THE SPORTING WORLD

April 6, 1916. GALLANT SPORTSMEN. ' Early in thc war we were told that all thc Rugby Blues and all save one of the rowing Blues at Oxford had promptly gone into the ranks of the lighters. Tlie information that two out of the seven players who represented Oxford at chess had joined up was also' given out. What the refit of the chess players subsequently did the writer has not heard, but they have "moved" after due deliberation. What happened at thc start, however, is a grand testimony for robust sports and pastimes, and it is to be hoped that boys and "iris will not be told in future to refrain" from this and that sport because of the danger. Some peopie are drowned Avhilst learning to swim, and others are killed when learning to shoot or box. Having acquired the knowledge of how to swim, shoot, or fight, however, enablefa*one to save life if called upon. That is mei*ly one side of it, and one need not now go into the vast benefits to the national physique, and which, of course, means a lower death rate. We must encourage our sports more than ever, particularly those of an aggressive nature, wliich tend to deviop fighters. These- remarks come to mind when thinking of a few va'iant sportsmen who have lately distinguished themselves or laid down their lives. Almost everyone has heard of the athletic and Rugby j abilitv of the three brothers Maclear, of ] Bedford. It is sad to reflect that the Avidowed mother of such great sons has to mourn their loss on the battlefield. Lieu-tenant-colonel Percy Maclear was killed in the Cameroon., "Captain Basil Macleai' ithe famous three-quarter) made the great sacrifice a little later, and now comes news that Lieutenant-colonel Harry Maclear, D.3.0., has been^killed. If one turns up the athletic records of Charterhouse School for the season of 1913 it will be found that, E- A. M'Nair won the mile and five miles and finished third in the steeplechase. That young athlete is now a lieutenant in the 9th Royal Sussex Regiment, .and the action which gained I him the most coveted V.C. ehows how j quick thinking and i-ssourcefulness de- | veloped on the field of sport helped him in the moment of trial. He and many mea of his platoon were blown into the air by the explosion of a mine, but though much shaken and bruised, he promptly organised a defending party with a machine g_n. and drove back "the" oncoming " Germans. He; then sent a message to a near-by unit \ for ammunition, bombs, and tools (their ( own being buried), whilst he sprinted across tlie open, exposed to heavy fire, for reinforcements, which he led up Another grand sportsman, Captain D. O. Tripp, the Harlequin and Middlesex County fullback, lias gained the D.S.O. for gallantry. He was wounded during a bomb attack by the enemy, but after having his injuries hurriedly dreeseci, he returned to the fight, and Avith a sergeant and two bombers kept the enemy at bay. At leng the bombers were wounded, so he sent the sergeant for reinforcements, whilst he kept the enemy off single-handed • ■ tor 20 minutes until relieved. The Empire has indeed reason to feel proud of suoh sportsmen. MANY RACES. Many more school and military races have been decided during the past week. The Burma Cup, presented by Lieutenant W. M.- Grabble (now a prisoner of war in Germany) for the best all-round form at j the Edinburgh Academy Gaines, was Avon ■ by 11. M. Somerville, Avho secured the 100 i and 440 yards and. putting the shot, besides gaining second place in throwing the cricket ball.'

To chronicle the A'ictories of ' the 3rd Irish Guards cracks is. getting to be a Aveekly occurrence. They crossed over to Ireland for the purpose of meeting the Clonliffe Harriers (national cross-country champions) at Baldoyle on Saturday, and 'once more came out on top. The distance was fiA'e miles, and though Clonliffe furnished the individual winner in F. J. Ryder, whose time Avas 32min 50sec, the Guards filled the next five places, and Avon easily Avith the lesser total of 29 points to 55. BOXING. No matter whether, Billy Well6 is a Avinner or a loser, he seems to retain his great popularity. Undoubtedly this is partly due to the faet he is " good to look at. ' He certainly is a fine specimen of a man, and his courage is top notch, as shown by his having gone up against boxers Avho lad previously beaten him. His defeats have mainly been due to his lacking "devil" or aggressiveness. Now when Wells tackled Petty Officer Curran at Plymouth one naturally expected to find the latter the favorite in such a naval centre. Curran certainly got a splendid reception, but when Wells entered the arena the cheers showed ho\v very popular he is. Wells Avon holloAvly, the fight going to the _fth round. THE TURF.

The entries for the War Derby and Oaks number 36 ami 25 respectively. A year ago only 18 and a dozen Avere received, so that the support of oAvners is satisfactory. It is good to find that the King has entered Spey Pearl and Sir Dighton for the War Derby, and White Pearl for the fillies' race. Whilst the animals have done nothing to warrant one hoping for a Royal victory, the support of His Majesty just now will do good. It is. of course, only natural to find Fifinella. nominated for both races, and Mr Hulton's flying filly may land the double event — that is, if the two-year-old form is upheld. It is well to remember hoAv Friar Marcus failed last year, hoivever, and possibly history may repeat itself. Canyon and Melissa are two other good fillies, and they Avill help Fifinella do battle against the colts in the Derby. Altogether it appears as though fillies have a big chance of taking the War Dierby of 1916. Here it may be mentioned that two fillies in Signorinetta (1908) and Tagalie (1912) haA-e won the Derby during the present century. A notable entrant for the Oaks is Pus. in Boote 11. , OAvned by Mr Foxhall Keene, and the joining in of the American filly Avill give added interest to the race. FOOTBALL.

One of the best struggles seen on a Rugby field for some time Avas furnished by the match between tho New Zealanders and Australians at Blackheath. A very even first half ended Avith a blank score Aheet, and though the Ali Blacks subsequently tried hard to open up the game, the fine tackling of the Australians prevented any scoring until near the end. The New Zealanders Avere then in their rivals' twenty-five, and heeling the ball out of a scrum, it went to Clifford, and thence to Jeffs and Muir, the last named getting over. Park was able to convert, and so the NeAv Zealanders aa-ou a great game by 5 points to 0. The NeAv Zealanders gained another fine Avin when opposed by a powerful United Hospitals fifteen at Queen's Club. Most of the medical students hav. been on active service, and their present hard duties give them little time for football, consequently they were not so fit as their rivals, the All Blades finally Aviiindng by 12 points to 0.

It came as something of a surprise that the South Africans Avent down' before the Army Service Corps (M'.T.) fifteen ajt

Grove Park, the home men winning by 15 points to 3.

) News is to hand of two interesting i matches between New Zealanders and) I Westminster Dragoons in the Egyptian 1 Desert. The Dragoons, having beaten the j New Zealanders by 9 goal, to 0 at Soccer, I agreed to take them on at Rugby, and to the surprise of nearly everyone the Englishmen proved successful by 7 points to 3. VARIOUS. The winning jockeys' list, under National Hunt rul.6, is headed by G. Parfrement, the French crack having gained 13 wins j out of 60 mounts. A special boat will be run. from Liver-' pool for tlie benefit of any English horses ; competing for the San Sebastian Grand j Prize on July 2, for which the stake to the winner is £.\BOO. Teams representing the Metropolitan Special Constabulary and the City Police |. Reserve contested a hockey match at Richmond on Saturday for the benefit of the City Police Orphanage. It proved a capii tal struggle, the Specials winning a keen game by 4 goals tc 2. Rugby enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that Lieutenant F. M. Stoop, the English International, who was wounded some time ago. is making splendid recovery. H. W. Stevfcnson made a gallery finish in his match of 18,000 points up with C. Falkiner (rec. 2,500). Scoring 1,048 to his rival's 485 at the last session, he won on the post by 159 points. The liima-n v. Reece match, in which the latter receives 1,000 paints in 18,000 up, is providing a fine • struggle. Reece was 1,003 points in front when the sixth days' play opened, but Inman made such a fine effort that he was only 275 beliind at the halfway stage.