army.
The original sports concerned were: athletics,
cricket, rugby, basketball, swimming, tennis,
boxing and hockey. The Command Trophy
winning District was determined once the
Inter-Districts Summer and Winter Sports
Tournaments were completed.
Each individual sports had points allocated
that would go towards the Command Trophy
points table. The points table was maintained
throughout the year and the champion District
would be presented the Command Trophy the
following year.
The Disabled Servicemen’s Association of
New Zealand donated the Command Trophy,
which is made out of New Zealand woods with
a central chiming clock.
The Inter-District names and boundaries were
at the time, defined as:

Northern Military Districts (NMD)
comprising Fort Cautley, Papakura and
Ngaruawahia Camp.

Central Military Districts (CMD) comprising
Fort Dorset, Trentham and Linton Camp.

Southern Military Districts (SMD)
comprising Burnham Camp and King Edward
Barracks.
The early history of softball in the Army
stretches back to the days of wooden bats,
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new zealand army softball 60th anniversary 1949-2009
stiff rawhide leather gloves and a time when
batting helmets and protective equipment for
catchers were not worn.
During the early 1950s, softball had become
a regular weekend activity for the Regular
Force Cadets in the summer outside of their
scheduled training commitments. According to
a few of the cadets from 1950 (Russ Luscombe,
Kina Lawrence and Terry Fell), they believe that
it took until 1953 for softball to become part
of the Command Trophy. Terry Fell also recalls
that softball did not receive a great deal of
enthusiasm from the Army’s hierarchy in those
days and had to organise and conduct its
tournaments fairly ad hoc. If softball had had
the prestige of cricket in those days, it would
have wanted for nothing. Travel to and from
the Inter-Districts Tournaments was usually
by bus or train to the Inter-Island ferry, an 11
hour overnight sailing depending on the seas
and, finally, either a bus or train trip to the
hosting Camp.
Version 1: Softball was apparently banned as
a sport within the Army from 1958 until 1961,
for the reason that senior officers were not
impressed with the amount of noise generated
on the diamond. When softball was reinstated,
the catcher was the only player permitted to say
anything on the diamond.
Version 2: In 1958, senior officers were so
incensed at the level of noise and barracking
that occurred during softball games that they
barred softball from the Summer Tournament
for 3 years.
Version 3: (as told by John Eagar) Burrows
Field in Burnham Camp was in those days
used exclusively for cricket, which was a game
predominately played by officers (gentlemen).
Softball was not permitted to play any games on
Burrows Field (sacred ground), the alternative
being the rough paddock outside camp across
the road.
John Eagar states “softball was permitted to
play on Burrows Field, depending on who
was the Camp comedian” (Commander) at
the time.
The following photograph is a CMD Team,
which is believed to be from one of the first
Summer Sports Tournaments where softball
was played. But, it could well have been taken
a year or two after softball was introduced.
Despite that uncertainty, you can see that
Service Dress was worn for team photographs
and some of the faces in the team are those
who were with softball in the Cadet Schools
(eg, Corporal Kina Lawrence, Craftsman George
Boyd and Staff Sergeant Maurice Bull). Other
faces include Lance Corporal Ernie Rogers and
Corporal Terry Fell. It is not known where this
photograph was taken or the camp that the
Summer Sports Tournament was hosted by.
Below: The 1954 CMD Men’s Softball Team.
“The dress to, from and
during tournaments was
Service Dress (SDs).”
The dress to, from and during the tournaments
was Service Dress (SDs). The coach (coacher)
and manager both wore Service Dress during
the games.
The Army Welfare Service was initially
responsible for running the tournaments. The
tournament teams all socialised together, in
SDs at the tournament bar.
60th anniversary 1949-2009 new zealand army softball
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